The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-31
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WILLIAM HAMILTON OSBORNE
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CHAPTER v.-continued

CHAPTER V.-Continued
n Ohm LORIMER remained in the
NJ attitude in which Smith had left
him He looked darkly at the
form OF the disappearing man. He
lifted up his voice no more in song
John Lorimervwas a marrying man,
and he had met his affinity. And he
knew it There are some things good
to know. one is, TO know that one
really is in love. The other to know
that one is really loved. Happiness,
whether national or international.
public Or private-take note. electors
at the polls-depends on reciprocity
But John Lorimer had doubts and
fears, born because he lived in con-
ventionaI age and was fighting the
conventional battle of life To bow
TO convention, TO observe the prao-
teal rules of existence as laid down
by society. means. at times, the de-
struction of sentiment and romance.
Poverty is the hane of the career
of the independent man. The man.
who with no capital but his brain. or
the strength of his good right arm,
sets up in business for himself has
hard row 10 hoe. He begins TO make
decent living at the end of five oc
ten years, not before. Granted that
he be ultimately successful. in the
meantime. from the standpoint of
sentiment and romance he is losing
the best years OF his life. Youth ana
love and marriage-these three ought
ever to go hand in hand together.
Lorimer had youth. He had love;
his love for Margaret Robson. and
her love for him. He was sure. al
most sure. of this. But worldly pru-
dence haG babe him wait Society.
with an appraised warning finger, said
10 him: You have not vet the
wherewithal.' Men cannot marry
without some means. at least And
Lorlmer was without means
TO him, hopeful and sbuoyant as he
was, this was one of the tragedies of
hfe-this uneventful waiting, waiting,
waiting. Struggle as he might, grasp
ing every opportunity that came his
way nay, even manufacturing the op-
portunity, he was still poor: he barely
existed. At times he would have
thrown up his hands and taken a clerk
snip at small salary. In two or three
years, then, he would have a small but
q Iair income, and no outlay for bust
ness. And then But his reason
said, No He knew what that meant
he knew that a small salary at the
start usually meant, for man without
influence. small salary at the end.
He recognized. further, that if he threw
up his hands he would throw up the
-FOUR or i've years Of his life, perhaps
more-the years of preparation that
lay behind him. He was prudent.
There Is constancy in business as there
IS N friendship. And Lorimer was
constant. And so ne sat, hopefully bid
ing his time.
Lorlmer was not a NOPE. He was
an active man. These thoughts that
were constantly passing through his
mind left no mark upon him. He was
a man upon his mettle, was John Lori
mer, the chemist
And yet LOrimer for one of the few
times in his life, felt that there was
upon his face an expression of consid-
cradle dissatisfaction. This continued.
so he felt although his visitor did not
observe 1t, all during the time that
constitutional Smith. the counterfeit
presen1ment Of Ellington O'Keefe. was
In his presence.
II there was one individual in the
world before whom he would rather
not have sung that song about Sweet
Peggy" II was this man. Ellington
u heete- II there was any man in the
world whose presence was obnoxious
70 him. IL was Ellington O'Keefe.
And when this man-this heavy.
road-shouldered. middle-aged man
had left his shop, he looked after him
with undisguised dissatisfaction.
History does not record whether John
LOrlmer ever swore; most men are. to
some extent, prOfane, and Lorimer. may
as We'll have the benefit of the doubt
As the other man left his shou ana
swung on down the street John Lori
meF uttered no word with his Iips-he
was guilty OF no spoken outburst.
But rising from his stool. he lifted
his hst into the air and shook it at
the other mans broad back His whole
soul rose IN angry protest.
Damn that man." he cried within
himself; the big, clumsy, wealthy
brutel"
and all this, forsooth, because of
Just one thing. And that one thing
consisted of the fact that Ellington
OheeIe had cast a glance or two upon
Margaret Robson, forsooth. the girl
OF Lorimers choice.
Thus did Lorimer. the chemist. he
.=one link in the chain of events that
vas slowly being forged by Consti-
tutiOnal Smith.