Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-05-03
David and Jonathan
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.


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7T was remarked by their respect
i've nurses that nothing was more
touching than the devotion Of the
baby, David Smith, TO the baby, iona
than Brown. If David possessed a,
cake or a new toy it was his great
delight to lay it at Jonathan's feet.
Jonathan accepted these attentions.
though with some haughtiness and did
not return them. He once gave David
a button, but after thinking the mat
ter over for about week, decided to
ask for it back again-and got 1t.
AS boys at private school, Dayid's
devotion to Jonathan continued. Da-
vid was the more studious of the two
and was able to assist Jonathan in his
work.
At their public school David contin-
ued his friendly care for Jonathan.
He would take without a murmur pun
ishments that should have properly
come to Jonathan He lent Jonathan
money. He exhorted Jonathan not to
smoke cigarettes because, as he very
justly observed, it was not right. l
am not certain that Jonathan was any
in the days of their babyhood. but he
had at any rate now learned the pro-
priety of expressing the gratitude
which he did not feel.
"You are good chap, David" he
said. You've got me out of no end
of a lot of messes."
The two young men went up TO Ok
ford TO the same college. David had
a scholarship, Jonathan had none. Da-
vid habitually spoke of Jonathan as
remarkably brilliant man until other
people as nearly as possible believed
1t. David lent him little more
money David took him back to his
rooms. thereby avoiding catastrophe at
a time when, owing TO much wine,
Jonathan's legs had refused their of
fee and he had expressed wish to
call on the master to invite him to
take part in the California game of
draw poker" There is not, the least
doubt that Jonathan owed much to
David, and the natural result was that
David was more attached to Jonathan
than Jonathan was to David. ~
Then a tragedy happened iona
than Brown announced that, in the
beautiful words of the Morning Post,
a marriage had been arranged and
would shortly take place between him
self and Miss Bertha Frieze. Now.
Miss Bertha Frieze was the third
daughter of local tobacconist. She
was large and plump and comely. and
would have sooner fiirted with an arch
bishop than not have firted at all.
In rage and despair and an express
train Jonathan's papa and mamma
hurried off to Oxford. At any cost
his terrible mesalliance must be pre-
vented. For three days Jonathan's
papa beloved as If he had been a bull
of Bashan. He beloved at Mr.
Frieze. who was sulky, and at Bertha.
who was distinctly impertinent, and /
at his son, who. was very superior,
and said that his father, was, doing
dust exactly what be had expected,
and it would make no differences. His
mother wept and pleaded, and it was
all of no use. At the end of three days
she said to her husband, Il shall go
around and see that very nice young
man. David-David Smith-who was
always such friend of Jonathan's."
She saw David She reminded him
of all that he had done for Jonathan
in the past, and assured him that JON
athan was not ungrateful. The time
had now come when David had a
chance to render a service far greater.
She and her husband had done what
they could, but neither persuasions nor
threats nor the most liberal promises
10 old Frieze and his daughter, Bertha,
had been Of any effect Could Mr..
Smith help them? Could be do any
thing TO save his friend from life
time Of misery? Mrs. Brown" said
Smith. you may depend upon me- 1
will do my best. If the thing can be
done II shall be done" He then went
out to buy two ounces of Latakia at
Frieze's little shop
1t took good deal of effort, and
much fiattery and many presents. But
David was a better-looking man than
Jonathan and had more money The
time arrived at last when all Oxford
knew that Bertha rieze had deliber-
ately thrown over Jonathan Brown
and engaged herself to David Smith
Jonathan's father and mother were
extremely grateful TO David. Jona-
than went to look for David with a
revolver, and luckily did not find him.
After his first burst of fury be con-
tented himself with sarcastic letter,
In which he told David that their ac-
Quaintance was at an end Years have
wonderfully softening effect, and IL
Jonathan meets David in the street
now he is perfectly civil. But iona
than never goes to David's house be-
cause. as he very properly points out.
David's wife is a quite impossible
woman.-Barry Pain. in the Sphere.