The Washington herald., 1912-03-05
A COLLEGIAN WHO
had SEEN "LIFE"
Experiences Encountered by Young
Adventurer in Remote Parts
Of the World.

Owen johnson. in McCinres Magazine.
You said you'd earned your living ever
since you were twelve" said Slower, all
interest
That's so. It's pretty much the
usual story. Selling newspapers. drifting
around. living on my wits. Only had
pretty shrew head on my shoulders,
and wherever I went I saw what was
going on and I salted il away. I made
up my mind wasn't going to be a fool
but ! was going TO sit back, take every
chance and win out big. Lord OF mercy.
though, I've seen some queer corners
done some tough jobs! Up to about fif-
teen didn't amount to much. ! was a
drifter. I've worked my way from Port
land. Greg. to Portland, Ne, stealing
rides and hoofing II with tramps. I've
scrubbed out barrooms in Arizona and
Oklahoma and tended cattle IN Kansas
City. j sort OF got a wandering ft, which
Is bad business. But each year / tucked
away a little more OF the long green
than the year before. and got a little
more OF the juice OF books. About four
years ago. when l was seventeen-Id
saved up a few hundred-I said to my
self:
Hold up. Look here. II you're ever
going to do anything, it's about time now
to begin
So planted my hoof out in Oklahoma
City and I started to be a useful citi-
zen."
The pipe between stover's lips had gone
out, but he did not heed II. A new life
life itself-was suddenly revealing itself
to him: not the guarded existences OF
his own kind. but the earnest romance
OF the submerged nlne-tenths.
swazey Had u Business.
Are you working your way through
here?" said Slower. All feeling OF patron
age was gone. He felt as IL a torrent
had cleared away the dust and cobvebs
Of tradition.
Lord, no." said Swazey, smiling
Why, boy, I've got a business that's
bringing me in between 1900 and s., 900
a year-running itself, too"
Slower sat up.
what
I've got an advertising agency, spe-
ctalties OF all sorts. seven men work
ing under one. I keep in touch every
day. Course could make more II
was right there. But know what I'm
going to do in this world. I've got my
ideas for what's coming-big ideas.
I'm going TO make money hand over
fist. That's easy. Now I'm getting an
education. Here's the answer to II all.
He drew out of his pocketbook q
photograph and passed II over to Sto-
ver
That's the best In the world: that's
the girl that started me and that's the
girl I'm going to marry"
Dink took the funny little photo
graph and gaEed at II with a certain
reverence. 1t was the face of a girl
pretty enough. with a straight, proud,
reliant look IN her eyes that he saw
despite the oddity OF the clothes ana
the artihcialty OF the pose. He handed
back the photograph.
Il like her." he said.
Wanted the Girl to Learn.
That's the girl I've been working
for ever since" said SwaZey. The
bravest little person l ever struck, and
the sQuarest. She was waiting in a
restaurant when ! happened to drop
in. standing on her own feet asking no
favors. She's out of that now, thank
God! I've sent her on to school"
Dink turned to him with a start.
amazed at the matter OF fact way in
which Swazey announced IL.
To school" he stammered.
You've sent herr
Sure. Up to a convent in Montreal
Why" said Stover. too amazed to
choose his methods of inquiry.
Because. my boy. I'm going out to
succeed. and I want my wife to know
as much as do and go with me where
I 60"
The two sat silent. Swazey staring
at the tintype with a strange. proud
smile, utterly unconscious OF the story
he had told, Slower overwhelmed as IL
the doors in a great drama had sud
denly swung open to his intruding