Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-03-22
CHAPTER XII.

@N the night Of Chilcote's re-
turn to his own Loder tasted
IN Ia the lees Of life poignantly for
the first time. Before their
curious compact had been entered upon
he had beer. IL not content, at least
apathetic; but with action the apathy
had been dispersed, never again to re.
gain Its old position.
He realized with bitter certainty
that his was no real home coming. On
entering Chilcote's house he had ex-
perienced none of the unfamiliarity,
none Of the unsettled awkwardness,
that assailed him now. There he had
almost seemed the exile returning aft
er many hardships; here, in the atmos-
phere made common by years, he felt
an alien. It was illustrative Of the
mans character that sentimentalities
found no place in his nature. Senti-
ments were not lacking, though they
lay out of sight, but sentimentaities
he altogether denied.
Left alone In the sitting room after
Chilcote's departure, his first sensation
was one of physical discomfort and
unfamiliarity. His own clothes, With
their worn lsoseness, brought no sense
OF friendliness such as some men find
In an old garment. Lounging and ths
clothes that suggested lounging had no
appeal for him. In his eyes the garb
that implies responsibility was sym
bolic and even inspiring.
And as with clothes SO with his
actual Surroundings. Each detail OF
his room was familiar, but not one had
ever become intimately close. He had
used the place for years, but he had
used 1t as be might use hotel, and
whatever of his household gods had
come with him remained, like himself,
on sufferanct. His entrance into Chill
cote's surroundings had been altogeth-
er different. Unknown to himself, he
had been in the position Of IL young
artist who, having roughly modelled in
clay, is brought into the studio OF q
sculptor. Tc' his outward vision ev-
erything is new, but his inner sight
leaps to instant understanding. Amid
all the strangeness he recognizes the
one essential-the workshop, the atmos-
phere, the home.
On this first night of return Loder
comprehended something of his posi-
ton, and, conprehending, he faced the
problem and fought with 1t.
He had made his bargain and must
pay his share. Weighing this, he had
looked about his room with quiet
gaze. Then at last, as If finding the
object really sought for, his eyes had
come round. to the mantelpiece and
rested on the pipe rack. The pipes
stood precisely as he had left them.
He had looked at them for long time,
then an iroric expression that was al
most smile had touched his lips, and,
crossing the room, he had taken the
oldest and blackest from its place and
slowly filed it with tobacco.
With the first indrawn breath of
smoke his attitude had unbent. With
out conscious determination he had
chosen the one factor capable Of cas-
ing his mood. A cigarette is for the
trivial moments Of life; a cigar for its
fulfillments, its pleasant, comfortable
retrospections: but In real distress-in
the solving OF question, the fighting of
difficulty pipe is mans eternal
solace.
So he had passed the first night Of
his return to the actualities Of life.
Next day hin mind was somewhat set
tied. and outward aid was not 30 essen
tial; but, Though facts faced Him moro
solidly, they were pevsrthelsss very
drab In shade. The necessity for
work, that blessed antidots to ennui.
no longer forced him to enAeslvor. He
was no longer pennies. but die money
he possessed brought with It no de-
sires When man has lived from
hand to mouth for Year, and sudden: