The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-08-02
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BUTTON, BUTTON
CopYYi4n 1914 NEA Sefvice

BUIION,
: Destructive brains! Slowly,
opened my eyes; l yawned glo.
riously, drawing deep down into
my lungs the winelike air; raised
my hands over. my head and street
ched until my toes touched ths
foot of the bed. l was conscious
OF my silk pajamas, the linen
sheets the silken coverlet. Through
the open window ! could see, in
the distance, the green-clad noun
tains; closer, could. observe the
seventh green of the golf course.
rolled over on one side. burying my
face in the downy pillow, to hide
from the obsequious waiter the
sudden mirth that had overwhelm-
ed me.
| The lifting, ten minutes ago, Of
the telephone that stood on table
by my bed, had been enough to
wake into activity not merely this
man, but half a dozen others, all
of whose energies and thoughts
had been directed toward the salts
faction of my wants. Oh, l tell
you, l who have known direct pow
erty, that luxurious ease is worth
the sacrifice of any principle.
And l should know! Had I not
followed the path Of honor across
a bloody field in France. to learn
that honor Knocked me? Had /
not adhered tc all those righteous
rules which the strong have laid
down for the enslavement of the
weak, and seen that adherence lead
me from clearinghouse to tene-
ment, from tenement to slum, and
from slum to the edge Of the
grave?
Honor had brought me starva-
ticn. What cant would term dis
honor, had brought me full stom-
ach. Well, / had done with cant.
The world had it's rules; one must
be productive or constructive, said
the world. There was no place
for those who belonged in neither
class. And yet the lying world
gave it's best in place, in esteem, in
what it terms success, to those out
side those rigid categories. Steal
and be jailed; but steal enough and
be honored. Kill, and be hanged;
but kill sufficiently, and be en-
throned. The rules were made for
the herd; but l, John Ainsley, was
no lamb to be shepherded. / was
the wolf who preyed outside the
fold, and had tasted meat. No
more, while rascals stuffed them
selves, would l &C hungry. l had
destructive brains. l would use
them.
Yet would use them as a gentle
man must always use this strength,
for though l discarded morality,
breeding could never leave me. Not
upon the lambs, nor upon the shep-
herd, but upon the beasts of prey
who lurked outside, would l feed. |
And l was savoring now the
luxury of my first kill. In New
York the famous jeweler Daragon
"a cur at heart-mOurned the loss |
of baub)e wherewith he had hoped |
to force woman to his will, but |
with which l had forced the world
to my will. Here in this resort
hotel, l rallied forces that had been
exhausted by months of suffering |
when | had played the game ac-
cording to the silly rules that l
now derided.
For a moment or two, after the
waiter had gone, l merely looked
at my breakfast. There was a
certain joy, not explainable to those
who have never starved, in locking :
at the iced grapefruit, the yellow
omelet and the golden toast. And
then eager appetite mastered me.
| laughed as I.found myself reach
ing for fifth slice of toast.
must remember that times had
changed, and that it was not neces-
sary for me to overeat; as newt
ably as the hotel clock struck one,
SO would l lunch. Last year, when
the scanty, coarse meal before me
must do me day, or two days, or
even three, it was all very well,
even vitality necessary, that clean
the plate. But now / could permit
myself daintiness forbidden not
SO long ago. And as l replaced
the toast upon the dish, remem-
bered that had promised to- be
on the first tee at ten o'clock. II
looked at the clock on the wall,
found that I had but half-hour in
which to dress, and leaped from the
bed. was shaved and bathed, and
attired with certain correctness
possible only to a gentleman born,
and was, at the appointed place,
exactly on the hour. My opponent
was awaiting me, watch in hand.
Thought you might have chang
ed your mind, Mr.. Ainsley," he said
To me.
sam l late ?" I asked.
Hes grinned extensively. ooh.
you're in plenty of time," he an
swered. "For a beating!' he add
ed.
I looked at him: a tall, burly
man, with protruding blue eyes,
and thin sandy hair, he was exact
y the type which for some reason,
$ most offensive to me. I find
hat men with those characteristics,
if their Adams apples
ire very large are usually vulgar
'raggarts. He was not the person
whom would have selected as
ny opponent. But last night, in
he dining-room, an elderly gentle
nan with whom ! had struck up
usual acquaintance on the course
i had played the last nine holes
With him, and he had compliment
ID me on my play-asked me to
lis table for coffee. He introduc-
ID me to his wife and to his daugh-
er, and to my opponent of today,
ernest Vantine, whom l took to be
he fiance of the daughter. Ker-