Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-05-11

playing at war sometimes contrives. Then, too. he
was man Of affairs, and had been social lion
before the war. There We're 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 was the real article
Did You doubt his rank. there his commission in
black and white. There is wnking the eye when
his name mentioned. If not n real man Of war;
he was man Of wars aarums, which is the next best
thing. He liked display Marcus Degremont
liked it, and lie was 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 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 ntolerably 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, honorcd of
men. to find him still the nonentity the drudge the
clerk And life had been equally hard for Leyden
but he had tired until he had hawked his dove Of
success from the sky, while he-he groanel and his
head dropped YEARLY into the worn hollow Of his chair
he sat before the fire the night he heard that Ley
den coming and that the town meant to give him
Il properly fitting welcome. There to be tri-
un1phal procession to escort him from the station.
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 n bit of napery.
NO" said he, bitterly 1T will be Lancy"
"Iiow 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 1t was
too long ago And Heaven knows it's wonder they
shouldn't us Dick in his prosperity, and in
MY
II 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 he
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 or
you tomorrow"
But the committee did no such thing, although
he did not leave the Office until later than usual tht
next day. Indeed, it nearer seven than six when
after last anxious glance Of searching down the
thinning street. he finally took off his black sateer
sleeve protectors and got YEARLY into his coat.
There 4 letter from Leyden awaiting him a
home. He had written briefly to say that he was
coming and. speaking Of his life since he had beer
absent he wondered IT, after all, DeGremont's way
had not been the wise way, the better-to stay
quietly on in the old town, the spot which had
beloved Of their fathers, making himself the moro
secure as time went by in the place he held there.
Marcus Degremonts face spotted with color like
girls and he dropped the letter hastily into the fir
lest his wife should ask to read it and the irony of
scorch her soul. Ills place. He had none. He wa
not even remembered. Neither friend nor either
was he hidden to take any part in the home-comin
ceremonals And what would it not have meant t,
him to have done 80, His heart eaped ut the though
of it, He would have made ii such Il parade ms tn
town had lie would have done it 70
Icydon's sake, and Lcy' n, seeing him ut its head
would have remembered him So when, his brief so
Journ over, he would have gone away.
At the moment the street hell rang and his wifi
brought in communication from the committee Sh
STOOD back of his chair, leaning his shoulde
as he opened It,
II told YOU :" she triumphed. az knew the
wouldn't think OF trying to get along without YOU"
He drew the brief lines from the. cover and the
slimpsed them together, then she hung in slene
over him; the committee desired him to head tn
third division o. he parade!
Her hapds dropped to HIS shoulders and presses
him into fha chair when he would haya started "