Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-04-03

- most ceased 10 think of 81
ward. But thare were two
L i people who hal not forgotten
him Howard Quarter and Beverly
Plauk-and one other. Il third. who
could not yet forget him IL she would.
but as yet she had not tried very DIES
perately.
The day that Siward left New York
10 visit everybody's friend. Mr.. Null
queen. in the country. Plank called on
him for the second time in his life and
was presently received in the south
drawing room. the library being lin
tied to an informality aud intimacy
not for Mr.. Plank.
Siward. still lame and using unskili
fully two ! ~ new crutches. came
down the stairs and stumped into the
drawing room, which. in spite of the
somber clustering curtains. was bright
" Illuminated by the winter sunshine
reflected from the snow in the street.
Plank was shocked at the change IN
him-at the ghost of n voice. listlessly
formal ut the thin. nerveless hand Of
feYel: startled so that he forgot his
shvneSS and retained the bony hand
tightly in his and instinctively laid his
other great cushionlike paw over II.
holding it imprisoned, unable To speak.
unconscious, in the impulse of the
moment. of the liberty he permitted
himself and which he had never dream
ed of taking with such a man as 81
ward.
The effect on Siward was composite
his tired voice ceased; surprise i'll
ability TO understand. tinged with in
stinctive displeaSure. were succeeded
by humorous curiosity, and very SLOW
ly ii became plain TO him that this
beefy young man liked him. was naive
ly concerned about him. felt friendly
toward him and was showing it as
spontaneously as a child.
Il thought I'd come" began Plank.
growing redder and redder as he be.
gan to realize the enormity of familiar
fly committed only on the warrant of
impulse You don't look we'll"
1T was good of you to think of me,
said Siward. Come up to the library
II you've few minutes to spare an
invalid. Please go first. I'm a trihe
lame yet"
II am sorry" muttered Plank
@very, very sorry"
At first, in the library. Plank was
awkward and silent, finding nothing &c
say and nowhere to dispose of his
hands until Siward gave him a cigal
10 occupy his fingers.
Siward rang for tea, although thu
hour was early. After little while
either the toast or the tea appeared t
act on Plank as lingual laxative, fol
he began suddenly to talk, which |:
characteristic of bashfuI men, and 81
ward grayely helped him Oh when liz
ioundered and turned shy. After ;
little matters went very well will
them, and Plank, much more at east
than he had ever dared to hope b
could be With Siward. talked and talk
ed. and Siwald. his crutches across hi
knees. lay back in his armchair. chat
ting with that winning informally $
becoming to men who are unconsciou
OF their charm.
Watching Plank. it occurred to hir
gradually that this great, cumbersom
creature was not a shrewd. thrift,
self made and self finished adult 4
a'l-ony big. wistfu, lonely DO
without comrades and with noWher
to play.
Plank spoke of himself after awhile
sounding the personal note with tent;
tive timidity. Siward gravely encou
aged him, and in little while the on
lines of his crude autobiography al
peared. embodying his eventless DO.
hood in Pennsylvania town, his C,
reer at the high school, the dawnin
desire for college equipment. Statistic
by his father, who owned shares
the promising Deepvale Steel Plan
company; the unhappy years at IIa
vard-hard years. for he learned wit
difficulty; solitary years, for he VIZ
not sought by those whom he desire
to know. Then he ventured to spea
of his fathers growing interest
steel. the merging and absorbing {
independent plants. his own entry u
on the scene on the death of his f
Their, and-the rest-material fortur
and prosperity, which perhaps migl
stand substitute as social sponst
for him: stand perhaps for sOmethil
of what he lacked in himself, whiC