The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1904-05-20
THE ENDOWMEATS OF YOUTH
IOriSinal.l

IOrisinaLl
Allan Douglas and Austin Brownell
were devoted college cIums. The in
timacy was ineNplicable to others.
What Douglas, with his splendid phys
ical and intellectual endowments, could
find to bind him to Brownell, a reticent,
cynical man, without an element of
popularity in him, no one could dis
cover. Douglas was the pet of the pet
Gcoats and invited everywhere.
Browneil was considered very dull by
the fair sex and seldom invited. any
where. Ii lie had been invited he
would not have accepted. However,
there was one surprise concerning
Brownell. Though he stood quite low
in his class, when he was graduated
one of his classmates, who was an
honor man, said that he wished he
had Brownell's mind.
The friends studied law and prac-
ticed in partnership. They were still
young when the more snowy endow-
ments constitute prominence, and ev-
cry one, at least in society, wondered
how Douglas could have taken up with
such an ordinary partner. Douglas
was courted by the social world, every
one striving to secure him for en-
tertainments. He tried to drag Brow
nell out with him, but failed both on
account of the disinclination of socie-
ty for Brownell and Brownelrs dis
inclination for society
Douglas married a belle. She was a
member of the smart set and a very
smart member. There was nothing she
would have considered more out of
place than attention in public from her
husband. and there was nothing she
considered more in place than to have
some prominent society man dancing
attendance upon her. Finally cotillon
leader, Ernest Rackle, became so de-
voted to her that the intimacy became
the town talk. AS usual in such cases,
no one talked Of it to the husband.
One night Brownell went into fash
fonable hotel restaurant where the
smart set were used to taking supper
after the opera. He had never been
there before and went for a purpose.
Presently gay party sailed in like
fleet Of yachts under Il spanking breeze,
among them Rackle and Mrs. Douglas
They passed directly by the table at
which Brownell sat, and as Rackle
passed Rrownell put out his foot, and
Rackle tripped. He didn't fall, but
came very near it. Turning, he glared
at the man who had tripped him, then
went on. Brownell toyed with a wine
glass and waited. Rackle as soon as
seated gave him eatening and con-
temptuous glance. Brownell took a bit
of paper from his pocket, wrote some
thing on it, folded it and gave it to a
waiter to take to Rackle. Rackle
opened it, glanced at it and put it in
his vest peck ct without any of the par
ty having noticed anything unusual
At I o'clock the two men met in the
cafe.
"Wen. SIR said Rackle, what do
you wapt!"
ITO light you"
"For tripping me up?"
mo; ostensibly for scowling at me;
really for a matter which it concerns
you and a certain lady to keep dark"
who are your" asked Rackle, nerv-
ously pulling his mustache.
ALLAN Douglas law partner"
Indeed. l am surprised that you
wish to bring trouble on him.
Il don't. l wish to save him from
trouble"
by public alteration"
mo; by private fight to the DEATH"
There was something so calm in
Brownelrs tone and eye. vet SO deter
mined, that Rackle paled.
when and where:'
''Now. in an upper room of this ho-
tell
Rackte stood looking in different di-
rectionA like cornered rat seeking an
outlet.
"Whsx will obviate the necessity for
this meAting?"
Your pledge never to communicate
with Mira. Douglas again.
| Rackle thought it over, still pulling
his mustache. Finally he said:
ITO avoid bringing lady's name
into unpleasant notoriety l shall have
to submit, l promise
Write IT.
! A paper was drawn and signed,
which Brownell put in his pocketbook,
and the t1o separated.
| In less than week Douglas came to
his friend and announced that lie must
dissolve tina partnership. Mrs. Doug
las had taken an uncomfortable dislike
to Brownell and had made the dissolU-
ton q sine qua non Brownell pressed
his friends hand fervently and assent
| ed.
Two years passed. Douglas endow-
ments had not gained him any promi-
1ence except IN society. and, though he
did not know the cause, his wife's init
macy With Rackle had detracted from
even this. Certain prominent judges
said that Erovnell possessed the finest
legal mine at the bar, and if he had
ambition he might be the foremost
lawyer in the city. This got spread
abroad. and there was good deal Of
curiosity with reference to Brownell.
| One day Douglas told his old friend
that Mrs. Douglas had recovered from