The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-12-10

playing at sometimes contrives. Then. too. he
of affairs, and had been a social lion
before the There other reasons why he
to be feared. too trivial to be set down here.
When it doesn't cost any more. the people like the
real thing. and Colonel Lancy the real article.
Did you doubt his rank, there his commission in
black and white. There Is no winking the eye when
his name was mentioned If not a real man Of war.
he q Of wars alarums, which is the next best
thing He liked display even Marcus Degremont
liked it. and he young and rich and handsome
The air Of the town. proper prancng gait the crowd
at the curb the Of the band, the swing Of the
following legs and the drop Of the following feet faces
at innumerabe windows. the magic melting OF trahc
ahead color, glitter music cheers-a these had their
lure for him. too.
Is it any wonder that old Marcus Degremont felt
the ground slipping from beneath his feet?
What made his position intolerably bitter the
fact that after thirty years Dick Leyden coming
home-Leyden the real friend Of his whole life,
except his wife. He coming home, honored Of
men, him still the nonentity. the drudge the
clerk. And life had been equally hard for Leyden.
but he tired until he had hawked his dove OF
success from the sky, while he-he groaned and his
head dropped YEARLY into the hollow OF his chair
as he sat the fire the night he heard that Ley
den coming and that the town meant to give him
a properly fitting welcome There was to be tri-
umphal procession to escort him from the station.
through the principal streets to the old house which
had been his birthplace and afterwards many distn-
guished citizens would speak their word Of greeting
"They will ask you to ride at the head Of the pro-
cesson Marcus said his wife, brightly setting deli
cate stitches in a bit of napery.
NO. said he bitterly. ut will be Lancy
"How absurd! You can't imagine Colonel Lancy Is
to permanently supplant you? What happened was
merely tribute the returned soldier Besides the
committee would think SO fitting to lead the
procession as Dicks old friend"
Nobody recalls the friendship, I'm afraid. It was
too long ago. And Heaven knows it's no wonder they
T1Srlrf In
81 won't have you saying things about yourself"
she CRIED coming quickly to his side. and STOPPING
to press her sweet old face against his. You are
making yourself wretched about nothing Undoubt-
eddy the place at the head Of. the column will be
offered you as usual And Dick will understand that
in your way you also preferred Of your fellow
men. Oh, you'll see! The committee will wait on
you tomorrow"
But the committee did such thing although
he did leave the Office until later than usual the
day. Indeed, it nearer seven than six when
after a last anxious glance Of searching down the
thinning street. finally took on his black sateen
sleeve protectors and got YEARLY into his coat
There was a letter from Leyden awaiting him at
home. He had written briefly to say that he was
coming and, speaking Of his life since he had been
absent, he wondered if, after ALL Degremonts way
quietly in the old town, the spot which had been
beloved Of their fathers, making himself the more
secure time went by in the place be held there
Marcus Desremont's face spotted with color like q
girls and he dropped the letter hastily into the IRE
lest wife should ask to read and the irony OF
scorch her soul. His place: He had none He was
not even remembered. Neither friend nor citizen
was he hidden to take any part in the Homecoming
ceremonials And what would 1t not have meant t.
him to have done so! His heart eaped at the thought
of it. He would have made it such parade as thu
town had He would have done 1t fol
Leydens sake and Ley seeing him at its head
would have remembered him when. his brief SO
journ over, he would have gone away.
At the moment the street bell rang and his wifi
brought in a communication from the committee Sh
sttood back Of his chair. leaning over his shoude
as he opened it.
Il told YOU So" she triumphed. II knew the!
wouldn't think Of trying to get along without you"
He drew the brief lines from thei cover and the.
glimpsed them together. then she hung in silenc
him the committee desired him to head tn
third division ~ the parade!
Her hands drouped to his shoulders and presses
him into the chair when he would have started u
.Ccsers-,atzte~