The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-04-09
A Late Learned Secret.
[Origiual-l

Us
at 10 O'Clock at night went up three
pairs OF stairs, opened the door of his
rented room and as he entered heaved
a deep sigh. 1t was heard by Lydit
Nutter, the landlady's daughter, aged
twenty, who wondered what causes
1t. Had she, too, been forty instead
of twenty, without having followed the
course dictated by nature-matiug ants
rearing children-she would have IN
derstood that If translated into words
the sigh would say:
"Oh, this lonely roomr'
Eli Mulholland had in his youth clos
en- athletic sports WITH which to beguil.
his leisure hours. He was mans
man rather than girls man. He re-
membered a pair Of bright eyes beam
ing upon him when he had won the.
champion cup for single sculls They
and the smile that accompanied them
We're then no more to him than
passing Whit of violets. Now, as he
entered his lonely room. he remembered
that the girl he had failed to claim
was the wife, and mother Of chilslren
Of the man he had beaten in the race
He had won the cup, which he had so
dearly priced. leaving for his antag-
oniSt the girl, whom he had considered
merely one of 4 million. Now the cup
was in vault with other trinllets; the
girl was the light of household
He remembered another whom he
had played with in a double game Of
tennis. an execrable player but soft
voiced beauty; how he had saved the
game by bis skill and activity; how
she had received the prize-a silver
mounted racket-from his hands, with
bushes that told him she would have
gladly taken him instead.
These and others with whom he had
feared to become entangled contribute
ed their part in that deep drawn sigh.
so unintelligible to Lydia Nutter. He
was no longer the companion of young
people He had passed the mating
period and had not mated.
''What troubled you last night Mr.
Mulholland, as you went into your
room?" asked Lydia the next morning
lonely breakfast.
Il troubled? What do you mean?"
''You drew such sad sigh"
AS Eli looked into her Sympathetic
eyes something Of two decades before
came back to him. Was it too late
to save what remained of his life from
loneliness intensified with each pass
ing year? AS quickly as the thought
came 1T was banished. Had he stood
still for twenty years while others had
grown old?, lie turned to pass out
without reply How could he tell
this girl, who when he was her
age was scarcely born, that he had
wasted his opportunities, and, though
he had gained the world, it was worth
less; that which he had selfisbiy
thought he wished for himself when
attained had shriveled in his HANDS.
since he had no wife or children to be-
stow it upon?
when you feel that way again
come down and Wen try to comfort
YOU said Lydia.
There was wistful look in his eyes
as he closed the door.
That night he sat in the reading
room Of his club pretending to read
the newspapers, while he was watch
ing the clock. He wished to go to the
house where he roomed, but he would
go neither too late nor too early-not
AFTER Lydia had gone to bed. not so
>>'AAS 1AaI lie "ouiu seem TO nave come
10 De with her, for that was his in.
tentlon. He chose half past as the
hour most likely to conceal it and, aft
er two hours watching the clock. left
the club. Lydia was in the sitting
room with her mother, the mother
reading, Lydia at some fancy " ork.
Il III in rather early tonight" he
SAID to Lydia. There was nothing do
ing at the club. I've brought some
playing cards. Would you mind
game?"
Again the smile that greeted him re-
minded him of the face that had beam
ed upon him when he had been an
athletic victor. Then it had been ac-
companied by the flush of victory, the
plaudlts OF thousands. Now it was
bestowed upon a lonely soul hungering
Tor sympathy.
Ihey sat down to game ostensibly
or cards, really to one Of love. lydia
mad admired the Stalwart middle ara1
man whose hair was beginning to turn.
Out had not dreamed of being the wife
OF one she regarded so great Eli
clutcheu at what he regarded n strsw
10 save him from a desolate old age
Neither believed it possible to win tie
game. and yet both had already won
It. Eli insisted on a stake. sweet |
meats, and always contrived to los,, II |
might all have been arranged at once |
out Ell, fearing to spoil his game by |
n 81. y.