Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-08-17

He was a founding who had been
adopted by a wealthy German ranch.
man named S~charfenstein. which name
4 Max assumed as his own, it being as
good as any. Nobody knew anything
about Max's a~ntecedents, but he was
so big and handsome and jolly that no
one cared a hang. For all that he did
not know his parentage, he was a gen
tleman, something that has to be bred
In the bone. Once or twice ! remem-
Der seeing him angry; in anger he was
arrogant, deadly, but calm. He was a
god in track-linen, for he was what
few big men are, quick and agile. The
big fellow who is catlike in his move
ments is the most formidable of ath-
letes, One thing that invariably
1 amused me was his inordinate love OF
uniforms. He would always stop when
he saw a soldier or the picture of one,
and his love of arms was little short
OF a mania. He was an expert fencer
and a dead shot besides. pardon the
parenthesis, but / feel It my duty to
warn you that nobody fights a duel in
ILLS IibtlS uloLO4ys anu hODouy 5Cto
killed.)
On leaving college he went in for
medicine, and his appearance in the
capital city of Barscheit was due OBJ
yiously TO the great medical college,
famous the world over for it's nerve
specialists. This was Max's first adj
venture in the land of gutturals. / ex-
planned TO him. and partly unraveled.
the tangle of laws; as TO the language,
he spoke that, not like a native, but
as one.
Max was very fond OF the society Of
women, and at college we used to twit
him about it. for he was always eager
10 meet a new face, trusting that the
new one might be the ideal for which
he was searching.
well, you old Dutchman," said /,
have you ever found that ideal WON
an of yours?"
"Bah!'-lighting a pipe. she will
never be found. A horse and a trusty
dog for me, those two you may event
ually grow to understand. OF course,
don't say. if the woman came along
the right one-I mightn't go under.
I'm philosopher enough to admit that
possibility. | want her tall. hair Ike
cornsilk, eyes like the corn-nower, Of
brilliant intellect, reserved, and digni-
fed, and patient. | want a oman
not humorous, but who understands
humor, and / have never heard of me.
So. you see, it's all smoke; and | never
talk these times unless I'm
smoking with a gesture which ex-
planned that he had given up the idea
altogether. "A doctor sees so much
of women that he finally sees nothing
OF woman"
"Oh, IL you resort to epigrams, l
can see that it's all over"
"ATI over. I'm so used to being
alone that l shouldn't know what to
do with a wife" He pulled seriously.
ALI the futility of our desires, of
our castles, of our dreamsi The com
placency with which we jog along In
what we deem to be our own particular
groovei | recall a girl friend of my
youth who was going to be a ~ceIibate,
a great reformer, and toward hat end
was studying for the pulpit. She is
now the mother of several children,
the most peaceful and lucrative wom-
IN I know. You see, humanity goes
whirring over various sidetracks,
thinking them to be the main line, till
fate puts its peculiar but happy hand
to the switch. S~charfenstein had been
plugging away over rusty nails and
grass-grown ties-tiIl he came to Bar
scheit.
Hope Is the wings of the heart"
said l, when | thought the pause had
grown long enough. You still hope?"
I'm a way. If l recollect, you had
An affair once ,"-shrewdly.
l smoked on. | wasn't quite ready
to speak.
You were always on the hunt for
ideals, too, as remember; hope you'll
find her"
Max. my boy, I am solemnly con
vinced that l have"
Good Lord, you don't mean to tell
me that you are hooked?" he cried.
Il see no reason why you should use
that particular tone" | answered stifly.
"Oh, come now; tell me all about it.
Who is she, and when's the wedding?"
Il don't know when the weddings
going to be. but I'm mighty sure that
| have met the one girl. Max, there
never was a girl like her. Witty she
is, and wise; as beautiful as a sum
mer's dawn; merry and brave; rides,
drives, plays the cello, dances like a
moon-shadow; and all at,"-with a
"a of the hand.
You've got it bad. Remember how
you used to write poetry at college?
Who is she if l may ask"
The Honorable Betty Moore, at
| present the guest of her highness, the
Princess Hildegarde, with pardon
able pride.
Max whistled. You're a lucky beg
gar. One by one we turn traitor to our
native land. A Britisher! l never
should have believed it of you, of the