Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 January 1916 — HIS OBJECT LESSON [ARTICLE]

HIS OBJECT LESSON

By CATHERINE CRANMER.

“Larry, have my horse ready at five today.” As Harold Brentley spoke his attention was attracted by old Larry’s unusual lameness as he started off toward the stables. Hold on, Larry, called Harold. “What has got into your legs. Are you doing anything for that rheumatism?" “Sure, Mr. Brentley. I can’t see how medicine I swallow is going to help my legs, but old Doc Whitley says to keep ob taking it.” * “I’m afraid that cooking you do over there is none too good for you. Larry, why didn’t you marry, and now you’d have a wife to take care of your aches and pains?” “Well, Mr. Brentley,” began Larry slowly and standing with his left hand, on his hip and his right hand holding his knee, “it was just because I was# too hard-headed to give in on anything, and while I was waiting for the girl to give in on everything she married a fellow that was so glad to get her he didn’t care who give in nor how ’much.” “That is rather a vague explanation and a surprising one to me, Larry. «I never found you hard-headed. ’ -Harold was curiously interested. “But you never found me till after I’d learned a thing or tfro,” responded Larry. It’s a long story, but if you want to hear it all I’ll tell you.’’ “Go ahead, Larry,” Harold smiled encouragingly. “You see,” began Larry, “Mary Glenn and me/was the sapae as engaged, and I was so jealous I didn t want her to dance with the other fellows. She was a girl with as many ways pf smiling as a mocking bird has of singing, and, of course, the fellows flocked around her. One evening I got mad ’cause she danced three times with the same fellow, and I guess I took a hip more than was good for my temper, and on the way home I laid down the law to Mary. She didn’t get riled, but she said, just as calm as you please: ‘Whenever you get ready to quit bullying me and- to let drink alone as much as you want me to let the other boys alone, then I’ll be ready to give in about anything in reason. There’s got to be giving in on both sides, or we don’t keep company any more, and that’s all I’ve got to say. It was all she did say, too, and my storming around about a gipl trying to interfere with a man’s personal liberty didn’t draw one word from her. When she reached her father’s gate she flounced into the house quick as lightning and at Christmas the same year she married another fellow.” “And you, Larry —what did you do then?” Harold asked this perfunctorily to bring Larry’s mind from the faraway past. “MS? I sailed for America, and I’ve been here ever since. So,” concluded Larry, “you see, here I am, with no wife to help me carry the load that comes with the years.” “Yes, Larry, I think I do see,” said Harold slowly. Then he got up abruptly and went into the house. He closed his study door and went straight to the telephone. During the brief interval until he received a reply no visible muscle moved, but his face grew very pale and his heart pounded away like a stationary engine. “Colonel Hunter’s residence?” Then, almost instantly, “May I speak to Miss Eunice?” His attitude remained rigid he awaited her voice in the receiver. “Eunice, this is Harold. May I talk to you a little while?” The hand that held the receiver was trembling. “There’s a lot I’d like to say that could hardly be said over the telephone, but if I told you that I’ve begun to see some things differently would you let me come to see you and explain?” And Harold, whose arguments in court were noted for their directness, found himself floundering for words in which to present his side of the case to the calm-voiced young woman at the other end of the wire. “Well, no; perhaps that is not exactly explicit. The only way I can be, explicit is to say frankly that I’m ashamed of the attitude I took when we disagreed over whether I should dictate to you about your professional associates any more than yon about Byline ” Harold almost embraced the telephone instrument as he added, in his most pershasive tones; “And, Eunice, you’ve made such a succesb as a social worker among unfortunate women, won’t you undertake to set right and make happy one mere man whose mind is open to conviction and whose heart is starving for you?” A very brief pause marked the birth of a blissful expression on Harold’s „ face. . . “You say ‘Central’ is not deaf? I’m not either, Eunice, and it makes me happy to hear that gentle tone in your voice. If I come by in fifteen minutes will you go for a long ride and supper at the Country club?” The interval that followed was infinitesimal, “I’m on my way now, dearest!” The receiver was still swinging on its hook when Harold went from the room and called to Lwry: “Never mind about the horse, Larry; I’m going out in my car.” . 2 “And you’re not going alone either, i or I mtsß my guess,” chuckled Larry to himself, as he limped away toward the stables. (Copyright, 1915. by McClure Newspaper Syndicate.) A motor road has been built in Bolivia that crosses the Andes 17,000 feet above sea levet