1895-]
But hark! What’s that? No! Yes, some one is coming! Those
are footfalls, albeit in tennis shoes they are almost noiseless.
Alarmed, amazed I step back to the rail as two young men come
slowly up the stairway. “By jove, that’s a pull!” “Yes, its
no snap like going down: let me take it now,” said the other.
“Oh, no, no, I’m good for it: this is my picnic,” replied
the first. After a moment’s breathing they passed on. I
watched them as they climbed and gradually disappeared in the
loft above. A few moments of suppressed conversation, an oc
casional flash of light and the monotonous twist of the wrench,
and they began to descend. Reaching the cupola floor they paused
as for a moment and glanced back. “She’s just as she was ex
cept for the riveting,” said one, as he slowly and meditatively
wiped his brow. “Yes,” said the other, “I hope she’ll ring,
come morning.” Something must be done! “Yes, I too hope
she’ll ring, come morning,” said I, as I stepped through the open
doorway. A start, an abortive attempt to blow out the light, a
quick word or two: it was all over. Soon the humor of the situa
tion came over us and features relaxed. We were bodily at ease
again, but conversation was constrained. It was picketed about
with Gail Hamilton’s five points of Calvinism “Of whom you
speak, to whom you speak, and when and how and where. ’ ’ I put
my hand in my pocket, and drew out my cigars. ‘ ‘ Have a light ?’ ’
“Thanks! ” And as the curling smoke rose like incense in the
air our tongues were slowly loosed and we talked naturally and
freely, as men ever talk when under the strange spell of tobacco.
The seconds changed to minutes, the minutes were lengthening
fast, Why leave room for any awkward silence ? Silently I rose.
“It’s getting pretty chilly up here, let’s go down.” Slowly and
quietly we made the descent. Not a word was spoken: each
seemed wrapped up in himself. As we filed down the steps at the
front door I instinctively verged toward the right, my companions
hesitatingly toward the left. “Come this way,” said I. “No,
thanks.” “ But this is the shorter way, and better, too.” “ Yes,
but we are going—down by—by the church” (as he shifted
something uneasily under his sweater). “ Well, just as you
Ah! yes, I see! Well, I hope she, too, will ring, come Sunday.
Good Night.” W. A. Buckhout.
October 2/, 1895.
There are eighteen college bred men in the U. S. Senate.
A Study in Altruism ,