The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-07-03
E65e Fourth at The Home
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BY Howard Fielding


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Philosophers prove the infinity OF
space by asking you to think OF the END
of lit as a wall with nothing upon the
other side. This is declared to be I'M
gIinkable. There can be no final place,
mo wall with a void beyond.
know better, for 1 have seen that
wall / came to it in october, 1892
There was, nothing on the farther size
and very little on the nearer. 1t was
Esos an end, but continuance, that was
uncomfortable to me.
My business had come to an end. NO
philosopher could deny that. My ner-
wous system was done for. seemed TO
see 1t taken out of my body and tackeo
upon that final wall like the skin or
squirrel on a barn door.
I was 80 years DID, and felt $50.
When my friends asked me what l
was going to do simply yaWned at
them
It was at this time that some one
recommended me to Miss Glendon. Eco
pie have absolutely no conscience In
auch matters. The young lady was
Informed that I was trustworthy and
efficient man, 4 victim of misfortunes
chat would have been too much Tor
anybody, and she credited the tale.
Miss Glendon was an orphan "a years
old and very pretty. Her income Is
somewhat more than dollar per MN
ate, and there are 525,600 minutes In
year. She is said to give about twelve
hours a day to charity.
The gentleman who mentioned my
aanne to Miss Gilendon persuaded me, at
her request, TO go with him to call upon
her i WAS too Predetermined to resist
To the best of my recollection, did
mot CLEARLY understand where was go
Syrer ,rvtff II N ha
presence.
The sight of Miss Glendon produced
q considerable effect upon me. She
possesses magnificent health and re-
geais, even to such eyes as mine were
then, the energy of a noble and finely
balanced nature.
/ forgot for q few minutes that the
unthinkable wall stood in front OF me,
and WIS conscious, with a mild sur
prise. of talking like living and ra-
tioI.al human being
After half an hour Of generalities
Miss Glendon asked me if l would I'M
tlertake the management of her chill
GEsns home, q very admirable charity
which she had established about a year
before She had heard that I had had
charge of q boys school in Massachu-
sets for q couple of years after con-
ending my college course and that I
had done wonderful work. She knew
that 1 held q medical diploma, though
Z lad practicsG but little The knowl-.
Tsz3ge would be of great advantage, in
har opinion. Altogether she spoke OF
k1y desuitorE and purposeless career
as III IL were the very thing she had
been in search of, and she apologized
with great aslicgcy for yenturing to
offer me a position in which pecuniary
reward would not, be at all equal to
ray deserts. Then she named really
handsome salary and paused for my re-
ply
New. the fact is that 1 would have
welcomed such q haven, and, above all,
wouid have sacrificed much for the
SAKE OF sharing any sort of work in
which Miss Glsntion was engaged, but
Z am honest in the main. and this thing:
sxas not possible. told Miss zGlendon
frankly that was filter to be an in
ul1ste of her home than the head Of it;
that j WAS utterly broken down and
prematnreiy In my second childhood
and that, IN brief. the institution could
not fall into worse ] ands than mine
the manager were chosen by chance
ant OF the directory
1T appeared that my friend had pre-
pared her for this reply. He had told
her that was a bit the worse for past
anxiety and unwisely worried about
ny health. but that there was really
Dtfling the matter. All I needed was
little encouragement.
Accepting this view, Miss Glendon
proceeded to encourage me. She told
Fre how well q was looking, and, as G.
matter of fact, actually did look as
rugged as an OK. In earlier years / was
very strong, and the muscular shell
Eth stood, as the bark of tree will
sometimes stand when the heart of It
Is dust. Fifty times while she was talk
Ing TO me I had to shake my wits to-
Eether and with a spasmodic effort re-
member where I was and what had
happened, YET talked SIS straight as a
tight string, as my friend informed me
I 81 ard. except, he added, 'for
chat fooiishness about your health
The upsfaot of 1t was that became
the manager of that institution, and
my act was a crime. was no more
Sit for it than deaf man to lead an or
cheatTn, However, the novelty of 1t
b10yed me up for a few days. SO that
nome Of my subordinates knew that ]
xEas out of my wits.
The work was really extremely at
SraGtiye TO one who had come out de-
feated from the selfish strife of money
winning, and II had been only a little
less battered and worn / would have
been a fairly efficient person. Even as
Is was, the force within me might have
proved sufficient but FOR the increasing
rush of work incident to the coming
Esolidays.
Miss Glendon had high ideas Of The
Fourth of July, and her plans for max
.ng 1t memorable in the home were wei
4 considered, but exceedingly compre
y1enSive. Moreover she looked to m,
D0r suggestions, and / was becoming
INCREASINGLY eager to serve her we'll.
Bnt when mans mind Is in such;
E0ndfH lion that he can't depend upon re