The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-02-18
In THE
MOHAWK CLUB
By THEODORE RoBxRTS
Copyright, by Shortstory Pub. Coz

toWn. Inc town is known in other
lands as place of culture and
literary prestige, but The Onlook-
er, that mortal who seems to do
nothing but brood over the world
with smiling mouth and dreamy
eyes, says that for its own part
1t appreciates the maker of a horse
shoe more than the maker of ballad
Why this is he doesn't attempt to say
But to return to the club house.
Most Of the interior is taken up by
one large room with a good floor, a
fireplace, and billiard table. There
are many easy-chairs, also, and card
tables in convenient places.
When the winds churn the river
into white caps and rain pelts the
roof, The Onlooker finds strange fas.
cination in sitting by the fire and
studying the men around him. But he
does it with careless air, as If sit
ting out in the rain would amuse him
fully as much, and the men, who are
all his friends, sometimes forget that
he is there.
A month ago The Onlooker's atten-
tion was drawn from the general
crowd who played cribbage, clicked
the ivory balls, and told stories, to
the most active members of the club,
Bertram Smith and Dick Nevers. At
first, like a philosopher, he accounted
for the slight change in their manners
by the choice of Nevers as master Of
ceremonies for Ladies night, but the
rumor that both were in love with the
| same girl caused him to think it over
He watched them closely when they
met, making a note of the faint flush
on NeverS' cheek, and the sullen light
in Smiths black eyes. Sometimes
their greeting was too warm for his
taste-at other times they failed to
see each other.
Il wish they would fight it out like
men," he said to the andirons; but he
| took that back, for Nevers was big
| enough to eat his rival without incon.
venience.
Smith, who was the son of a wealthy
merchant, was in fair way of running
| large medical practice before many
| years. Dick Nevers, the cadet of a
broken family once renowned for it's
/ horses and style in entertaining, was
a writer of poems and stories, some.
! times even condescending to newspa-
J per work, at three cents line. The
Onlooker thought from the first that
| Nevers had the Fates against him.
AS they all revolved in the same so.
cial circle, The Onlooker made it
his duty to follow their little romance
| beyond the fireside~ of the = Mohawk
| club. So, after weeks considera-
| tion as to whether or not it were worth
while, he obtained an introduction to
| the lady of their hearts desire. We
| will call her Miss Marjorie, which
may or may not be her name. From
| the corner to which he had fled after
the introduction he looked at her care
| fully, as she was the chief character
| in the little story he was following.
Her eyes were the first thing he no.
| ticed; then her mouth, which was
large, but fatally attractive; then her
hair. He did not altogether blame his
friends. but it puzzled him to think
that Nevers, wrapped up in his books
and dreams, should allow a pair of
eyes and a moderately charming smile
to spoil his pace.
The Onlooker flatters himself with
the belief that he. has a keen insight
into character and human nature, and
on the strength of this he was not
long in deciding that Miss Marjorie
was flirt. He enjoyed Hirts to a
so), therefore this discovery did not
lower her far in his philosophical eyes.
He further noticed that when her eyes
were gray, Smith was in favor. but
when they softened to a wonderful
blue, Dick Nevers, with his maiden
rhymes. had the inside track They
both came in for rebuffs and hours Of
Indifference at the lady's hands.
Nevers swallowed these repulses and
tried to look delighted, while Smith
scowled.
For awhile The OnlOoker seemed to
find developments slow, for he kept
away from his usual seat by the fire,
and people wondered what he, was do.
ing. If it had been Nevers who lay
low they would have said, HE is writ
ing poetry"
About this time Smith and Neyers
began to criticise one another's breed
ing and attire, and Smith developed
a perpetual sneer.
One morning The Onlooker entered
the club with his old-time stride and
found six fellows standing around the
billiard table. The rivals were hay-
ing game. Smith was playing spot
ball. Nevers chalked his cue hurriedly
and glanced at the balls. His was
close against the cushion and called
for strong draw. His face was flushed
when he shot, and his eyes expressed
more JOY than one would have thought
the occasion demanded when he
scored. His next three were easy ones,
then his cue scratched and twisted and
the ball rolled harmlessly few inches.
He marked up his four and then
watched with wan smile while Smith
made run Of ten.
The Onlooker asked IL they had any,
thing up on the game. Nevers nodded.
The other fellows exchanged glances.
Smith swore easily to himself as Dick
made a run Of difficult shots. The On.
r@o1~or fo;nntu,