Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1918-11-06
Van ViVier's
Scoop
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81 9AEo
81 By r. NJ. olLaG1R IL
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Copyright. 1915. Western Newspaper Unioul
Existence, as Philip Van Vivier
planned it, was to be very pleasant
affair, though it had little enough
about it Of that strenuous life so ar
1ently advocated by Mr.. Roosevelt. He
had youth, and health, and wealth, and
he pictured the future gay kaleido-
scopic mingling of golf, and polo p0-
MES, and grand opera, and little sup.
pers after the play.
Then, too, to crown it all, there
was Madge. Madge, tall and slight,
and svelte, with the tawny gold in her
hair, and the eyes that changed with
every changing thought-that were
as blue as summer skies when
she smiled, and grew black as
midnight when she thrilled to any
deep emotion. Philip could hardly re-
member time when he had not loved
her. They had grown up, boy and
girl, together, with something singu-
larly similar In their fate. Both were
orphaned children, left to the unten-
der care of unwilling relatives, and
Philip never forgot the moment of
their meeting. His uncle's place adj
Joined that Of Madge's guardian, and
he had been wandering about the
ground a forlorn and lonely childish
figure, when he first came upon the
little maid. She gave one long look
at his somber face, and mourning
clothes, and then with the swift and
'intuitive sympathy that God gives
to even the youngest child, she went
up to him.
'Iittle boy" she 1isped, for she was
scarcely more than a baby, "Attle boy,
Is 90 lonesome, and doesn't nobody
love 'ooY"
NO." he answered with q sob
from the depths of his hungry little
heart.
'Don't c'y, little boy" she comfort
ed, slipping her hand in his. II ill
love 90 and 90 won't never be lone
some any MORE" and, indeed, it seemed
to Philip he had never been lonesome
again. There was always Madge.
But who may count securely on the
future? Move the kaleidoscope ever
so gently, and it's figures change. One
turn Of the hand of fate and the bright
picture ones dreams painted are shat
tered forever. There came day when
Philip had to do, not with visions
Of golden future, but with hard
and merciless present. Suddenly as
an unexpected thunderbOlt came the
failure of the trust company in which
his fortune was invested, and he
awoke one morning to find himself
that most pitiable Of all creatures on
earth-the man who needs money, and
knows no way Of earning it. He had
taken the blow standing, with smile
on his lips, like the thoroughbred he
was, and just how deep the hurt went
none knew.
"Pleasant prospects," was his sole
comment, with shrug of his Shout
ders to those who would have con-
doled with him on his loss, "a beer
income, and a champagne taste. Do
you happen to know the best way to
adjust them?'
He might meet the situation with
laughter and scoffing so far as others
were concerned, but when it came to
Madge it was another thing. II can't
ask her to marry beggar," he said
to himself, setting his teeth, and with
face as white as death, land I'm not
poltroon enough to settle down and
live on her money" and there had
been a terrible scene in which he
had told her this, and released her
from her promise to marry him.
"Oh, Philip, Philip" she cried,
cling1ng to him, what good is all my
money to me If I can't make things
easy for you? Surely there is more
than enough for us both"
Then he tried to explain to her,
blunderingly and haltingly, that some-
thing that is dearer to man than even
love Of woman-that something which
he must have, or die of self-loathing-
his own self-respect.
II couldn't live without It, darling"
he said at last, passionately, eff gave
In to fate without one struggle, and
was content to let you support me,
should imagine your contempt for such
weakling in.every tone of your dear
voice. should see it in every glance
of your dear eyes. No, no, I must make
my fight and win my place in the
world Of men, or will die fighting on
the battlefield. If 1 succeed 1 will
come back to claim my own. If I
fail, a better man wins. Don't you
see how it must be that wayY
And in the end Madge "saw." The
sympathy that always understood 9th.
ers was part Of her charm, and Philip
went away.
At college he had rather distinguish.
ed himself by some clever skits in
the college journal, and so it seemed
natural to him to turn to journalism
as the most available way of settling
the bread and butter problem. A
friend obtained place for him on the
staff Of the morning Asterisk; where
he began at the bottom Of the rep0r-
torial ladder, and learned among other
bitter pieces OF knowledge that the
public hungers and thtrsts for CORY
details Of murder, and has but luke
warm interest In the higher criticism,