The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1913-09-27
COMMONPLACE MAN!
How He Was Awakened to
Knowledge Of His Own True
Worth.
by ASA PRATT.


plain sort of a youth and now he wa
most conspicuously plain youni
man
ITO had always worked hard ant
received the minimum compensation
therefor AS a boy he did ths heav,
End OF the chores and his brother go
the holidays and the praise. AS
youth he did the hard studying anC
always remained at the foot OF the
classes while other fellows walked
away with the prizes. AS young
man he was always given the hard
and disagreable tasks at the store
aud When there was a promotion In
sight somebody else got It,
Elomer did not complain, however
bat Dlodded on. living out the law OF
hia being He never was Jealous of
those who were advanced over him.
IN tact he rejoiced in their good for
tune To he sure he grieved at times
that none of the gifts OF the gods were
his. but he laid It all to some defect
Ia his character. To be sure he was
trtie slow and not at all brilliant.
y plOw-horse and his employers knew.
even Al his parents and teachers had
knOWn. that when he was given a
task II was SIRE to be done no matter
nOW long 1t took But the high places
were for those with more spectacular
qualities and nobody ever really
thought OF Homer when they were to
ne filled Truth be told Homer never
thought OF going after them himself.
in fact Homer never pushed himself.
4'Oiks said he was not ambitious.
t'ut the years with all their toll and
idrdships and disappointment brought
ono great Joy and light to Homer's
. life II was a woman, Of course, and
her dainty, feminine ways gave the
1oya-starved lad a glimpse into a new
and marvellous world. He never
ceased TO wonder that she crowned
aim with her favors-he who ever had
Ocen a bystander in all the Joys and
softer side OF life.
The result is easy to guess. He
became her abject and devoted slave.
tier ltghtest wish was law and there
WAS 30 sacrifice too great. no endeavor
too strenuous for him to make at her
most simple suggestion. Because she
loved society he plunged into the
eayeties of the town, where he cut a
most sorry figure, as he was only too
painfully conscious and where he be-
came the butt of the clever ones, as
he was in all the walks OF life he
aRRayed. Because she approved of re-
uigon he smothered his convictions
aud haunted the church OF her denomi-
nation, studying it's creed with des-
perate earnestness and blindly accept
ing it's code He even attempted golf
aud az a last sacrifice joined home
study circle where after hard days
work he sternly kept himself awake.
And the woman. Well. she was
daughter of Eve, and having failed
to attract any very big fish and having
arrived " .he period OF maidep's
lfe when she begins to realize that
A. is time to cast an anchor to the
windward, she turned to Homer. Not
that she was old or devoid OF charms,
but she had set her standard rather
high aud the knight of her dreams
had not appeared. Besides she was
young woman OF discrimination and
she saw below the commonplace ex-
terior OF this simple hearted man. the
true gold of his unselfish character.
She appreciated this and she shrewdly
realized that with him she would be
absolutely queen.
Out, ALI. ye daughters Of Eve. when
ever did reason govern your hearts
and your desires? Whenever did not
and when does not and will not
the gay cavalier FIRE your hearts and
lamentations and make the plain
sturdy plowboy seem commonplace
and impossible? And who shall say
chat the fair Agnes did not accept
Homer with mental reservation?
Aud who shall say that the vision of
the gay cavalier did not still abide
IN her imagination?
BE all that as It may the fact re-
mains that one glorious evening she
plighted her troth to Homer with
dainty gasp OF surrender which 80
fteu iiuu WIN JOy anu ItNcfCnCc
that It must abide with him forever.
IL was many weeks before he could
thoroughly believe that this splendid
creature. this wonderful being had
selected him OF all the world for a
Uate and he bowed in reverence and
thanksgiving every time he thought
of It. which was some thousand times
a day
Always frugal and saving, he now
began to lay aside money with more
than a miser's ayarice against the
bIissful day when Agnes should come
to his arms. He was not impatient,
az most lovers are. IL was enough
for him TO know that she was his. He
could wait He had been compelled
to walt for everything ever since he
was born and he had learned the les
son OF patience. Probably this was
a mistake because women like to be
sought ardently and impatlently--but
how was he to know that. this being
the only woman he had ever known?
Well. II was the same old story.
While he waited and toiIed patiently.
secure In Ids happiness, the cavalier
oume along, smiled upon his mistress