The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-08-14
MANKATo FREE PRESS.

wreck:
"Oh, Dick, it is goodv'
Dick heard the sob and took it for
tribute. 81 thought you'd like it" he
said, smiling at her across the room.
And she would have given the world
to cry, but she came back to his arms
instead to bid him goodby for a little
while.
'Dick," she said when the long fare
well was ended, "do you imagine when
a woman, loves a man that she cares
for his work? She loves him for him.
self-self- Now ] mnst fly. and
unless it were the old rhyme, Lord
ha' mercy on me, this is none of Iv'
She wanted to sit down and be quiet
very quiet-in her half dismantled
house. Torpenhow did not appear, and
the staircases were empty of life
''That's nice of him." said Maisie, and
fed in a cab to astonish the caretaker
across the park.
"Halloo. said Torpenhow, entering
the studio after Dick had enjoyed two
blissful hours of thought I'm back.
Are you feeling any better?''
''Torp, | don't know what to say.
Come here" Dick cougled huskily.
whats the need for saying any
thing? Get up and tramp"
They walked up and down as of Gus.
tom, Torpenhow's hand on Dicks
shoulder.
"How in the world did you find it all
out?' said Dick, beaming.
"You shouldn't go off your head if
you want to keep secrets, Dickie 1t
was absolutely impertinent on my part,
but if you'd seen me srocketing about
on a half trained French troop horse
under blazing sun you'd have
laughed There's going to be a chart
vari in my rooms tonight. Seven other
devils
81 know = the row in the southern
Sudan l surprised their councils the
other day, and it made me unhappy.
Have you fixed your flint to go? Who
do you work forY'
Haven't signed any contracts yet.
wanted to see how your business would
turn out"
would you have stayed with me
then fittings had gone wrong"
Don't ask me too much. I'm only a
man."
you've tried to be an angel very
successfully"
ooh, ye-es! Well, do you attend the
function tonight? We shall be half
screwed before the morning. All the
men believe the wars a certainty"
"Of course I'll come. | haven't turned
my back on the old life yet
That night there was tumult on the
stairs. The correspondents poured in
from the theater, dinner and music hall
to Torpenhow's room that they might
discuss their plan of campaign in the
event of the certainty of military oper-
atoms being certainty. Torpenhow,
the Keneu and the Nilghai had hidden
all the men they had worked with to
the orgy, and Mr.. Beeton, the house
keeper, declared that never in his
checkered experience had he seen quite
such a fancy lot of gentlemen. They
walked the chambers with shoutings
and song, and the elder men were quite
as bad as the younger. For the chances
of war were in front of them, and all
knew what those meant.
When the clamor was at its height
Dick entered with his great happiness
upon his face. The room was heavy
with tobacco smoke and the fume of
strong drinks, and the men were set
tied in unpicturesque attitudes on
chair, sofa and table. There was gen.
eral shout
"Poor, secondhand gladiators!" he
said with pretended scorn. You only
exist to describe who, will die on the
sands out there. Half of you will be
dead this time next year. The Sudan
kills specials"
"Ave, imperator, tie morituri salu-
tantr" said the. Keneu. Get into a
chair, and don't moralize. The public
wants us as much as we want you"
"By the way, what does the dear pub.
lie say about me?"
zone paper said six weeks ago that
It deeply regretted to hear you weren't
quite well. The rest have forgotten by
this time," said the Nilghai.
Sweet creatures! They naturally
would. Give me drink" And by the
instinct of association he began to hum
the terrible Battle Hymn of the Re-
public" Man after man caught 1t up
1t was tune they knew well-till the
windows shook to the clang, the Nil
yhoi,S doom voice LEADING.
Mine eyes have seen the glory Of the
coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where the
grapes Of wrath are stored
He hath loosed the fateful lightning Of
his terrible swift sword
His truth is marching on
"How does the next verse go?' said
the Keneu. And they swept off again,
beating time on the table:
HE has sounded forth the trumpet that
shall never call retreat;
He Is sitting out the hearts of men before
his judgment seat;
Oh, be swift, my SOUL to meet him, be
5ubilant, my feet!
Our God Is marching on
Then Cassavetti, very proud Of his
knowledge:
I'm the beauty of the lilies
"Hold onr' said Torpenhow. We've
nothing to do with that. 1t belongs to
another man."
mo-" said Dick to himself under his
breath, "the other man belongs"
THE END.