The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1910-08-12
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association

And give up all thoughts OF home
life with dear little children to COM
fort me when l am old?"
You will he interested in your work,
a far nobler duty than mending chill
dren's clothes and washing their dirty
faces
Luella. whether or no she was con-
vinced. was at last induced to accept
the professors invitation. She dived
into books on the Cloths. while the pro-
lessor bored into the past of the Huns.
He found her extremely useful. In
deed. he soon learned that it would
have been next to impossible to get
on without her She worked so hard
that ut the end Of few months she
needed rest and went away from
him. Professor Erskine was not sur
prtsed that he found his work very diff
flcutt without her. but he was sur
prised that during her absence he had
no heart in his work. Genseric. AIaric,
Attila, all the barbarian kings. ceased
suddenly to interest him. The libra
ries In which he delved had become
musty. In his study there were Luel-
las chair and desk. but without Luella
working he went out and walked back
and forth on the campus.
There's old Erskine." said a coed
ON her way to lecture. stalking back
and forth as ii moonstruck. He's
been doing that ever since Luella
Greenfield went away. wonder If
he's dreaming of the barbarian kings
or OF her"
.'He persuaded her." said another,
ito devote her life to wormy books.
He certainly wouldn't permit himself
to think about her except as a means
to dig up the past Of the people he
writes about"
One day letter came to the profess
sor from his assistant stating that he
must get some one to take her place.
In order to tit herself physically for
the plans he had laid down for her In
an intellectual field she needed year
of out Of door life.
The professors heart fell like q ba-
rometer before sudden storm. The
Goths. the visigoths. the Huns. were
forgotten in the depth of his despair
at being condemned to work without
Luella. As to having any one else sit
ting at her desk. the thought was un-
bearable.
| The next morning the college bulle-
tin announced that Professor Erskine.
having been suddenly called away.
would not lecture that day. male
student. reading the notice. remarked:
Good. l can practice pitching all
day. I'll bet he's got on to headless
Jupiter and gone to buy it for the mu-
scum" A girl student followed and.
with her sex's keener intuition. said:
HIN! Gone after Luella Greenfield.
! l knew she'd get him."
Il have come.' said the professor
to his assistant, Ito learn if it is alb
| solutely essential that you should give
up your work for so long a period"
$50 my physician advises me-that
is. If am to do sedentary work. And
you know how interested | am in fol-
lowing an intellectual life. 1t was you
who directed me-
Him. Unfortunate very unfortu-
| nate for me. 1t will be impossible for
me to continue my present work with
out your assistance"
''There's Miss Pringle who was grad
uated last June. She's very bright.
She would love the work"
Il shall give it up
"Oh. professor. don't talk that way.
1t will give you a great reputation"
II can't go on with it,
I mot with an able assistant?''
mo"
why not?"
UNLESS ! see you at your accustom-
ed place | have no heart in it. and
literary work done without heart is
worthless
Luella turned away. but said nothing
"Perhaps." the professor went on, red
dening. eff l knew when l went home
at night that you would-be there
l mean as my wife-it might make a
difference"
There was prolonged silence. at the
end of which Luella said:
THAT would mean an abandonment
of an intellectual career for me-
The professor hung bis head like a
boy who had been caught robbing the
sugar bowl.
"You remember what you said to me
few months ago as to the preference
for an intellectual lifeY
He remembered very well that 1t was
better than ''mending children's clothes
and washing their dirty faces" but
still he said nothing.
Suddenly she threw her arms about
his neck.