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realized what a big place it is。〃
And then Tripp joined in with a little grating laugh that he had； still trying to drag in a little story or drama to earn the miserable dollar that he craved。
〃Oh； the boys from the country forget a lot when they come to the city and learn something。 I guess George； maybe； is on the bum； or got roped in by some other girl； or maybe gone to the dogs on account of whiskey or the races。 You listen to Mr。 Chalmers and go back home； and you'll be all right。〃
But now the time was come for action； for the hands of the clock were moving close to noon。 Frowning upon Tripp； I argued gently and philosophically with Miss Lowery； delicately convincing her of the importance of returning home at once。 And I impressed upon her the truth that it would not be absolutely necessary to her future happiness that she mention to Hi the wonders or the fact of her visit to the city that had swallowed up the unlucky George。
She said she had left her horse （unfortunate Rosinante） tied to a tree near the railroad station。 Tripp and I gave her instructions to mount the patient steed as soon as she arrived and ride home as fast as possible。 There she was to recount the exciting adventure of a day spent with Susie Adams。 She could 〃fix〃 SusieI was sure of that and all would be well。
And then； being susceptible to the barbed arrows of beauty； I warmed to the adventure。 The three of us hurried to the ferry； and there I found the price of a ticket to Greenburg to be but a dollar and eighty cents。 I bought one； and a red； red rose with the twenty cents for Miss Lowery。 We saw her aboard her ferryboat； and stood watching her wave her handkerchief at us until it was the tiniest white patch imaginable。 And then Tripp and I faced each other； brought back to earth； left dry and desolate in the shade of the sombre verities of life。
The spell wrought by beauty and romance was dwindling。 I looked at Tripp and almost sneered。 He looked more careworn； contemptible； and disreputable than ever。 I fingered the two silver dollars remaining in my pocket and looked at him with the half…closed eyelids of contempt。 He mustered up an imitation of resistance。
〃Can't you get a story out of it？〃 he asked； huskily。 〃Some sort of a story； even if you have to fake part of it？〃
〃Not a line；〃 said I。 〃I can fancy the look on Grimes' face if I should try to put over any slush like this。 But we've helped the little lady out； and that'll have to be our only reward。〃
〃I'm sorry；〃 said Tripp； almost inaudibly。 〃I'm sorry you're out your money。 Now； it seemed to me like a find of a big story； you know that is； a sort of thing that would write up pretty well。〃
〃Let's try to forget it；〃 said I； with a praiseworthy attempt at gayety； 〃and take the next car 'cross town。〃
I steeled myself against his unexpressed but palpable desire。 He should not coax； cajole； or wring from me the dollar he craved。 I had had enough of that wild…goose chase。
Tripp feebly unbuttoned his coat of the faded pattern and glossy seams to reach for something that had once been a handkerchief deep down in some obscure and cavernous pocket。 As he did so I caught the shine of a cheap silver…plated watch…chain across his vest； and something dangling from it caused me to stretch forth my hand and seize it curiously。 It was the half of a silver dime that had been cut in halves with a chisel。 〃What！〃 I said； looking at him keenly。
〃Oh yes；〃 he responded； dully。 〃George Brown； alias Tripp。 what's the use？〃
Barring the W。 C。 T。 U。； I'd like to know if anybody disapproves of my having produced promptly from my pocket Tripp's whiskey dollar and unhesitatingly laying it in his hand。
THE HIGHER PRAGMATISM
I
Where to go for wisdom has become a question of serious import。 The ancients are discredited； Plato is boiler…plate； Aristotle is tottering； Marcus Aurelius is reeling； Aesop has been copyrighted by Indiana； Solomon is too solemn； you couldn't get anything out of Epictetus with a pick。
The ant； which for many years served as a model of intelligence and industry in the school…readers； has been proven to be a doddering idiot and a waster of time and effort。 The owl to…day is hooted at。 Chautauqua conventions have abandoned culture and adopted diabolo。 Graybeards give glowing testimonials to the venders of patent hair… restorers。 There are typographical errors in the almanacs published by the daily newspapers。 College professors have become
But there shall be no personalities。 To sit in classes； to delve into the encyclopedia or the past…performances page； will not make us wise。 As the poet says； 〃Knowledge comes； but wisdom lingers。〃 Wisdom is dew； which； while we know it not； soaks into us； refreshes us； and makes us grow。 Knowledge is a strong stream of water turned on us through a hose。 It disturbs our roots。
Then； let us rather gather wisdom。 But how to do so requires knowledge。 If we know a thing； we know it； but very often we are not wise to it that we are wise； and
But let's go on with the story。
II
Once upon a time I found a ten…cent magazine lying on a bench in a little city park。 Anyhow； that was the amount he asked me for when I sat on the bench next to him。 He was a musty； dingy； and tattered magazine； with some queer stories bound in him； I was sure。 He turned out to be a scrap…book。
〃I am a newspaper reporter；〃 I said to him； to try him。 〃I have been detailed to write up some of the experiences of the unfortunate ones who spend their evenings in this park。 May I ask you to what you attribute your downfall in〃
I was interrupted by a laugh from my purchasea laugh so rusty and unpractised that I was sure it had been his first for many a day。
〃Oh； no； no；〃 said he。 〃You ain't a reporter。 Reporters don't talk that way。 They pretend to be one of us； and say they've just got in on the blind baggage from St。 Louis。 I can tell a reporter on sight。 Us park bums get to be fine judges of human nature。 We sit here all day and watch the people go by。 I can size up anybody who walks past my bench in a way that would surprise you。〃
〃Well；〃 I said； 〃go on and tell me。 How do you size me up？〃
〃I should say；〃 said the student of human nature with unpardonable hesitation； 〃that you was； say； in the contracting businessor maybe worked in a storeor was a sign…painter。 You stopped in the park to finish your cigar； and thought you'd get a little free monologue out of me。 Still； you might be a plasterer or a lawyerit's getting kind of dark； you see。 And your wife won't let you smoke at home。〃
I frowned gloomily。
〃But； judging again；〃 went on the reader of men； 〃I'd say you ain't got a wife。〃
〃No；〃 said I； rising restlessly。 〃No； no； no； I ain't。 But I will have； by the arrows of Cupid！ That is； if〃
My voice must have trailed away and muffled itself in uncertainty and despair。
〃I see you have a story yourself；〃 said the dusty vagrantimpudently； it seemed to me。 〃Suppose you take your dime back and spin your yarn for me。 I'm interested myself in the ups and downs of unfortunate ones who spend their evenings in the park。〃
Somehow； that amused me。 I looked at the frowsy derelict with more interest。 I did have a story。 Why not tell it to him？ I had told none of my friends。 I had always been a reserved and bottled…up man。 It was psychical timidity or sensitiveness…perhaps both。 And I smiled to myself in wonder when I felt an impulse to confide in this stranger and vagabond。
〃Jack；〃 said I。
〃Mack；〃 said he。
〃Mack；〃 said I； 〃I'll tell you。〃
〃Do you want the dime back in advance ？〃 said he。
I handed him a dollar。
〃The dime；〃 said I； 〃was the price of listening to your story。〃
〃Right on the point of the jaw；〃 said he。 〃Go on。〃
And then； incredible as it may seem to the lovers in the world who confide their sorrows only to the night wind and the gibbous moon； I laid bare my secret to that wreck of all things that you would have supposed to be in sympathy with love。
I told him of the days and weeks and months that I had spent in adoring Mildred Telfair。 I spoke of my despair； my grievous days and wakeful nights； my dwindling hopes and distress of mind。 I even pictured to this night…prowler her beauty and dignity； the great sway she had in society； and the magnificence of her life as the elder daughter of an ancient race whose pride overbalanced the dollars of the city's millionaires。
〃Why don't you cop the lady out？〃 asked Mack； bringing me down to earth and dialect again。
I explained to him that my worth was so small； my income so minute； and my fears so large that I hadn't the courage to speak to her of my worship。 I told him that in her presence I could only blush and stammer； and that she looked upon me with a wonderful； maddening smile of amusement。
〃She kind of moves in the professional class； don't she？〃 asked Mack。
〃The Telfair family〃 I began； haughtily。
〃I mean professional beauty；〃 said my hearer。
〃She is greatly and widely admired；〃 I answered； cautiously。
〃Any sisters？〃
〃One。〃
〃You