Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-02-27

i
q fresh description.
Today the Italian vender Of plaster
statuettes caught bis eye. For an hour
now the poor wretch hadn't even drawn
the attention of one of the thousands
passing. Fitzgerald felt sorry for him.
and once the desire came to go over
and buy out the Neapolitan: but lie
twas too comfortable where he Was
and, beyond that. he was expecting a
friend.
Fitzgerald was thirty, with clean
shaven. lean and eager face. russell In
tone. well Offset by the fine blue eyes
which had the faculty OF seeing little
and big things ut the same time lie
was a free lance In all the abused word
implies, and he lived as he pleased.
spending his earnings freely and often
carelessly, knowing that the little his
father had left him would keep mod.
erately hungry wolf from the door
He had been born to golden spoon.
but the food from the pewter one he
now used tasted just as good.
$50 here you are! I've been in the
billiard room and the card room and
the barroom"
Talking of barrooms" Fitzgerald
reached for the button. "Sit down.
Hewitt, old boy Glad to see you. Now
III tell you right Off the bat. nothing
will'persuade me. For years I've been
jumping to the four points Of the com
pass ut the beck Of your old magazine
and syndicate I'm going to settle down
and write novel,"
"PiHler' growled the editor. dropping
bis lanky form into chair.
"pifle It may be. but I'm going to
have q whack at 1t. II ever do an
other article 1t will be rs millionaire's
private secretary should like to
study his methods for saving his
money What is 1t this time"
"a dash to the north pole"
"Never again north Of Berlin or
south Of Assuan for mine. No."
"Come Fitz: Il great chance."
."When you sent me to Manila ex
plorcd hell for you. but I've cooled OIL
considerably since then. No Ice for
mine, except In silver buckets
you've made pretty good thing out
of us-something like Eve thousand
year and your expenses-and with the
credentials we've always given you
you have been able to see the world as
few men see 1t"
That's just the trouble. You've
spoiled me"
"If it's q question Of more money
"Perish the thoughtr cried Fitzger
aid. clasping his knees and rocking
gently. "You know as well as do.
Hewitt. that it's the game and not
the cash I've found new love. my
boy"
Double harness" with real anxiety
Hewitt bit his scrubby mustache
When q special correspondent married
that was the end Of him.
There you go againr' warned the
recalcitrant III you don't stop eating
that mustache you'll have stomach
trouble that no Scotch whisky Will
ever cure. The whole thing Is in o
nutshell" a sly humor creeping Into
bis eyes. 81 am tired Of writing
ephemeral things want to write
something that will last"
write your epitaph. Jack" drawled
a deep voice from the reading table
That's the only sure way. and even
that Is no good II your marble Is
spongy."
"Oh, Cathewe. this Is not your
funeral" retorted the editor.
"Perhaps not All the same. I'll be
chief mourner II Jack takes up novel
writing"
you've been up north. Arthur" said
Fitzgerald. whats your adviceT
Don't do Il You've often wondered
how and where ! lost these two digits.
Up there"
Arthur Cathewe was a tall. loose
llmbed man. forty-two or three. rather |
handsome, and a bit shy with most
folk. Rarely any one saw him outside
the club He had few intimates. but
to these he was oil that friendship
means-kindly. tender. loyal. generous,
self effacing. And Fitzgerald loved
him best Of oil men. It did not mat
ter that there were periods when they
became separated for months at
time. They would some day turn up |
together In the same place. why.
hello, Arthur "Glad to see you.
Jackr' and that was all that was
necessary. All the enthusiasm was
down deep below. Cathewe was al
ways In funds: Fitzgerald sometimes;
but there was never any lending or
borrowing between them This Will
do much toward keeping friendship
green. The elder man was great
hunter: he had been everywhere.
north and south, east and west. He
never fooled away bis time at
pigeons and traps: big game. where
the betting was even. where the AMI
NAL had almost the same chance as
the man. he could be tolerably
humorous upon occasiors. The solemn
cast to bis comely face predestined
him for this talent.
"Well. Fitz. what are you going to
dor
Hewitt. give me q chance. I've
been home but week. I'm not going |
to dash to the pole without having
q ripping good time here frst. Will
O month dor
"Oh, the expedition doesn't leave for
two months yet But we must sign
the contract . month beforehand"
To-day b the first OF June; prom
ise to telegraph you yes or no this
day month. You have had me over
In Europe eighteen months. I'm tired
Of trains, and boats, and mules Fm|
going fishing"
:Ah. bassr' murmured Cathews
from hahind biz Journal