The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-03-13

Norton had begged to make happy. The professor of comparative litera-1 ture was the first to brea& the silence. 5
 ssrThe dictionary" he remarked aca- demically. would define romance as a species of fictitious writing originally composed in the romance dialects and afterward in prose- But the sdictfon- ary is proSaic-it has no soul. Shall I tell you what romance means to me? I will I see man toiling in dim laboratory, where there are strange fires and strange odors. Night and day he experiments, the love of, his kind in his eyes, a desire to help in his heart And then-the golden mo- ment-the great moment in that quiet, dreary cell-the moment of the dis covery. A serum, formula-what not, He gives it to the world and few of the sick are well again and a few of the sorrowfuI are glad. Ro- nance means neither youth nor pow CT to me. It smeans-SerYice.'
 He bent his dim old eyes on his food, and MT. Magee gazed at him with a new wonder. Odd sentiments these from an old man who robbed freplaces, held up hermits and engag- ed in midnight conferences by the an- pex door. More than ever Magee was bafhed, enthra1led, amused. Now MT. Max leered about the table and con- tributed his unsavory bit.
 Funny, ain't it. he remarked, ssthe zf6erent things the same word means to bunch of folks. Say romance to me and don't see no dim laboratory. I don't see nothing dim. I see the brightest lights in the world and the best food and somebody, maybe, dancing the latest freak dance in be { tween the tables. And an orchestra playing in the distanee-classy danes all about-a taxi clicking at the door And me sending word to. the chauf- feur, Let her click till the milk carts rumble-I can pay Say, that sure is romance to me-
 ssMr Hayden,:.' remarked Magee, s.are we to hear from you?
 Hayden hesitated and looked for moment into the black eyes of Myra Thornhill.5
 .sMy idea has often been contradict ed,'' he said, keeping his gaze on the girl; cit may be again. But to me the greatest romance if the world is the romance of money making-dol- lar pfiing on dollar in the vaults of the man who. started with a shoestring and hope and nerve. I see him fight ing for the first thousand-and then I see his pile growing, slowly at first faster faster faster until motor car brings him to his office, and men speak his name with awe in the streets
 ssMoney, commented Miss Thorn hill contemptuously. What an idea of romance for A many'
 q did not expect replied Hayden, stthat my definition would pass unchal- lenged. My past experiences. he looked meaningiy at the girl-"had led
 me to be prepared for that. But it is my definition-I spoke the truth. You must give me credit for that-''
 s'I ain,t one to blame you" sneered you do sidestep a lie. Yes, I certain ly''-
 ASee here, Cargan,'' blazed Hayden.
 ssYes, you did speak the truth put in Miss ThornhiH hastily. .You men toned one word in your definition. It was dissertation to drag 1t in-hope- For me romance means only-hope. And Pm afraid there are pitiful num- Der in the world to whom it means the same
 we ain't heard from the young wo- man who started all this fuss over a little word,'' MT. Cargan reminded them.
 That's right, dearie," said Mrs. Nor ton. ''You got to contribute"
 Yes agreed the girl with the locks crisped like golden Wire," T will, but it's hard One's ideas change so rap idly. A moment ago if you had said romance to me might have babbIed ofr fSf I7fc on the stair, of walks down the mountain in the moonlight or even on the hotel
 balcony She smiled gayly at Magee.
 Perhaps tomorrow, too, the word might mean such rapturous things to me- But tonightAlife is too real and earnest tonight Service-Professor
 Bolton was right-service is often TO- nance. It may mean the discovery of
 a serumait may mean so cruel a thing
 as the blighting of anothers life TO- mance.' She gazed steadily at the stolid Cargan. "It may mean putting an end forever to those pictur resque parades past the window of the little room on Main street.-the room where
 the boys can always find the mayor of Reuton-''
 Still she gazed steadily into Cargan's eyes. And with an amused smile the mayor gazed back
 ssYou wouldn't be so cruel as that Z he assured her easily; "a nice, attrac tive girl like you"
 The dinner was at an end. Without a word the sly little professor rose from the table and hurriedly ascended l the stairs. MT. Magee watched him disappear and resolved to follow quick ly on his heels. But first he paused l to give his own version of the word under discussion.
 Strange" he remarked, s.that none l of you gets the picture do. Romance l it is fhere-at your feet in Baldpats inn A man climbs the mountain t6 I be alone with his thoughts, to f0rgel