Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-06-20
The IVAN IN the.o
BROWN DERBY,
~
Wells HASTINGS
goo Author Of Geo 4
The Professors Mystery
Copyright, l9llby Bobbsl1e''a Co.
CHAPTER I.

S11AI LIN IL
For a college-bred man I was In
terrible case indeed. was stranded IN
the most arid desert in the world
New York City-and l had only the
clothes that 4 stood In, my grand
watch, and about fifty dollars
in money. II. ] had just come fresh to
the city and had It's possibilities be-
fore me this would not have been so
terrible. But had been in New York
for three months looking for employ
ment, SO that opportunity stood behind
instead Of before me. had tried in
every quarter l could think of, In
search Of work, and, so far, every
door had been closed.
To one who has never seen me this
must seem very strange indeed. Even
to one meeting me casually IN the
street there seems no apparent cause
why I, like other young men. should
not find plenty of work for the asking.
Indeed, in several offices was at first
welcomed with open arms. But no
business man in the city would keep
me in his office once had taken Off
my gloves. Through some strange
prank OF fate my hands, although OF
good shape and normal size, are blood
red from the wrists down, birth
marked like the god OF death.
It was strange misfortune. All my
life my terrible hands have drawn an
line between me and the
happiness of other men. My mother,
God bless her, never feared me nor
looked upon me with any other feel
ing but the tenderest love. But with
my father it was different. The very
first sight he had of me repealed him,
and strive as he would he never
could look at me afterward without
some shadow of repugnance. He tried
to be fair to me, but he avoided me
whenever he could and there was
never any close bond between US.
When my parents we're killed in rail-
road wreck together it was the death
of my mother that came with cruel
shock. That my father had died gave
me no more than passing regret that
another good man had left the world.
Perhaps it Is my misfortune that
makes me feel differently from other
men in regard to death. Certainly,
whatever the cause Of my feeling may
be. I have no fear of death whatsoever.
I can see nothing terrible about it
except a temporary pain for the I'M
fortunates who are left. l suppose this
ia the reason that I am not what is
called a coward The ultimate mean
ing Of the world danger is peril OF
death. AS death has never seemed to
me a peril, rather welcome step
along. the. variable. line Of eternity l
have no feeling of shrinking from It,.
7 take no pride in this feeling any
more than I do in my rather unusual
strength (Which is merely an
other chance of my existence), but l
find It hard to convince others OF the
sincerity Of my feeling.
But, indeed, I have never had mucn
of an opportunity to convince otner
people Of anything. I can hardly re-
member the time when 1t has been a
surprise to me to see the startled
change come into peoples faces as
they noted my misfortune; and yet
have never quite ceased to be hurt IN
some measure. When meet some new
person and have my gloves on they
are usually kind enough to seem
frankly pleased with me-and then.
sooner or later, they see my hands and
the pleasure is gone for both OF us.
think that my school days were
the most painful ones OF my life. for
children are very cruel to one another
in the open expression Of their emo.
tons. do not mean by this l dislike
children; for, on the contrary, l am
more strongly drawn to them IMAM
am to grown-ups. The wounds tnat
children inflict are involuntary; only
grown animals hurt for the pleasure
of hurting.
Nevertheless it was very hard for
me to see healthy boys of my own age,
few Of whom would shrink from hold
ing a cold toad in their naked hands,
shrink hack from my touch as If it
were a tagion. could beat any one
Of the boys that l met at any Sport
Or feat Of strength that ne might
choose to suggest, yet l never had
friend in all my years OF scnoollng.
Nor was the school proud of me or my
for such was my dislike OF
any more attention to myself
than the ordinary events OF life made
necessary that refused to take part
In any public contests. or to represent
nv school in any athletic games with
any other.
At college l was a good deal
more happy; for the average
college man avoids expression OF
surprise as religiously as II ac-
ceptance of the unexpected or
bizarre were a part of his creed of
life. Still I made no friends. | have
thought since that perhaps this was
bartly my own fault, that | may have
been too sensitive. too reluctant to
burden others with the weight Of my
own misfortune. So I went my own
way alone, reading great deal of my
lime away, and not particularly excel
ling in any branch Of my regular
studies except, perhaps, in physics and
The death of my parents came
lew weeks after my graduation, and
| spent the next year Strengthening
out my fathers somewhat tangled af-
fairs. to find at the end OF my labor
that when all the family debts had
been paid there was little left to d.
vide between my brother and myself;
enough nerhaps. to make a bare living