Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-09-23

"The man was awfully in love .w1tnas the girl, you know, and all that"
 "Yes7 This is really quite out of. the ordinary"
 "Yes, isn't 1t? But the man was not !, very much of fellow. He was not a { confirmed reprobate. He had nevers swindled any one. He was net liar, and he was counted honest and straightforward among men. But he |, had never accomplished anything in { the world, for the simple reason that ] he was an indolent fellow who had { never had the whip of necessity to urge him to endeavor of any kind. His forbears had left him well off in world ly goods. His mother, his only living relative, spent the greater part of her time in society, and he, partly from.a sense of duty and partly because he hadn't anything else to do, went about with her. His winters he spent mostly In New York and his summers on his yacht. Men called him a good fellow. and women had always smiled on him! '-or his money. Perhaps that was the reason at three and thirty his heart was only a little battered and was still in his own possession. It was then that he met glrl''-
 '"The girl" interrupted Lydia.
 "Yes, the girl. She was different, 1,as ho ho1 1,l hoI was not so beautiful perhaps as some. but to him she was the most beautifult | woman in the wide world-a woman to do great deeds for like some kni9hf errant of old, for his ladye faire. But, this man, living in this prosaic twen-lt tieth century, could find no way toi prove himself, but if there had been anything, any task she would have set, he would gladly have given the best that was in him to win from her word of commendation. He did not dare at first to hope for her love. As he came to know her better he began to see how wide a gulf stretched be- tween them. He began to realize how he must strive to be worthy even to be called her friend. He tried to shake off . the old lethargy that bound him, the old precedents and customs that had nodded his life, to long for something higher, nobler, more worthy of her. ],
 "One night he sat at his window, smoking and thinking of her. As he looked up into the starlit sky he fell into a dream.
 He thought that he stood at the foot of high mountain, the sides of which were steep and rugged. He thought that he began to climb, but always he slipped backward into the darkness, and he seemed to make no progress un- til through the gloom a star began to glimmer, shedding its bright light be- fore him. Following this bright, steady SSdiance, he began to make some head S'ay. Step by step surer and surer his footing became, and the star shone brighter and brighter. When he had almost reached the top of the noun tain it became so steep he would have slipped and fallen, when, 10, he felt touch upon his hand, and princess stood beside him, the princess of the star, and she led him up to the very top'' s.,s
 "Have you written it" sSa r., =
 "Yes."
 Don't you think you could work it into story?"
 T don't know. Is that all? It ends too abruptly"
 Well, then, they went on through the starlight to the gates eternal, hand in hand. Will that do?"
 "Yes. What shall I call the storyT'
 You are to work it out for yourself, and you may name it what you please. I should call it An Idiot and a Prin- cess.'"
 "No; shall call it The Man Who Tried and Won'"
 He had gone around to the back of her chair and was looking over her shoulder at her notebook.
 Why, you have written only the first few linesv'
 q can remember it." Lydia's voice was very low.
 Do you think it worth remember ing?" asked Woodruff. looking down into the beautiful eyes which tried to avoid his gaze. Do you think he was worth savingT'
 T think" said Lydia impetuously, 'he was worth more than the princess. Any one can stand still and shine if others glorify them with fictitious brightness, but it isn't every. one who, is brave enough to climb" J 'ThenT
 "Then," said Lydia, rising and plac-,l ing her hands in his, Tets climb the mountain together, dear" l
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