The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-08-28
0 seek employment as q farm labor

swered, quietly and seriously.
But you could learn. You are
young and strong, and an extra fifteen
or eighteen shillings a week are not
to be d~espised.'
II am to begin at two hundred a
year." he answered, in the same serl-
Gus tone, (which l think is very hand
some considering that l have had no
previous experience. Besides, 1t may
lead the way to something better. Also,
it will leave you and Esther a Httle
more to live on"
your sister has not complained, SO
far as I am aware was the caustic
answer.
"And my mother is abundantly sat
isfed, eh?" was the quick response.
your mother has borne reverse Of
fortune as a lady should. l have
neither lowered my flag o worn my
heart upon my sleeve. My son ap-
PEARS to have forgotten what is due to
his name and position
81 am sorry you hold that opinion,
mother. My father, l believe, tried to
better his fortunes, and SO did his
father before i'm
"But not by taking q situation-not
by working for a weekly wage. They
would have scorned the suggestion.
They INDUCED in speculation, as gen.
tlemen constantly do"
Il think it is much more honorable
to earn what you get than win it at a
game of chance. The stock exchange,
so far as l can make out, is often lit
tie more than a huge gambling sa-
LOOM
Mrs. Mawgan rose suddenly from
her chair and swept out of the room.
when a young man begins to reflect
on his father" she said, severely, lit
is time his mother left"
Il expected this storm" he said to
Esther, as he left the mantlepiece and
dropped into an easy chair. by to-
morrow she will be in a more reason
able frame of mind"
but why this secrecy, Clement?
You might have given us a hint OF
what you intended doing
Il was afraid to shout until l was
out of the wood" he said with a laugh.
| 'In other words, l did not want to talk
about earning my W living until
had found something to do.
And you have really got a situa-
tom"
ITO be strictly accurate, Sir An
thony Treieven got it for me-"
"And what will you have to do"
;"Arrange and catalogue a library.
replace missing books and purchase
new ones, make a hunt now and then
for rare editions, and generally make
myself useful
And do you think you will like it?'
Il don't know, Esther. l can give it
a trial, anyhow"
II really don't quite see the n~ecessi-
ty Of it. We have lived SO long to-
gether, end so far we have managed
to make both ends meet"
Making ends meet is not every
thing. Esther. Since I left college
have simply s%tagnated. 1t is humili-
ating for a healthy young man to drift
on the stream Of idleness year after
year All around me I see men doing
something, contributing their mite to
the sum total of the worlds needs,
while l just vegitate."
"But why is It you have only now
discovered thisf"
He blushed slightly and dropped his
eyes for a moment.
ut is not easy to explain the begin
nings of things" he sale. slowly.
'"The wind bloweth where it listeth.
Impulses come unbidden and una
wares. Purposes take root and grow
apparently while you are asleep. |
have chafed for years not knowing
why; longed for something, not know
ing what. Latterly things have crys-
| tallized, IL you understand. I have
been forced to occupy a fresh stand
point. and to look at things in a new
light"
"Since when?"
"You are inquisitive, Esther" he an
swered, with an uneasy laugh. but
do you remember the days that fol-
lowed the wreck OF the Nebraska,
when Grayton and / were kept busy
from morning till night? Well, those
days-in spite Of the pathos OF them
were dulOuS luO ~ My N
l was doing somsthing-doing some
thing useful and helpful. The hours
sped away like moments, and ! came
home to my meals feeling that life was
worth living"
"But that was only for two or three
days. Besides. you were not working
for wage. If you were compelled to go
to st. Chloe three times q day for q
month, I think you would strike"
Very likely" he said, laughing;
but you asked me a question and I
have given an answer"
and when Marion West went away
the dullness and stagnation were in
t~ensi6ed?" she questioned, glancing at
him from under her eyebrows.
'f6he frightened up things while she
wa here, there is no denying"
do you think We have lost sight Of
her forever"
HE shook his head slowly: then
said. after : long pause. why do you
ask"
"Oh, l don't know. / suppose II Is