Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1905-11-08
THE WORLDS WAY
BY REGINALD WRIGHT KAUFMAN

So, Hardly that" protested. "There
are other things. There is also-well.
there is love, for instance"
"No man can love truly unless he can
work truly" commented Miss Van As
tren.
| l., I suppose, have since loved often,
and 1 have never worked. However,
"And to speak conversely" l concluded
with pardonable fallacy, "no man can
work truly unless he can have the oppor-
tunity to love truly"
"Of course, labor Of love is the nobl-
est kind of work." admitted Miss Van
Astren. What would this world be
without such things?'
"What indeed Pr murmured. l was
trying to get back to the lost course.
There was little pause.
$50 you see you're wrong" she said.
Now, did not attempt to follow that
leap, for what saw was simply that we
were alone, that the palms hid our bench
completely, and that Gertrude was ex-
ceedingly near ard exceedingly charm.
ing.
do you really believe what you have
been saying?" / asked, trying to make
out from the corner of my eye where she
had suddenly hidden her hands.
Certainly 1 do" she answered. 81
admire above all other the man who
carves out his own way to success
l had vision of the elder Van Astren
carving his way not so many years prev
iousy with miners pick, and | began
to perceive that his daughter was a
woman of ideas. As a rule | avoid
women of ideas, because they are likely
to have really only one idea and to be ex-
tremely plain. Gertrude, however was
too pretty to be dull, SO l determined to
make grand exception in her favor.
"The man who makes himself" she
was continuing, "has something to look
back upon. But what is there to make
proud the man who just happens to be
born to everything he can possibly desire,
however good he is p
"Or however absurd" l suggested,
thinking OF Lord Dulpuddle.
"Or however absurd" assented Ger
trude, far too rapt to catch my drift.
"He does nothing. Where's the use ?
He simply tries to enjoy himself, and
doesn't succeed very well even at that"
"Here, here Y cried, for down the
green alleys perspective ! had caught a
glimpse Of his lordship threshing about
like the hippotamus, which always more
or less resembled. in the evident delusion
that he was dancing.
But really was anxious to get on to
Gertrude's companion-picture, to what
Van Astren was, and what I, apparently,
was expected some day to become. So l
simply added
"And on the other hand p
"And on the other hand" she unknow-
ingy took my cue, there is the man who
tolls to the actual top of the ladder. He
must be economical of course here she
absently broke fine sprig from a price
less orchid-"but lie is one who loves
obstacles for the sake of overcoming
them"
"Yes," l cried, still thinking OF Van
Astren, land enemies for the sake of do
ing them !"
She brought up quickly. Doing them?"
she asked.
Eyes," l hurried to elucidate. cts
fashion of speech. It's-I beg your par
don, but really believe it's rather slangy.
OF doing them service, it means of
the other cheek, You
know"
swell, I'm afraid the self-made man
doesn't do that exactly"
''Well, no, perhaps l don't do that"
II said the self-nade,'" she correct
ed.
My protect was stout enough: "And
said T'!' Oh, can by my colors
"Are you one ?" she inquired.
"After the character you've given
them," said l, bowling, 81 shall do my
best"
"Ah, then l know you'll get on. I'm
sure you've only to try, Mr. Randolph Y
She clappped her hands-she had dis
covered them again-and appeared SO
beautiful that really believe it might be
true-in certain nameless circumstances.
'Do you mean it ~ cried.
'1'm sure of it," she said.
"And do you really think labor is
noble, and poverty no disgrace, and that
a man can honorably ask a woman to
help him in the race, and-and all that
sort of thing""
''Of course do"
I found that hand. It was gloved, but
still
Gertrude Y caied.
"Mr. Randolph p
But did not heed her tone. "Then
It's all arranged" I said. when shall
speak to your father?'
ooh, Mr.. Randolph, don't! You're so {
so absurd ~ /;
have never yet been able to see it in
precisely that light. She was looking i
he other way-resolutely-but l think '
here was-again | am not certain, but / C
hink there was-something tender and t
beautiful shining in the corner of that v
yelash nearest mine. So l started t
title, but did not let 60 the hand. A
Then said in deeply Byronic tone P
$50 you do not practice what you :
reach ?'
"I-why, oh, really, Mr.. Randolph,
eally now, you know p
Such downright logic is irrefutable, so
dropped the Corsair and took Werther
and mean it.