The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1909-03-20

half the night for newspaper and rising after
sufficient sleep to toll at stories poems essays
plays week In and week out, Is not q healthful
mode of life for sensitive, high-strung young man
who was brought up to open air and exercise: es-
pecially when the stories, poems, plays are syste-
matcally rejected and faltering faith In oneself
has to be dashed constantly In HOLSTER the symp-
toms had been growing recently till even he prodi-
gal OF his youth was beginning to aarmed--sleep-
lesness, constant twtching of tile muscles worst
Of all, pess1mtsm that would not be shaken on.
He lay in bed on this particular night filled with
unutterable gloom about his own powers his own
future, and tried to keep the tired fingers of his
right hand from twitching. The bedroom WAS In
sunerably hot Outside wagons ratified past, hat
wheeled cars on the avenue a block away sent jar
ring echoes down the side street. distant ferryboat
whistles footed without surcease He could not
seal his ears to these noises. They vexed then
maddened him. After one wagon had ratified past
and the echoes died, he waited every nerve In his
body qu1vering. till the next came. He al
most In hysterlcal tears when auto horn honked
| under his window. HOLSTER gave 4 cry like
snarl, and found himself out of bed on his feet.
He dressed and went out. How long he tramped
he did not know. Presently he crossing Mad
1son square and there was strong hint of dawn In
the east. In the middle of Fifth Avenue the Flat
iron Building arrested his attention. Never had it
seemed SO like great. proud snip, towing lower
broadway northward, as In this strange half light,
when It's western side in heavy shadow and It's
eastern flushed with morning. HOLSTER stood
! spelbound by It's beauty. Tired and nerve-racked
as he was, perhaps, he watched the thing seemed
to stir and move; the great towering prov to lift
into the air as on mighty wave and to be poisng
for plunge directly at him, 4 pysmy in it's path.
At the same instant an auto horn honked a sud
den, sharp, unexpected warning behind him. With
q of terror HOLSTER sprang the asphalt
across Broadway, falling up against a pillar Of the
Holman House.
He leaned there a moment painting and trying
to steady his shaking nerves before he observed
that he was not alone. Shrinking into the shadow
behind the column woman. There was no
reason why he should speak, why he should not
move away. But, from some impulse, he said.
I'm not crazy, please" Then he was angry for
having spoken.
The woman moved out little into the light, and
they regarded each other. She was young and
well dressed, In the prevailing fashion of the Rial
to. But there was paint on her cheeks, CHASTITY
pink now in the dawn light, and her eyes looked
heavy, tired, and full Of trouble.
! II thought at first somebody was chasing you''
she said. But didn't anybody"
1T was only the Flatlron Building," said Hollis
ter with a laugh. THAT puzzles you? Just case
of nerves. 1t looked so like ship that got an
Illusion 1t was coming at me. But wouldn't have
Jumped so II auto hadn't footed behind me
curse the things!'
1T dses look like ship. I've noticed that
said the girl, glanc1ng toward the building.
Somehow her presence was kind of comfort
and HOLSTER still made no move to go, regarding
her curiously. The girl met his look with half
frightened tmidity that contrasted oddly with her
paint and the place.
I'm not what you think ami" she burted out
suddenly.
II was already quite that you are not what
you think think you are,' he answered kindly
lis there anything can do to help your
Help me?' she laughed grimly mo 7 was
merely making up my mind. Nobody can help you
do that!'
"Ah, but they CAM" said he perhaps even +
could"
why should you want to-" she asked -
Hollister paused. Il don't know exactly" no
said slowly. It's hard to put it into words But
somehow I've feeling that both OF US have been
ground out beneath the gigantic mlstones of this
town and have fallen into the sack side by SIDE
Life does throw strangers together that way
and makes them friends for the time. Last night
was down miles deep in the blues and my nerves
are fragile. Something's wrong with you. Here
we are. Isn't that enough?'' .~
The girl looked at him a long moment, and made
her decision. Come and sit on park
BENCH she said
They watched the rhythmic spasms of the foun-
tain for time in silence. Did you ever want to
drown yourselt?' the girl asked suddenly.
a. ''Once.'' said HOLSTER.
j. "Why?"
'"Because had made up my mind to 90 back on
an tdeal-no matter what it was"
aAh, but you didn't! One doesnt-one goes
back on the ideal instead. Did your
YES" he nodded. And after that I learned
that the only way is to live things down. I've al
most forgotten now"
He. waited. but the girl did not speak again for
4 long time. Finally she said, What If you had
hadste go back on one ideal to reach another?"
THAT would have gall depended on what they
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