From the Housetops

a by his grandfather when he was twenty-seven, to work under the advanced scientists of Vienna and Berlin. At twenty-nine he came back to

lessly afflicted members of the human race should be put out of their misery by attending physicians, operating u

would be just as well to kill 'em legally as any other way, having no good opinion of doctors, and admitted that his grandson

w, isn't it, granddaddy?" Braden

e; "especially when you haven't got a

d suffering beyond all endurance y

e second time she refused me I decided to do something almost but not quite so terrible, so I went West. The third time I proposed, she accepte

bout it, grandfather,

putting sufferers out of their misery but who wouldn't think of doing it, so I'd advise you to keep your opinions to yourself. What do you suppose I sent you abroad for, and gave you an education that few young men have received? Just to

f the profession, notwithstanding the fact that it has all been discussed a million times by doctors

e old man, "but let us

creature whose outlook upon life was so far advanced beyond his, even in those days of adolescence, that he looked upon her as the eighth wonder of the world. She had poise, manner, worldly wisdom of a pleasantly superficial character that stood for sophist

er while engaged in the wretchedly mundane and commonplace pursuit of trifles. He was intensely amazed, therefore, to discover that she had loved him ever since she was a child in short frocks. He expected her to believe him when he said to her that she was the loveliest of all God's creatures, but it was more than he could believe when she declared tha

ad been expecting it. He realised that Braden's dilatory tactics al

?" he had inquired, squinting at his

course, I shall have to get a bit of a sta

get enough of a practice in a y

ive very ec

your idea

ousand a year, but, of course, it won't take much

out, Braden,-that is, within reason," said the oth

me already, grandfather. I can't take anything mor

t's the way to talk, my boy. A

e's the right sort, granddaddy, so you ne

asked what her mother

blessing," said his gra

your plan to live on the

orry about that, sir. If Anne w

for

ck up, of course.

mon with you from the outset, with Anne to talk you up a bit among the people who belong to her set and who are always looking for something to keep them from being bored to death. I understand that anybody who has an appendix nowadays is looked upon as exceedingly vulgar and is not even tolerated in good society. As for a man having a sound liver,-well, that kind of a liver is absolutely inexcusable. Nobody has one to-day if h

wouldn't marry me if she loved any one more than she does me,-not even herself, as you pu

im. I think that is the reason why he died so young. Now, my dear grandson, I am not going to make the mistake with his son that I made with my own. I intend that you shall fight your own battles. Among other things, you will have to fight pretty hard for Anne. That is a mere detail, of course. You are a resolute, determined, sincere fellow, Braden, and you have in you the making of a splendid character. You will succeed in anything you undertake. I like your eye, my boy, and I like the set of your jaw. You have principle and you have a sense of reverence that is quite uncommon in these days of ours. I daresay you have been wicked in an essential sort of way, and I fancy you have been just as nec

n an injustice, granddaddy. She says it will be a splendid thing for Anne to struggle

sage from her before the engagement

ng, earnest grandson of his, and he was troubled. He lay awake

I've been thinking it over. You can't very well afford to pay for these finishing touches after you've begun struggling along on your own hook, and trying to make both ends meet on a slender income, so I'd sugges

ike nothing better, grandfather.

avuncular relatives. It is not surprising, therefore, that I should desire to make a great man out of you. You shall not be handicapped by any failure on my part to do the right thing by you. If it is in my power to safeguard you, it is my duty to exercise that power. Nothing must be allowed to stand in the wa

and half as successful as you, grandf

ible to do so. A man cannot bequeath his wisdom. He may inherit it, but he can't give it away, for the simple reason that no one will take it as a gift. It is like advice to the young: something to disregard. My father left me a great

o-night. If she is willing to marry me at once, we'll start immediately. By Jove,

"It is my idea that you should devote yourself to observation and not to experimentation,-to study i

e advisability of postponing the wedding for a year if not longer. Something she said in private to Anne appeared to have altered that charming young person's notions in regard to an early wedding, so Braden found himself without a

till dazed and furious, his grandfather had tried to convince him tha

miled grimly on being described as a satyr! When words and breath at last failed the stalwart Braden, the old gentleman, looking keenly ou

is latest miracle. If she looks at it from the other point of view,-the perfectly safe and secure way, you understand,-and confirms her allegiance to me, I'll still be exceedingly happy in the consciousness that I've done you a good turn. I will

everity. In his deep-set, piercing eyes lurked all the pains of a lifetime. He had been a strong, robust man; the framework was all that remained of the staunch house in which his being had dwelt for so long. His hand shook and his knee rebelled against exertion, but his eye was unwavering, his chin unflinching. White and sparse was the thatch of hair upon his shrunken skull, and harsh was the thin voice that came