The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1925-07-03

/ to throw all of myself into the fight
every resource / could summon. / do
| not smoke / know as much about
smoking as any man alive. I have
measured its effect with accuracy. It
is a greater devitalizer than alcohol.
But l do not drink, either. / have
conserved and guarded all my sensa-
tons until l have none. All my life
my last twenty years of life-I have
promised myself indulgences-indul-
gences of gigantic and exquisite de-
sign, but now that / can have them,
this body of mine rejects them all, re-
fuses them ak Fate laughs in my ear
and says, You're done for. The most
sensuous pleasure you shall have will
be the flavor of that apple sauce you
have eaten for lunch for fifteen years
and will eat for lunch for the rest of
your days. Isn't this a grim joke,
Miss SelcossT
II do not know" said Brena uneas-
lily.
Even IN the dark he sensed her de-
sire to go.
Don't leave me-" he said with a
voice which almost broke into a low
sob. "You are the only one who can
understand"
"All right" she said, astonished that
she had become important to anyone
I'm sorry, Mr.. Parmalee."
Let me tell you something else." he
went on. 81 have dreamed of GER
tain prestige-a kind of background
of life that l would enjoy when I was
ready. To that end / have given lib
orally to campaign funds. Next year
If / wish / can be minister to Portu-
gal. Personally think this is grim
jest. 1t is the system, however"
Brena clasped her ungloved hands
in her lap and thrust her arms out
until 1t appeared that she was express
| ing something of the thrill of magma
| ton which the picture of diplomatic
life in a European capital had given
her.
But I shall not take the office, -
said Parmalee.
Brena uttered an exclamation.
mo, / shall not take it. do not
want more brilliance. / want more
dim light. l like the dusk. l do not
want to see my name in printed let
ers. never want to see it again.
do not want men and women to say
| That is Compton Parmalee.' I want
all strangers to neglect me. I want te
live in dim light-like this-now In
this Office"
He sighed.
1--WE made many mistakes" he said
II want now to become buried, to BIZ
unseen-like a ghost"
Brena protested. There are so many
things you can buy with your money,
she said.
"Only one" he replied sharply.
"And that"
as you"
She pushed her chair back from tn,
desk with both her hands
/ "You need not be alarmed" said hi!
calm voice. II have stated it purpose
ly at its worst. 1t is better for you tt
have this thought presented at frs
and perhaps we can overcome it later
put 1t In the terms the world will
use; Dallas will say, He bought her.
But, after all, we will not be In Dial
las. We will be in Picking or in Bonn
bay or in sight of the Pyramids or II
the crags Of the Norway coast. / an
more than twenty years older than yol
are. But the varied and interesting
and important persons with whom W,
may dine will only say, He has /,
beautiful young wife with a free mind
Her father was patriot of Greece
''You know"
"All that 1 could about you," sait
Parmalee.
"But it has been a long time" Bre
ma said, as II cross-examination NIGH
bring clarity to displace her puzzled
mind. "You did not"
| "Come back?" he asked. mo"
| Outside the plate glass window the
rising wind tuned mournfully.
You are very young" he said. "Yol
would not foresee as l foresaw that
could not see you without starting the
tongues of scandal. You are penniless
young, working. l am rich, worldly
conspicuous. l should have liked t.
send you extravagant presents. Yor
would not have understood Yor
would have thought was an old foo
trying to be lover. l was not that
but the others would have said ever
worse of me. SO waited, clinging tt
a single strand that brings US to
l.gether."
"Us!"
Yes-sympathy. Because you saw
In me the one thing left that you might
salvage and find valuable Not be
cause am man and you are WON
an. but because / am a human beine
and you, who can see with a vision OF
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