The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-01-20


aoH sweeping out the lines anC
looks mat had been. The younger was
bright buoyaut, self-satiSfed, in love
with himself and the world.
The elder had newspaper ia his
hand, and he careies-ly rolled and un
rolled it with an intentncss that might
have been given TO the calculation OF
TENS of philosophy. The younger
| leaned lazily back in his chair with his
hands clasped behind his head.
1T was good Of You. Howard. to hunt
me mp ms soon as YOU came back 10 the
city" the elder said. for the third time.
IL have missed you'll have needed the
old companionship hip-I-somchow.I Il have
seemed to be authorization alone of
tate years"
There was n hesitation in his speech
that the other found very curious
you've been sticking to the Office too
closely. Morrison" he said, kindly. "Of
course. ambition and building ones self
up, and hard work, and all that are all
right but you've oyerdone the thing
IT'S taking a good deal out of you"
A wintry smile iickered around the
lips Of the elder man as he unfOlded the
paper and looked at it critically and
then carefully rolled it again.
"Ambition?" he said. "Yes-I used to
bc ambitious, didn't I?-and rather tai.
ented. too, people thought
Il hope you haven't thrown it all
away" cried Howard, with a shocked
face.
Thrown it away, Oh. no. Some
men would have done that But | had
n great deal Of Sclf-contrOl. | rcmem-
bered. afterward that had been am
bilious. with certain objects in view
and SO | put myself at the old tasks
them with set teeth ever since. | am
a plodder now. where | used to run
with my soul on fire"
What in the world has happened to
you. old man" asked the younger.
with troubled eyes on the face the fire
had swept
TIE elder rolled the paper into a
tighter roll. and held it in both hands.
rs though 1t were his self-control and
it might escape from him at any mo-
ment
II am glad you came to me as soon
rs YOU reached town." he said again.
always with that curious hesitation
in his manner. II have thought of you
many times and have wished 10 warn
you-you are SO very young. Howard
fully three years younger than /
and know that ought to warn you
against women"
The younger, who had bent forward,
leaned back again, and from this time
on he did not take his eyes from his
companions face.
Against women" he repeated. me-
chaniCally, still holding tight to his
self-control. For YOU are young.
with a senSitivcneSs and delicacy of
spirit which | often noticed when we
were boys together If such an-ex.
pericnce-camc to you-why- it might
wreck your life You might never re.
cover, | doubt If YOU would even live
through it. | have thought of that
often. AS for me, am not sensitive
nor delicate; and YOU see | have lived.
Not only that but have entirely re-
covered. You could scarcely believe
that | can even laugh now when |
think OF it,"
He laughed then TO prove it, and at
the sound OF that laugh the face of the
other man grew white.
on! yes. Il is all over long ago" he
added. II thanked MAVEN many times
that | was made of coarse fiber. and
could triumph over such experiences.
but as for you, my boy. don't ever try
1T. Keep away from them - from
women. They will not wait 10 see il
you are the kind that-that lives
through 1t. They will break you heart
as child breaks doll-to see what
is inslde-and though your heart beats
afterward. the quickness is gone from
your spirit and the fire from your
brain. That is. 1t would he from yours
You can see for yourself that / have
entirely ecovcred-cntirely
He waited until he had unrolled the
| paper and looked ut IL on all sides. and
swift. rolled it again. before he went
OF.
1T was three years ago. just aftcl
you left town. that first NEITHER.
VIII not tell you her name-you would
not know her-but she was young
was ,oung then. too-and she was st
1 H.. F..I -.
90 her.
DO you smile TO think that | wa,
attracted. zoo? True-l had not live,
the life most men live. | was a stu
dent. and had lived among books anC
dress. She was the embodiment o
all that was pure and lovely in litera
ture and fancy. had worshiped he
J afar or until she called me to her