The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1906-12-28
ATOUCH OF HUMAN CHARITY
tThe story OF Q College compaoO
~ ELLIOT FLOWER
UCopyright, by Joseph b. Bowles.)

1t was with a sigh that John Hutch
ings went to a second-rate hotel. He
but there were circumstances that
made this inadvisable. He was about
to meet his old college chum, James
Dawkins.
1t was with a sigh that James Daw-
kins put on a shabby suit of clothes.
He much preferred to wear garments
of good cloth and make, but there
were circumstances that made this
inadvisable. He was about to meet
his old college chum John Hutchings.
They met with apparent cordially,
but there was something Of restraint
in the greetings exchanged; each
seemed ia be taking a mental inven-
tory of the other. Then they sat
down in the hotel Office to talk. The
first impulse of each was to invite
the other to the cafe for lunch, but
each refrained.
We'll, old man." said Dawkins at
last, you're looking prosperous"
"Prosperous!" exclaimed Hutch
ings. Remember the kind of hotels
W. ~patronized in our college days?
Does this look like one of them?
Prosperous! HUH"
Well" returned Dawkins, with a
sigh, lit would seem pretty good to
me to be able to put up at this hotel"
"You!" calculated Hutchings. why,
you're looking finer than silk. I'd
pick you out for a winner anywhere"
These clothes
"Oh. rich men are never dandies."
"Rich!" cried Dawkins, as if he had
been accused of some crime. why,
Jack, I've been trying for two months
to scrape up enough to get my wife a
new gown"
81 never could afford to marry said
Hutchings dismally.
What"
Couldn't afford it, actually couldn't
afford it." Dawkins laughed without
any j~oyousness.
Il couldn't afford to remain SINGLE"
he said.
What"
only the well-to-do men can afford
to remain bachelors. The poor al
ways marry"
Hutchings looked annoyed.
Purely a relative matter" he ar
gueG. "Matrimony may be economy
in some instances, but never for a
really poor bachelor. | envy you, old
man. I've often wished / could afford
a wife and home. Look at the old hat
I'm wearing. They made me pay in
advance for an outside room on the
top f!oor."
my boys toes were out of his
shoes when l left home" remarked
Dawkins, despondently.
There was a long silence, during
which both looked solemn and uncom-
Portable.
ut is 25 years since we parted"
said Hutchings reflectively, when the
silence had become somewhat dis
tressing.
twenty-five years tonight" said
Dawkins.
What dreams we had then!" with
a deep sigh.
"If they had been but half fulfilled,
! would be happy"
Half" exclaimed Hutchings. Say
a quarter, a tenth"
"a twentieth, even"
"That old compact"
Each gave the other a quick look.
They were sparring for points, and
the game had reached a critical stage.
81 remember it," said Dawkins
quickly.
81 thought perhaps you had forgot
ten it."
Goodness, no! l couldn't forget
that; l couldn't afford to-"
Nor l."
"We agreed that rs years later, at
this meeting the more prosperous
should go to the limit of his means
to give the other n assistance he
might require"
That's it. The poorer could call
on the other for anything he might
need, n the latter was bound to re-
lieve those needs so far as possible"
There was another silence, during
which each grew even more uncom-
Portable. Each was reviewing what
the other had said. 1t was Hutchings
who finally spoke.
"Jim," he said, with a sudden re-
solve, "are your wife and children
h%ungry?"
why, err, no, not exactly"
Because I'd rather be hungry my
self than have kids and women suf-
fer. I'd strain a point"
Jack" broke in Dawkins, "ts that
the best hat you've got?"
why, er, no."
Because know how particular you
always were in the matter of dress,
and it pains me to think -"
"Old man, are your boys toes really
out of his shoes?"
why, they were, yes; hut that's
because he hadn't put them in. The
shoes are all right. Now, as to those
hard luck stories you said you could
tell. I'm not very strong financially