The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1904-08-18
toosyrigAs. IN ~ Daily ssory Pub Gal

tCopyr1ght, IN. By Daily Story Pub. col
HERBERT MILFORD was thorough
~ dissatisfied with himself and
with rs lot in life. He had awakened
to the fact that riches do not neces-
sarily bring happiness.
He had challenged fortune in the
arena of life and had won the joust-
He was very rich and q very power
full man.
He lad gone at it early and worked
unremittingly. He had been fortunate,
rs well as faithful, and found himself
the possessor of great riches before he
had reached 40.
When he found his fortune secure he
had turned to the enjoyment of It.
''Now." he said, Il will indulge
the dreams J have dreamed during ell
these years of grind" But the flowers
of fancy had turned to ashes at his
touch. The desires Of his youth proved
to be q mirage when put to the lips.
Society bored him, the pleasure resorts
: drove him distracted; travel tired him,
and Europe nearly landed him in q
madhouse. The moment he left the
fascinating game of business he be-
came lonesome, homesick and disccn-
tented Once back at his desk his en-
thusiasm returned, he felt at home.
satisfied, confident and ardent to pu--
sue the game.
OF course he enjoyed the freedom
and the creature comforts his grea.
wealth gave him, and he lavished mon
ey on his personal expenses without
stint. But he was compelled to admit
that his life was circumscribed by the
limits Of the business world, and that
no pleasures, no society, no higher or
other ambitions or activities could be
his He yearned for a home, yet
shrank from the thought OF matri-
mony. He yearned for leisure and re-
pose. but was unhappy away from the
ticker. He dreamed OF reveling in art
and literature, but realized that they
were for no half-hearted sutton, and
knew that he was tied to his idols.
The home yearning was the stronG-
est Of al, and he bent to 1t to the ex-
tent of securing an establishment with
= retinue Of servants. Here he gen.
orally slept, and sometimes ate-in
lonely grandeur and from a menu pre-
pared by $500 chef whose autocracy
was approached only by his stupidity.
But more often he dined at the clubs
or the exclusive restaurants, where. at
least, he did not feel apologize to those
who served him. His living cost him
. great sum, but ever and anon, as he.
awaited some particularly expensive
course, or left the table, drowning his
disappointed appetite in the aroma of
Z Havana cigar, there would flash be-
fore his mental vision the old dinner
table at home-on the rock-strewn
farm. He could fairly smell the steam
ing dishes on the red tablecloth, and
Il sometimes seemed that he could
reach the great platters Of fried chick
en- and the fragrant dishes of segeta-
bles and the great plates OF home
made bread.
OF all these things had milford been
thinking one afternoon, after q futile
attempt at lunch at the club, as he
wandered perfunctorily through
great apartment building of the cheap
er class on which he was about to
make considerable loan. For once the
business in hand seemed of secondary
importance and he lounged idly
through the labyrinth Of halls and cor
ridors unseeing and unaware, his soul
full Of bitterness and his body full OF
WEAKNESS. OF what avail his successes