Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1903-01-15

the month of June in the year 1899.
We were expecting him home from
college in a week or two when we were
surprised by receiving this telegram:
Last exam today Leave Immediately.
You will see me tomorrow.
We knew that he had intended to
stay beyond class day and that the
varsity baseball nine, of which he was
q member, had not closed its season, so
the message puzzled us and gave rise
to considerable anxiety. His mother
telegraphed for an explanation, but no
answer came. On the morrow, how
ever, came Donald himself, hale and
happy, and handsome beyond the
dreams Of romance. When we aSsailed
him with questions, he stared at us.
"Why, there's no particular reason
for my coming" said he. Il merely
felt like it; that's all"
Then after pause he added:
81 wonder why the dickens | did
come? I can't think, unless it was be-
| cause | wanted to see my very best
girl"
Whereupon he put his arm across
his mothers shoulders and kissed her
| tenderly upon the forehead and hair
To all appearances Dorothy might i
deed have been his very best girl"
perhaps his sister, but surely not. s
mother. She had preserved her yo IL
| full looks to degree that is beyont. the
credence of the reader so that shall
not attempt to state the truth about it.
| When she was thirty, the Tunbridge
people spoke of her with wonder, and
she looks younger now than she did
| then.
| Donaldson, upon the other hand, has
aged greatly. He is worrying man,
| | am afraid, and must always be So
| Moreover, he received a peculiar in
jury some years ago, when an old fac
| tory building which we bought from
| the Strobel estate collapsed while n
| dozen of our wOrkmen were inspect
| ing it with a view to aScertaining its
needs Donaldson was the first to per-
ceiye the peril, and it is said that he
sustained a mass of falling timbers in
the posture of Atlas long enough
crawl out to safety who would other
wise have been shut in. maze or
tradition has grown up around this in
cident, but it really involved nothing
more than very ready and brave use
of great physical strength. Though he
escaped broken bones or any specific
hurt to which the best of doctors could
give location or name, he was never
the same man afterward. He began
to stoop in the shoulders and to move
more slowly, and upon his fOrty-sec-
ond birthday his hair was as white as
mine.
He was morbidly sensitive about the
change iY his looks, though he had
come by it so hOnorably, and | have
seen tears in his eyes when strangers
have spoken of Dorothy as his daugh-
ter | think that he had always held
too high an idea of youth. 1t is COM
mon fault and was exaggerated in him
by his love of Dorothy, who would not
grow old She seemed to stand still
while he was dragged onward in the
grip of time. This is the natural sor-
row Of women, but one which men are
rarely called upon to bear.
When Donald came home that June
day, his father was busy about some
matter of immediate Importance, and
so the boy and l walked down to the Of
fee, as we call it, separate building
upon the other side of the street from
the factory. | was witness of most
affectionate greeting. Donaldson was
very proud of his son, as he had every
reason to be, and the boy loved him
heartily. Afterward Donald paid his
respects to the office staff, especially to
cid Jim Bum, our cashier, and his
crippled assistant, Tim Healy, some
times called Tiny rim, youth who sat
on a very high stool and kept the hand.
soonest set Of books in the state Of New
Jersey.
/ lost sight of Donald for a little
while and subsequently discovered him
in my private office. He was sitting in
my chair, with his head thrown back
and his clasped hands pressed hard
across his eyes. | asked him what was
the matter, and he started up and be
gan to walk around the room in pc.
culiar, aimless fashion.
Uncle john" said he at last, every
thing is all right, isn't it? You're not
worried or anxiousT
"Anxious? said l. Certainly not
What should be anxious about"
81 don't know" said he, with hesita'
ton. Perhaps l oughtn't to have ask
ed you the question"
ASK me whatever you please, M
boy" said 1.
He resumed his restless wanderin.
about the room.
81 wish | knew what to do" he said
1T last 81 feel very uneasy"
"In regard to whatT' l inquired.
That's just the point" he replied
"What is it all about? / don't know"
He had respondent and tormented
air, and the sight of it carried me back
good many years to the day when
had first seen his father. 1t was i'm
possible to shake my mind free of this
memory. The scene of long ago in
Bertram's eating house required with
startling vividness.
/ was aware of a strange sensation
that this was something for which
had been waiting-a long expected oc-
currence. There came to me also an
indescribable depression of spirit and
sense of chill.
"Do you mean began. But he
begged me hastily not to ask him any
thing.
This is a queer business, Uncle
john" said he. Il think I'm on the
point of getting myself into all kinds
of tangle, and don't want to do 1t
the very first day I'm home. Please
let me think it over"
Speak when you are ready, Donald"
said l. 1T was always a habit of
yours"
We were interrupted by the advent
of Dorothy, who had come down from
the house in 4 pony phaeton. She wore
q sober gray gown, but it had the dain-