Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1909-03-19
His Fond Ambition

All at once Mr.. Biglow sighed--not
gradually, OF by degrees, or little BY
Eils: All. ro Bus all at once he
sisned, setting the plenltude Of his
cOuntenance into a cast OF woe that
resembled a mask Of tragedy and
sighing as though he simply had to
20 It or else burst into tears And
while this sound of sorrow Is taking
physical form and ripping mournful-
" over the plumpness of him and over
the manifold chins Of him until Il
shakes his mighty breast with even
mightier tremoTs OF woe. let us look
at Mr. Biglow and consider his ease.
He was, then. one Of those noble
men OF nature who exemplify the
might, majesty and dominion Of man,
and when he walked across a floor
or leaned against a wall the three
Fates drew three long breaths Of ap.
prehension and pitched a penny for it
And yet his cheeks bloomed with the
blossom Of roses and his utteFanee
trembled in the tenor. When he was
measured for his rainient his tailor
performed feats OF pedestrianism and
when he leaned over to pick up a pin
for luck the earth trembled and the
Goddess Of Chance teetered like a
lady with the ague. And yet his smile
was the smile OF wistfulness, and the
honesty Oh his gaze was an illumina-
tion at which dyspeptics turned their
heads and ground their teetn in envy.
And when he walked he walked alto
gether and in the perfection Of syn
cronism. And when he slipped on tbs
icy pavement the GLACIERS presently
rubbed their hands together and
blessed the day. Yes. even thus was
Mr.. Biglow. the gentleman who
sighed.
"Oh, dearl" he said.
Why, Mr. Biglow!" exclaimed Miks
Gabbleton. What is the matterY"
Wherefore We will now survey the
scene In general and Miss Gabbleton
in particular. Snug room, snugly fur
nished; Mr.. Biglow sitting on a
lounge, upon which be had installed
himself with care through fear that
the lounge might spring up on each
side Of him and slap his ears; green.
shaded lamp and a bit Of mistletoe
still hanging on the chandelier. Let
us therefore turn to Miss Gabbleton
and reflect.
Speaking boldly, then, and making
no bones about it, she was hardly
anything else; and jumping quickly
from glare so horrible we will seek
the shade of SMILES and hide our
selves in the elysium OF elusion. In
substance. so be it, Miss Gabbleton
resembled the fourth dimention, and
when the focus of philosophy caught
the attention of her arms, reason ran
riot and marvelled at the mysteries.
why, Mr.. Biglow!" exclaimed Miss
Gabbleton, what is the matter?"
But with his eye on the mistletoe,
Mr.. Biglow shook with sorrow again
aud made no further speech.
Don't you feel well?" asked MISC
Gabbleton.
Mr.. Biglow moved forward az
though about to speak, but he and the
lounge only groaned in concert.
''Is something troubling you, Mr.
Biglow? Is there any way / can help
your" she asked, and caressing him
all at once with the contralto of her
voice, she added, Tell me, Mr. Big
low!"
Miss Gabbleton," said Mr.. Biglow.
blinking his eyes as though in per
petual surprise at the falsetto of his
tenor, II am not a half bad fellowl"
why, Mr.. Biglow! l should say
you weren't! Why. you are one Of
my dearest friends!"
But sometimes" he continued,
with a rising infection. Il feel as if
as if-as II nobody cared for me-e-e-
e-e-e~ei"
why. Mr.. Biglow!"
Nobody" he repeated.
And IN an arch, arch manner sho
lifted her brows and cried: "Am
nobody, taen7"
For a moment she seemed to him
to be nothing but a spiritual smile
floating in the shadows of the room.
but knowing that she was there all
right. he looked at the mistletoe
again and said;
"MLss Gabbletonl"
'MF. Riglow7"
DO you know that"
Yes. Mr.. Biglow?"
ever since ="
"Ye-e-e-e-e-es. Mr. Biglow"
"Er-er-er-er-eF-An =,
"Peter!" &
IL o.o.o ond 90 Ala .ha. he taaLr
step forward, and SO did she; he
took another. and so did she-and
they met beneath the mistletoe.
SO much for the prologue. the pre-.
Jude and the preface. Let us look
carefully now together and consider
those things that hide themselves in
the innermost heart of man.
Half an hour had passed and they
were sitting on the lounge. On his
face was the rapt look of a mystic
whose ideals are fast being material.
lied. but now anu the a look of wist
fulness passed over his countenance
as If AS if
Are ycu happy?" she whispered.
"Awfully," he answered. "But--"
~ e-e-e-e-e-eS, Felerf
And dropping on his knees with =
fearful impact he caught and found
his most plalntiye tenor crying:
"Oh. do not call me Peter!"
Adding, with the lender smile of
one whose dreams have all come
true:
"Can me 'Tiddleywinks'l"