The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-03-26

Before IOunQ courage 10 beii Hcl
that which would blast hopes wrap
ped round and rooted in her very
heart, and, fortunately, before / had
to confess TO her the debts / had
made, Edward Ramsay threw me a
lifeline.
He came bustling into my Office one
afternoon, big and broad, and obvious
ly pleased with himself, and there
fore, with the world. He had hardly
changed in years since we were at
Ann Arbor together. He had kept
up our friendship, and had insisted
on visiting me several times, though
not in the past four years, which had
been as busy for him as for me. Lat
terly his letters urging me to visit
him at their great country place,
away at the other end of the state,
had set me hard task of inventing
excuses.
Well, Welt" he exclaimed, shak-
ing my hand violently in both his.
You wouldn't come to see me, so
I've come to you"
I tried not to show the nervousness
this announcement stirred. I'm afraid
you'll find our hospitality rather I'M
comforta b1e" was all | said. Mother
and | had not spread much sail to
our temporary gust of prosperity;
and. when the storm began to gath
er, she straightway close-reefed.
Thanks, but I can't stop with you
this time" said he. I'm making an
inspection of the Power Trusts prop
critics, and I've got mother and sis
ter along. We're living in the private
car the company gives me for the
tour" He went on to tell how,
since his fathers death, he had been
forced into responsibilities, and was,
among many other things, member
of the Power trusts executive COM
mittee.
Soon came the inevitable question
And how are you getting on?"
SO, So" replied L; mot too well,
just at the present. I was beaten,
you know, and have to go back to
my practice in January"
Wish you lived in my part of the
state said he. But the Ramsay
company hasn't anything down here"
He reflected moment, then beamed
Il can get you the legal business of
the Power trust if you want it," he
said Their lawyer down here goes
on the bench, you know-he was on
the ticket that won. Roebuck want
ed a good, safe, first-class man on the
bench in this circuit"
But he added nothing more about
the Power trust vacancy at Pulaski.
True, my first impulse was that I
couldn't and wouldn't accept; also. l
told myself it was absurd to imagine
they would consider me. Still, 1
wished to hear, and his failure to re-
turn to the subject settled once more
the cloud his coming had lifted some
what
Mother was not we'll enough to have
the Ramsays at the house that even
ing, so l dined with them in the car.
Mrs. Ramsay was the same SIM
pie, silent, ill-at-ease person | had
first met at the Ann Arbor commence
ment-probably the same that she
had been ever since her husband S
wealth and her childrens infection
with new-fangled ideas had forced her
from the plain ways of her youth. I
liked her, but l was not so well
pleased with her daughter. Carlotta
was then %, had abundant, noticeably
nice brown hair, an Indifferent skin,
pettish lips, and restless eyes, a little
too close together spoiled willful
young woman, taking to herself the
Difference that had been paid chiefly
to her wealth. She treated me as il
/ were a candidate for her favor
Uh he hot he
might decide whether she would be
graciously pleased to tolerate me.
Usually, Superciliousness has not
disturbed me. 1t is a cheap and
harmless pleasure of cheap and harm
less people. But just at that time
my nerves were out of order, and
Miss Ramsay's airs of patronage got"
on me. l proceeded, politely to con-
vey to her the impression that she
did not attract me, that l did not
think her worth while-this, not
through artful design of interesting
by piquing, but simply in the hope of
rasping upon her as she was rasping
upon me. When | saw that / was
gaining my point, l ignored her. l
tried to talk with Ed, then with his
mother. but neither would interfere
between me and Carlotta. l had to
talk to her until she voluntarily
lapsed into offended silence Then
Ed, to save the evening from disas-
ter began discussing with me the
fate of our classmates. 1 saw that
Carlotta was studyipJ me curiously-
even resentfully, / thought; and she
was coldly polite when l said good
night.
She and her mother called on my
mother the next morning And what
nice girl Miss Ramsay is-so sen
sible, so intelligent, and so friendly"
said my mother, relating the Incl
dent of the visit in minute detail
when l went home at noon
Il didn't find her especially friend
ly," said |. Whereat | saw, or fan
cied l saw, smile deep down in her
eyes-and it set me to thinking.
In the afternoon Ed looked in at
my office in the court house to say
good-by. But first, old man, l want
TO tell you l got that place for you
L thought l had better use the wire.