The herald., 1912-01-18
WHAT FATE
DID
By CARL SARGENT CHACE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

Q prominence or want of prominence In
: other respects. There are numerous
. instances Of men who have graduated
e at the bottom of their class or have
failed to graduate at all who have be.
! come distinguished, while those who
graduated at the top have made a
| sorry showing in the battle of life.
Fate is the chief factor in the prem
Uses.
Two students in antebellum days
were chums at the University of Vir-
ginia. They were Huntington Court
ney and Timothy Hutchinson. Their
names typified their all round rank in
college. Courtney was prominent in
his studies and socially both in his
class and in the limited but select So
ciety of those gathered about the uni
versity. Hutchinson, whose name was
too long for ordinary use and COM
monty called Hutch, took such rank
cate. He was a poor scholar, poor
man for athletic sports and a poor
man financially.
| 1t often happens that excellent
friends are the antipodes of each 9TH
er. There were different theories
mentioned why these men were
chums. but the favorite was that
Courtney found one to patronize, while
Hutchinson found one to patronize
him. But no one ever saw any patron
izing between the two. Courtney
continued to shine like a star Of the
first magnitude, while Hutchinson,
who was Unfortunately lazy, maintained
his position at the foot of the class.
There was one thing about the two
men that was not apparent to their
friends. Courtney learned easily, but
his knowledge passed through him as
through sieve. His was mere study
Of books, not the practical lessons that
would help him in the greater world
Hutchinson had little interest in books.
but IL anything In them caught his at
tention he put it away in his Uranium
and would know exactly how to use ii
when the occasion should arise. And
here is the secret of the friendship.
tellectual superior and Intellectually
leaned on him. Hutchinson found in
Courtney one whose daily life inter- |
ested and amused him, just as a man |
of parts may be entertained by q so |
ciety novel.
somewhat disappointed his friends, and
Hutchinson had made very little prog
ress. Courtney had married a girl with
a plantation; Hutchinson was a coun-
try lawyer. But the planters of those
days were not given to law, and he
earned but an ordinary living. One
day he stumbled-no one knew how
on an important case and, by the mas
terly and original way in which he
handled 1t, suddenly jumped to first
rank in the Virginia bar.
He and Courtney were still intimate
friends, and no one rejoiced so much
Is he over Hutchinson's sudden leap.
They were both still under middle
age. Hutchinson was unmarried. The
,ivil war came on, and both men enter
I'd the Confederate army. When they
,ame out Courtney was financially
'uined. He had not studied a profess
ZION, and In the south before the war
business was not considered an occu-
patton for a gentleman. Hutchinson
vas not ruined, for there was moth.
ng but himself to ruin, and he was
stronger when he came out Of the war
han when he went In. He had not
lad the advantage Of a military edu-
alton. but he was very resourceful
md knew how to turn things to ad-
'antage. The consequence was that
lie did some very good work and 1t
vas appreciated. His war record, to-
'ether with his prominence as a law
'er, sent him to Washington as a con-
FRESHMAN. Then something happened
o spoil his career.
There was duel. The trouble was
aid to be politics. Indeed, to the
Inside world 1t was politics. Hutch
nson accused prominent politician of
ishonesty In Office. The accused man.
rho was innocent of the charge and e
7hom everybody connected with him 8
thoroughly believed to be innocent, a
'as forced. according to the custom II
the country at that time, to chal- a
'nge Hutchinson. They met, and b
hutchinson killed his antagonist. b
Hutchinson fell at once to the posi-
on he had occupied in college, or,
lther, to a far worse one. for he was
ut by most Of his neighbors and as
ION as his term in congress expired n
as not renominated. is
One man stood by him. That was his "
d friend Courtney. But Courtney Il
'uld never understand his friends an
gonism to the man he had killed or
by he should have ruined himself
account Of It He often asked =.
hutchinson to explain why he had :.
mmitted political suicide, but never -
'tained any satisfaction. =
Joined that numerous
lony Of southerners in New York.
here the obloquy attached to him was
It in the rush Of a great city, and
seemed to be spurred to extraor-
nary action. He became a success
lawyer, and one Of his favorite
easements was writing checks and U,
nding them to his friend Courtney in
shape Of so called loans. Hutchin-
\