The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-04-29
The Injury.
By JOHN d. HARRY.


For many years two men worked together. They
were very successful For each other they felt a
deep regard People used to call them Damon and
Pythias."
One day one of the two friends conceived project
When he spoke of the scheme the other friend eagerly
agreed offering suggestions that would make success
sure and more remunerative.
For convenience was decided that the enterprise
should be conducted in the of the one that had
first thought of it. Soon it was launched.
As the prosperity increased the who had con-
ceived the idea thought: 81 fool to have told
him about it. | should have kept it to myself
The more he reflected the more he grieved. Pres
entity he began to feel injured If he were to take the
whole profit he should have a fortune And why
should he not take il all? Wasn't the idea his?
He proceeded to think how he could secure the
whole profit. He found the way easy. As the enter
prise was in his name he had merely to keep what
ever came in
1t was true he had used money that belonged to the
firm that his friend had developed the scheme and the
two shared everything. No matterl The money in
vested he would return
When he reached this conclusion he felt almost
honest He was also excited and elated. And yet ne
had vague sense of discomfort, too
few days later he broke the news to his part
ner speaking carelessly if it not news at all
as if all along it had been understood between them
The partner grew angry After the quarrel they both
felt injured.
The one that had done the wrong withdrew IRON
the partnership and started business of his own lie
refused discuss the of the quarrel He merely
said that his partner had treated him right When
ever the of the partner was mentioned in his
presence he would look injured.
IL, a all, inst
him in order to injure him Often he would the
townspeople looking at him with suspicion and dis
like Then he would feel sure his old friend had
been talking against him. AS the years passed he hated
his old friend more and more.
Occasionally he would hear OF his old friends in
creasing prosperity. The report would exasperate
him. For ne was not prospecting himself In fact, he
found his money going fast that he used TO look
toward the coming years with terror He believed
that all his bad luck resulted from him" He was
determined to drive him out OF town. HE" was
running his reputation.
There were moments when the man onged to kill
his old friend. He said to himself that it i'm
possible for him to understand such smallneSs OF
character that made any one cherish grievance all
these years. Especially since there had been cause
for the grievance in the first place. He had right
to all the money
The day came when failure overlook the man
Broken in spirit sick in body. he lay his bed The
doctors told him he could not live much longer.
I'm glad" he said. I've lived too long already
They asked him if he had any last wishes Only
one" he said He spoke the name of his old friend
Before die, should like to tell him something
The doctors sent for the few hours later
the two looking each other. one white
at the approach OF DEATH the other ruddy with life.
GTNo,, have heen baDnv haven't ;" said thr
faint voice from the pillow.
Yes"
Aren't you sorry for what you have done TO me y
The old friend looked surprised He sat by the
bedside Il don't know that have done anything" he
said
You've ruined my reputation, that's all, You have
been spreading stories about since severed
our partnership"
But that than twenty years ago
haven't mentioned your more than half dozen
times since except my wife. AT first I was angry
didn't think you had done right Then became SC
busy that | put the thing out of my mind | haven't
thought of it for more than dozen years. Now il
seems almost as if ii had happened. But have
never talked against YOU | knew you believed you
were right"
you knew believed was right"
"Of course, you justified it to yourself
But didn't justify it myself | didn't believe
was in the right | only pretended knew was
wrong. And the more I thought about it, the more
-" The white face sank back in the pillow. al
thought hated you. | guess what hated was only
the reflection of myself"
The two clasped hands For long time there
was silence in the room. The face the pillow grew
yellow. The cheeks were sunkcn The half-open eyes
were CLASSY
Then very slowly and with some difficulty the
man sitting at the bedside drew his hand away
Pink-fea Sfafesna nshin