The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-02-22

- uASA W. III ~ was DOih a
T new bitterness The man who has
friends and no money may find life
q difficult, but the man who has money
I and no friend to rejoice in his fortune
or benefit by his generosity is aloof
= indeed. With the leaven OF incredulity
that works in all strong natures. Loder
distrusted the professional beggar;
therefore the charity that bestows cas-
lily and promiscuously was denied him.
and Of other channels Of generosity he
, was too self contained to have learned
the secret
When depression falls upon a man
: OF usually even temperament 1t de-
sends with a double weight. The
mercurial nature has a hundred couni
terbalancing devices to rid itself Of
gloom-a sudden lifting Of spirit, a
memory OF other moods lived through.
other blacknesses dispersed by time.
but the man of level nature has none
Of these. Depression when it comes
is indeed depression; no phase of mind
to be superseded by another phase but
a siackening of all the chords Of life.
1t was through such a depression as
this that he labored during three
weeks, while no summons and no hint
of remembrance came from Chilcote.
His position was peculiarly difficult
He found no action in the present, and
toward the future he dared not trust
himself to look He had slipped the
old moorings that familiarity had rell-
dered endurable. but, having 'i1Had
Them he had found no substitute.
Such was his case on the last night Of
| the three weeks and such his f. ne of
mind as he crossed Fleet street from
j CIifford's inn to Middle Temple Lane.
+. 1t was scarcely O'clock, but al
+, ready the dusk was falling. The great
err press of vehicles had ceased and
the light of the street lamps glelrne1
back from the spaces of dry and polish
ed roadway. worn smooth ms mirror
, by wheels and hoofs. Something of the
soliture OF night that sits SO i'll on the
strenuous city street was making Itself
felt, though the throngs Of people on
the pathway still streamed eastward
and westward, and the taverns made
busy trade.
Having crossed the roadway, Loder
paused for moment to survey tile
scene But humanity in the abstract
made small appeal to him. and his
glance wandered from the passersby
to the buildings massed like clouds
against the dark sky. AS his gaze NOV
ed slowly from one to the other
clock near at hand struck Z, and an iii
slant later the chorus was taken up
by dozen clamorous tongues. Usually
he scarcely heard and never needed
these innumerable chimes, but this
evening their effect was strange. Com
ing out of the darkness, they seemed
to possess a personal note, human
declaration. The impression was fan
tastic, but it was strong. With a
species of revolt against life and his
own personality he turned slowly and
moved forward in the direction of Lud-
gate hill.
For space he continued his course,
then, reaching Bouverie street, he turn
ed sharply to the right and made his
way down the slight incline that leads
to the embonkment. There he paused
and drew Il long breath. The sense OF
space and darkness soothed him. Pull
ing his cap over his eyes, he crossed to
The river and walked on In the direc-
ion of Westminster bridge
As be walked the great mass of water
by his side looked dense and smooth as
III with its sweeping width and network
# reflected light. On its farther bank
'ose the tall buildings. the chlmneys.
he tiaring lights that suggest another
md an alien London Close at hand
tretched the solid stone parspet, Civ
ng assurance of protection.
All these things he saw with his men
al eyes, but with his mental eyes only.
Or bis physical gazc was fixed ahead
vhere the houses Of parliament doomed
ut of the dusk. From the great build
lEs his eyes never wayered nntn the
was traversed and West
mister bridge reached Then he paus-
D. resting his arms on the coping or
lie bridge.
In the tense quietudc OF the darkness
he place looked vast and inspiring.
he shadowy terrace, the silent river,
e rows or lighted windows, each was
gnificant. Slowly and comprehensive
his glance passed from one to the
her. He was no sentimentalist and
} dreamer His act was simply the
t OF man whose interests, robbed
their natural outlet. turn instructive
toward the forms and symbols OF
e work that Is denied them. His
rutiny was steady -even cold. He
rs raisel TO no exaltatlon by the
stness OF the buiidlng, nor was be
illed by any dwarfing Of himself Tie
,ked at II long and thoughtfuily;
IN, agnin moving slowly. he turned
d retrnced his steps.
Ills mind wa, fulI as be walked back,
II obliylcns OF the stone parapet OF
} embanEment, the bare trees and
fiarlng lights Of tho advertisements
-oss the wster. Turning to the left.
regafned Fleet street ana made for,