Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-07-30

| you u nelp me INFER the mousse anu
have your young man wind up the
gates I'll be much obleeged"
On reaching the cottage, John saw
through the open door an elderly
woman seated near lamp She was
sewing and evidently had, not the
least idea of anything untoward hav-
ing occurred outside. The appearance
of her husband, supported by stran-
ger, alarmed her greatly, and though
she Gained herself sufficiently to
search at once for arnica and band
age. it was clear that any evil which
befell either of these two old people
affected the other in even greater
measure.
While John was helping the old
man into chair and rolling up a
trouser leg to lay bare the bruise, he
ascertained that the two had been
married fifty years.
They had actually grown alike in
voice and features. They might have
been brother and sister rather than
husband and wife. The same tastes,
the same simple interests, the com
plcte devotion OF each for the other,
had compressed their minds and
bodies within the same fold, John
was almost terrified to think what
the outcome would have been had the
fine old gatemanbeen killed, To keep
himself from dwelling on possibility
now happily vanished he reverted to
the more pleasing topic of frugality
which enabled people in such humble
circumstances to become stockholders
in an important railway. This APP
pealed to both of them. The gateman
said, with an air of real pride;
"Yes, sir, them stocks are cinched
| to Marthy and me. Old man Howell
votes our stock for us, an it pays
good seven per cent. faint much,
but enough to keep us from starvin,
when amt able to work no longer"
/ AT this, the hands Of husband and
wife met as though by instinct, and
they smiled at each other In complete
sympathy. A lump rose in Johns
4 throat. He rose hurriedly, pleading
the urgency Of the engagement on
4 which he was bound. He thought it
4 was no time to offer any eompensa-
4 IlCfIt DuI uCtCIlullNa W Vail nIu oSN
them later, and said 50.
Right you are, sir" cried the gate
man cordially. Look in any time
4 you're passin,' and you feel like IT,"
# John entered the car. As he whirled
away he lifted his hat to Marthy, who
4 waved farewell from the door.
| More shaken than he cared to adj
nit, he was glad OF the peace and
serenity of Mr.. Branton's sitting
room. He told OF the accident, and
then bethought himself OF letter in
his pocket
by the way" he said, "this reached
me Just before leaving home"
j And he handed an engraved card
to his host. II read:
| Mr.. and Mrs. Alexander Howell re-
quest the honor OF your company at
| 4 dance to be given at their home, No.
l27 Magnolia avenue, on Tuesday even
Ing. May 20, on the occasion OF the
coming Of age Of their daughter Mar
rjoie. Dancing ten to two. 4. 5. Y, Z.
II wonder II this Mr.. Howell IS
president of the c. O, & p. railway"
he commented.
Branton smiled and handed back
z, the card.
"The same man." he said. you
are getting to be quite swell now,
John. Recognition by Mrs. Howell
Is the local hallmark Of society.
That invitation is the direct outcome
Of the paragraph in this mornings
newspaper"
Then I'll turn It down." said John,
. determinedly.
enc, don't do that" came the kindly
! admonition. You'll find more scope
. for observation among the newly
. rich than in the circles either above
, or beneath them. Among real aristo-
, Gratis the principle of noblesse oblige
Is potent for good. The virtues and
vices of the poor are simple. Things
become complex only when poverty
gains wealth"
what about ,nel" asked John seri-
ously. Il was poor enough, goodness
, knowsi Yet wealth and rank have
, turned to dust and ashes in my. mouth.
/ I seem to be surrounded by none save
! sycophants and wrongdoers. ! read
. once in book that humanity is in the
grip Of evil, and | am beginning to
: have a horrible suspicion that the
! statement may be well founded"
mo, nor declared the preacher
, earnestly, his fine eyes kindling with
, enthusiasm. "Browning's words are
eternally true:
God is in heaven,
And all is well with the world,
: I tell you it is my firm belief that
God permits evil to exist only that
J good may come Of it,
!, The younger man shook his head
sadly. -,
Il wish I could agree with you," he
) said in 4 tone so lugubrious that Mr..
: Branton laughed.
/, "Oh, don't take such a gloomy view
: of life. It's an almost humorous
! phase Of the hurly-burly that the old
! should be optimists and the young
! pessimists. Look at me, and your
! old gateman and his wifel Contrast
! our serenity with your spasms Of
/ despair. Lift up your heart, John
! III HE wasn't worth living, a merciful
providence would never have evolved
, Us out OF chaos"
So the tenth marquis Of Castleton
! went to the Howells' reception and
;. although he sent in his name as plain
l Mr.. John Burton, loud-voiced man.
I servant, previously instructed toward
that end, announced him by his title.
! BY this time, Of course, he had
! learned to wear his clothes with dis
! tinction. His carriage and physical
I development rendered him notable
! even in country where tall, straight
\ men OF athletic mien are plentiful as
I lblackberries in autumn.