Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1904-12-16
CHAPTER XII.

prcoiDaa volume, quaint ~engravsngs on
the vail between the deeply recessed
windows With their velvet curtains Of
olive green hue, brackets OF wrought
and o%uriously twisted iron, upholding
hronze bugts or the literary heroes ne
reyered, rich colored. deep-piled Turkey
carpets on the floor. the light or care
fully shaded lamps casting q soft glow
upon his desk and leaving the printed
ceiling and distant corners almost IN
shadow,
Something IL his attitude, something
in HIS face, spoke Of tine depression
which oyerw helined him a depression
he never permitted to master him IN
tho presence OF Others, but which COM
guered him completely in his moments
of solitude. Looking back upon his life
~ seemed TO him he had gathered and
stored for himself but little Of the hap-
piness that falls TO the general lot Of
mankind Left an orphan before ne
could wei remember his parents, ne,
ii sensitive. impressionable boy, had
been reared by his maternal grand
mother and only surviving relative, q
stern, tinbending old lady, who had
never understood her charge o. sue
ceeded In winning his affection,
a nature which might have expanded
under tenderness was depressed by
h~arshness L VIII that might have
0ltttitAA w bAAAtAhAhNyR 4a 80
bending under punishn lent. so that
early in hts years he. was driven, by
lack OF comprehension and want OF
sympathy to That inner life OF loneli-
ness which chills The hearts warmth
and makes the world around y des-
ert And the mind being most aensi-
tive IA youth, the impressions then re-
ceived are never wholly e~radicated, for
nothing the after years may know OF
pleasure compensate for early days
dafkened by pain.
AS II shy, reserved schoolboy be had
sought few friends, but % those he
made lie showed a stanchness n de-
vution seldom returned, and frequently
disappointed, so that here he found lit
Tie eSeape from the ISOLATION he then
acarceiy understood. On coming 10
mans estate he had invested his patri
ri0ny In n publishing firm Of which he
became a partner: he being attracted
10 the business chiefly by his love OF
books, which from youth had been his
chief companions. His knowledge of
literature. hia rapid perception. and his
addition to the firm gave II a career
or prosperity II had previously lacked.
Before he had reached his thirtieth
year he had bought out his partner.
and was o sole proprietor OF the
business, Success continued to attend
him. and he was usually regarded by
his large circle OF acquaintance as 81
fortunate man. No expression OF his
by wore o. look gave them TO UNDER
stand he did not agree with their opin-
ions that which he really felt was hid-
from the world. But in the silence
OF his inner life ne cried out against
his fates for he was conscious there
was something missing from his life
which other men possessed some
anchorage, which he had not, held them
fast In happy CONFINEMENT. With q
nature capable Of deep and constant
affectiGn, the love Of woman had never
frightened his days. and he regarded
with despair the chilling isolation which
he seemed powerless 20 change.
on reaching hts Office rather later
than usual one morning, he was told a
Indy waited 10 see him. CHANGING at
her card he saw her name--Mrs. Dunn
harton-was unfamiliar and he looked
forward 10 the. boredom of an interview,
possibly with d wealthy woman who
came with a check In one hand and a
manuscript IN the other. which she de-
sired him to- publish that her genius
might be made known 10 the world;
probably with n novice possessing a
sense of her merit derived from the
opinions or her friends, who wished 10
offer her production at q price which
"a veteran novelist might envy.
The visitor who entered his Office be-
I0nged to neither or these Glasses. In
Il tlmid. nervous manner she asked to
have a story she had brought with her
read with q view 70 publication. II II
met with his approval. There vas
something IN the grace OF her move
menta tina attracted him. something
IN the clear and almost pathetic tones
OF her voice that stirred him;
thing III the earnest expression of her
&AALI $500 &.AA 49, ~ ~