The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1905-03-17

| VA
your best coat and your handsomest
cravat, and get you over to the station
without running down any baby car
riages on the way. Here you are-and
you'll want your light overcoat; this
April airs little sharp"
He talked on busily, giving the invalid
small chance to object, although he saw
clearly enough that Caldwell dreaded the
very idea of the trip. Until now he had
ventured out doors only for short rides
round the little park on which the house
fronted, and he had chosen the hour for
these when the fewest people were likely
to be there.
Tom could not wonder at this state Of
mind. He appreciated too well what it
must mean to fellow who had been a
giant for physical strength to lie Imply
in wheel chair, with rug over his lap,
his hat pulled over his hollow eyes, his
pale face attracting the plying gaze of
every passer-by.
But Tom felt strongly the need for
kirke to get used to that sort of thing,
to take up life again as nearly as posi-
BILE where he had left it off, and to ming,e
with men instead of trying to hide away
from them.
The beginning of the journey was &C.
complished with the ease Tom had pro-
phesied, thanks to some previous plan
ming. At the station Caldwell was
brought by the most direct and least con-
spicuous route to the steps of the train,
where Tom assisted by cheerful colored
porter, conveyed him swiftly on board the
Pullman, and established him, not in a
private compartment--To Tom had consider
ed that idea and rejected it-but in a
chair at the rear of the car, where he
could observe every body else and be him.
self unnoticed
AS the train left the station, Tom was
gratifed to note that Kirk looked out
of the window with more interest in his
sombre eyes than had been there in
weeks.
Remsen was not long distance away,
but the luncheon hour arrived in the
middle of the journey, and Tom ordered
a lavish meal. Kirke, beginning languid-
ly, was soon eating broiled blue-fsh and
roast duck with his old time zest. Tom,
on the other side of the table, talked and
joked, and brought to his friends face a
frequent smile.
At Remsen, Caldwell found himself
being wheeled rapidly away through the
wide elm bordered streets of the old uni
versity town. Several generations of
Thropes had been educated there, the
succession being broken when Tom had
insisted on going to more famous
centre of learning.
Still sometimes wish I'd stayed by
the family traditions" Tom declared,
turning from the side street which had
brought them from the station into the
broad avenue which led toward the group
of college buildings on the hill when
ever come here get new respect for
the place. There's certain atmosphere
in which one seems to breath the very
spirit of learning-the real thing. The've
got some of the finest men here l ever
knew-Mc1ntosh, the mathematics in
Wentworth, the crack-a-jack in chemis-
try. l want to see them all, and 1 hope
we'll be in time to get into Wentworths
chemistry lecture. You'll enjoy it,
know; there's nobody like him. He'd
make along-haired musician throw down
his score and take to the Bunsen burner
and the retort."
He was talking with a purpose-to
keep Caldwell from refusing to go into
the recitation rooms, as he feared he
might do. But Caldwell although he
eyes of men of his own sort, had preached
the point of understanding that Tom had
definite purpose in all this, which he did
not mean to be coward enough to defeat.
Sohe set a grip on himself-easy enough
in the old days, harder than could be be-
lieved now-and acquiesced pleasantly
when Tom wheeled him down a long cor
ridor of the Science Hall, and pausing at
certain door, whispered somewhat
nervously:
you won't mind my taking you in
The doors at the back of the room, and
Wentworth won't see you, anyhow"
Caldwelrs shaken spirit WINGED for an
instant as he was drawn into the lecture
room, and hundred pairs of eyes looked
curiously around at the unusual noise of
wheel chair humping through the door
way. Tom was too much wrought up
to steer straight.
But when the boys saw the pale faccin
the chair-a face which still showed both
strength and charm-and took note of
the teebleness of the tall figure resting in
inert lines against the plainly needed sup
port, they turned away again, and only
few fellows near the door gave atten-
ton to the newcomers. These men made
them welcome with friendly mods
But after the first five minutes in the
room, Kirke Caldwell needed nobody to
divert his thoughts from himself Tom
Thorpe, breathing little hard from min
gled exertion and anxiety, might lean
back in his seat and let his friend alone.
Kirke had atlast forgotten every thing in
the world but what he now saw before
him.
The lecturers face, although tanned to
healthy color, was Scared with irregu-
lar, blanched burrows, and his eyes were
hidden from sight behind black spec
tacles.
His body was strong, magnifcently
built the movement of his hands, as he
talked, illustrating his words with ges-
lures, was vigorous and full of meaning;
his voice was deep and rich; his inhec-
tions were full of vivacity and enthusi-
asm; but the man himself was disabled
by the absolute loss of his sight.
AS Caldwell, watching him, thought
back for an instant to all the blind peo-
pie he had ever known, it occurred to
him that although they had almost inva-
riably been of kindly disposition, bearing
their hard lot with patience and resigna-
ton, never once had he seen among them
any one like this. And presently, as in the
interest of the lecture itself he forgot to
speculate or to compare, he became con-
scious that something he thought he had