The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-03-04


tously, affirming that 1t was the abode
OF the Man.
The Girl looked up at the attic door
In absolute dismay. She was pretty,
decidedly pretty, and young, and sty-
lishly dressed. She lived over the
way in two charming rooms, where
pretty girls like herself and nice boys
were glad to take tea. She had heaps
of friends, and studied at the college.
Why she, the daughter of an Ameri-
can citizen, should aspire to medical
honors in Auld Reekie was by no
means clear. "Poppa," busy In Balti-
more making dollars, pulled his chin
whisker, and guessed there were di-
ploma factories enough their side the
streak" But "Poppa> eventually had
TO give way, as every one alike had to
where Maisie was concerned. SO a
self-possessed damsel of % summers
and three brass bound trunks, marked
with the Stars and Stripes, arrived in
l. Walk.
And He-the man who knew every
thing, and was professor at the
college-lived herel
She hesitated a moment, doubtful of
the propriety of intrusion. He was a
great man, and a professor of inte.
gral philosophy, which is a very abb
struse subject to take a degree, still
more SO to teach.
The Man knew everything-eXcept
how to compel buttons TO remain on
shirts, and to keep mice from his pro
visions, to tidy up his rooms, and the
principles of household economy, gen.
eral coTfort and such like trifles,
which we're not included in the curri-
culum Of any college he had ever
heard Of, oeing even outside the limit
Of integral philosophy, and, as affairs
that chiefly concerned women, Of no
matter.
Then she went boldly up 10 the door
and knocked.
The Man was sitting at q large Ia
bic covered with papers, his trousers
turned up and his feet immersed in
. pan Of once tepid water.
Oblivious TO everything outside his
own thought he sat and wrote.
He was engaged on a great work,
to be published in two volumes at
the scientific booksellers'-and also in
adding many lines and burrows on his
face.
Life was short, but the power OF man
is great. In his short travail he had
held the lamp Of truth to many hid
den mysteries. What secret should
escape him? What line of demarca-
tion stay his search? Meanwhile,
there was one thing only-to work.
That was why his eyes peered dim
iy over his dull, dark folios, and his
feet splashed in the cold water. He
had forgotten to take them out.
His pen shook little as the grabbed
characters formed themselves on the
sheets Of his manuscript. Doggedly
he wrote on, eXultant, determined,
while some one knocked, unheedipg.
"The Principia Vitae" He under
scored the headline. and began fresh
paragraph, as some one entered-"The
Principle of Life is-a pretty grill"
That is not what the professor
meant to write in his great treatise,
nor Is 1t what he would have acknowl-
edged or realized at any ordinary mo-
ment. do not pretend to know the
psychological reason that explains the
phenomenon. 1t may have been the
retina Of his eye received an impress
sion which disturbed and dominated
he current of his thought, and auto.
hatcally his hand transcribed Any.
low, 1t was there, in black and white,
md anyhow, she was there also, clad
d dainty muslin.
He looked dreamily at the bright fig
ure from over his clouded glasses. His
tired gaze rested on the blue of her
eyes, the gold of her hair, the red
OF her mouth and tho freshness of her
bright young face, as on q beautiful
picture destined only to fade. Then
he sighed. YEARLY.
Even then, however, his mind bent
on the great work, was not wholly
equal to the situation. He addressed
her laconically, as he would have
NosS viz Shoi NAo
him.
WELL" he grumped.
The pretty Girl locked at him for
a moment. A half stifed laugh at his
surliness rose to her lips. Then the
amused merriment died out from
her eyes. and they renewed their look
OF sympathy.
"You are the professor?"
"Well!"
"And ! am the girl over the way"
what girl-what way?"
He hadn't noticed her! Her femin-
Inc sense was distinctly hurt. Other
mems observant admiration was more
apparent, even to obtrusiveness. But
1t is not pleasant to feel one has been
needlessly ignored.
II live the other side the street"
she explained, flushing slightly. "And
study under You at the college"
"Ah, yes" He memorized her now.
as a collector does an unlabelled spec
linen In box. Back row, pink COM
plexion. a flower generally on desk In
- l.