The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-10-20

playing at war sometimes conrives. Then too he was man of affairs, and had been social lion before the There were other reasons why he was 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 hSs name was mentioned. If not real man of war, he was man of wars aarums, which is the next best thing. He liked display 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 innumerable windows the magic melting of traffic ahead coor glitter, music, cheersa 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 was coming home, honored of men, find him still the nonentity, the drudge the clerk. And life had been equally hard for Leyden, but he had not tired until he had hawked his dove of success from the sky, while he-he groaned and his head dropped weariy into the hollow of his chair he sat before the fire the night he heard that Ley coming and that the town meant to give him a properly fitting welcome. There to be tri- umphal procession to escort him from the station, through the principal streets to the old house which had his brthpace and afterwards many distin- guished citizens would speak their word of greeting
 "They will ask you to ride at the head of the pro- cession Marcus said his wife, brightly setting deli cate stitches in a bit of napery.
 "No" said he, bitterly .1t will be Lancy.'
 "How absurd You can't imagine Colonel Lancy is to permanently suppant you? What happened was merely tribute to the returned soldier Besides, the committee would think fitting to lead the procession Dicks old friend"
 Nobody recalls the friendship, I'm afraid. It too long ago. And Heaven knows it's no wonder they shouldn't connect us, Dick in his prosperity and in my"
 "I won't have you saying things about yourself she cried coming quickly to his side, and stoopng to press her sweet old face against his. "You are making yourself wretched about nothing. Undoubt- edy the place at the head of the column will be offered you usual And Dick will understand that in your way you also preferred of your fellow men. Oh, you'll see! The committee will wait you tomorrow"
 But the committee did such thing although he did not leave the office until later than usual the next day, Indeed it seven than six when, after last anxious glance of searching down the thinning street. he finally took off his black sateen sleeve protectors and got wearily 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, Degremont's way had not been the wise way. the better-to stay quietly in the old town, the spot which had been beloved of their fathers, making himself the more time by in the place he held there
 Marcus Degremont's face spotted with color like girls and he dropped the letter hastily into the fire his wife should read it and the irony of it seorch her soul. His place. He had none He was not even. remembered. Neither friend citizen he bidden to take any part in the homecoming ceremonials And what would it not have meant to him done %. His heart eaped at the thought of it. He would have made it such parade as the town had He would have done it for Ieyden's sake, and Ley seeing him at it's 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 wife brought in communi"fAion from the committee. She stood back of his chair. leaning over his shoulder as he opened it.
 ''I told you so " she triumphed "I knew they wouldn't think of trying to get along without ycu
 He drew the brief lines from thei, cover and they gllmpsed them together then she hung in silence over him: the committee desired him to head the third division of the parade!
 Her hands dropped to his shoulders and pressed him into the chair when he would have started up