New-York tribune., 1903-01-15

Ing that Il the abode Of the Man.
The Girl looked UP at the attic door in absolute
disnlay She was pretty decidedly pretty and
| young and stylishly 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 col
| lege.
| Why She the daughter Of American citizen.
| should aspire to medical honors In Aud Reekie
| was by means clear. "Poppa," busy In Balti-
| more making dollars pulled his chin whisker. and
guessed there diploma factories enough their
| side the streak" But ''Poppa" eventually had to
give way. every alike had TO where Maisie
| was concerned. So a self-possessed damse of
twenty-five summers and three brass bound trunks.
| marked with the Stars and Stripes, arrived in
| L. Walk
And He-the who knew everything, and
| was professor at the coIege-lived here
She hesitated moment, doubtful Of the propriety
of intrusion He great man. and professor
| of integral philosophy, which is very abstruse
subject to take degree in, still to teach.
The Man knew everythng-except how to compel
buttons to remain shirts, and keep mice from
his provisions to tidy up his rooms and the prin-
ctples of household economy, general comfort and
such like trihes. which included In the
curriculum of any college he had ever heard of,
being outside the limit Of integral philosophy,
and, affairs that chiefly concerned women. Of no
matter.
Then she went boldly up the door and knocked.
The Man was sitting at a large table covered
| with papers, his trousers turned up and his feet
| immersed in a pan of once tepid water
Obivious to everything outside his own thought
| he sat and wrote.
| He was engaged a great work, to be published
| in two volumes at the scientific bookseelers'-and
also in adding many lines and furrows on his face
Life was short. but the power Of man is great
In his travail he had held the lamp of truth
| to many hidden mysteries. What secret should
escape him? What line of demarcation stay his
search? Meanwhile. there thing ony-to
work.
| That was why his eyes peered dimiy over his
dull dark folios ard his feet spashed in the cold
water. He had forgotten to take them out
| His pen shook little as the Grabbed characters
| formed themselves the sheets Of his manuscript
Doggedy he wrote On, exultant, determined Whiie
! some one knocked, unheeding
THE Prncipia vtta' He underscored the head
line and began a fresh paragraph, as some one
entered-'"The Principle of Life is-a pretty girl.
That is not what the Professor meant to write in
! his great treatise. nor is 1t what he would have
| acknowledged or realized at any ordinary moment
| 1 do not pretend know the psychological reason
| that explains the phenomenon 1t may have BEEN
the retina of his eye received impression which
disturbed dominated the of his thought,
and automatically his hand transcribed Anyhow.
| it there. in black and white. and anyhow. she
| was there Also clad in dainty muslin.
He looked dreamily at the bright figure from over
] his cIouded glasses His tired gaze rested the
blue OF her eyes. the gold OF her hair. the red Of
| her mouth and tire freshness OF her bright young
/ u
| fade. Then he sighed, wearily.
! Even them however, his mind bent the great
work. not wholly equal to the situation He
addressed her laconicaIly. he would have done
the charwoman who tended him.
''Wellr' he grumped
| The pretty Girl looked him for a moment 4
half stifed laugh at his surIiness to her lips
Then the amused unerrfment died out from her eyes,
and they renewed their look of sympathy.
You are the Professor"
"WeH,''
! And I am the girl the way
What girI-what way?'
He hadn't noticed her. Her feminine was
distinctly hurt Other mems observant admiration
was more apparent even TO obtrusiveness. But it
| is not pleasant to feel one has been need4essly
tf live the other side the street. explained.
flushing. slightly. And study under you at the
5 yes & snGrizsd BaG nis5 neT n Row Das as BACK so
front of her Answers aVeraseiy intelligent
politeness, indicating to her. by wave of the
hand the only unocc!uIpied chair g.. Lo..o-,,o.s
mo. thanks she responded would rather
There pause -s6 he gessy dHd Sv9 9gsEsa s3SlR his PEN
Girl returned 10 the object of her visit
I.Lheard you were il1and -; brought you these
indicating the grapes in the basket
He raised his brOws and nodded
Il think not he replied, absenty. Il need
"PerRaps"-she made the suggestion with diff
dence-'perhaps could tidy. up;
The room was no more, palatial than its approach
suggested. The one window looked out on the lank
telegraph poles as comrades, and commanded a
charming view of the chimneys the way For
furniture there was wardrobe, an old armchair,
that did duty also bed: rush bottOnled chair,
a cupboard a few cooking utensils and some chem
icaI apparatus grouped round the hole in the wall:
chiefly a large kitchen table and-the Man.
The table contained chiefly papers. It's drawers
held some scientific instruments and mousetrap;
The wardrobe held old clothes The cupboard
served as food store for both Man and mice. And
the Man contained knowledge.
Tidy up? 1t is all very tidy. thank you: Mrs
Stamp. my charwoman, has done everything-I-
am very comfortable, thank you
But you i'll
Girl sat uncertain what best TO say or do
Something splashed under the table
She started in alarm. oh what was that?
she cried. it,. .,..s
The Girl stared in astonishment and turned red
Yes I beg your pardon. Twas not expecting
in hot water if would do nv cold good
But that water is cold
-.Yes-now I forgot But it was hot.
Had you not better get back to your bedroom?
And he lived day and night ate and slept in
that desoIate attic. The girl shuddered y" Won
u' .srhen h Where is your bed?" Surely the Man Of
Know ledge slept sometimes
FOLDED up He indicated the chair on which
Wont YOU LET make it up for you. and then
lie r,n uo" professor started with astonishment
needless extint. sin-sip my am TnltheT led-and
she were foolish wurnmun. He relapsed into the
epf stirred to the deDths far below the surface
The Girls eyes filled with tears then II time
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