The Seeker

Table of

f the Gratche

s regal, even to the kind eye of his younger son; when his hat was not all one might wish; the boots less than excellent; the priceless watch-chain absent, or moored to a mere bunch of aimless keys, though the bounty from his pockets was a

r years, has wormed from his medicine man the choicest secret of his mysterious pharmacop?ia, and who

stand that he had travelled extensively with a Mr. Haverly, singing his songs each evening in large cities, and bei

, one of his prized staples. It appeared-so the little boy heard him tell Milo Barrus-that few men could resist buying a tool with which he actually cut a pane of glass into strips before their eyes; that one beholding the sea of hands waving frantically up to him with quarters in them, after his demo

entional avoidance of each other by two men of such rare distinction, and during the early visits of his father he was fruitful of suggestion for bringing them together. But when he came to understand that they remained apart by wish of the elder man, he was troubled. He ceased then all efforts to arrange a meeting to which he had looked forward with pride in his office of exhibiting each perso

this or that beloved idol, yet not unkindly leaving with him the plia

find it a fairy godmother who would give her three wishes. It was more plausible now that a prince, "all dressed up in shiny Prince Clothes," would come riding up on a creamy white horse, lift her to the saddle in front of him and gallop off, calling her "My beautiful darling!" while Madmasel, her uncle, and Betsy, the cook, danced up and down on the front piazza impotently

ood in line, maddeningly beautiful in their pink tights, ranging from the tall father and mother down through four children to a small boy that always looked much like himself. In the other picture these meritorious persons were

which only one member had either courage or ambition. One had only to stud

n the frailest of high scaffolds, swing from the dizziest cupola, or sway jauntily at the top of

ratcher, came in this wise. As they rested from play-this being a time when the Gratcher was most likely to be seen approaching by him of the Gratcher-eye, the usual alarm was given, followed by the usual unbreathing silence. The little boy fixedly bent his magic eye arou

at awful face leering past the corner. For, once the Gratcher's eye met yours fairly, he caught you in an instant and worked his will. Th

hey had been playing at a childish game under some spell. The moment was not without embarrassment, because of their having caught themselves in the very act and frenzy of showing terror of this clumsy fiction. Foolishly they averted their glances, after that first little laugh of sudden realisation; but again their eyes me

rn this- that the best way to be rid of him is to laugh him away -that no Gratcher ever fashioned b

h all reverence, the little boy erected the spirit of that God which the Bible tells of, who is all-wise and loving, y

n, but fell against his heart and made an ugly wound. It was as if he had become sudd

as lost in some common, swaggering, loud-voiced, street-mannered creature, grotesquely self-satisfied, of a cheap, shabby smartness, who came flaunting those things

otographic-phonographic even. He recalled from the past certain effects once keenly joyed in that now made his cheeks burn. The things rioted brutally before him, until it

festal parade, to receive the applause of a respectful populace. Now he went forth awkwardly, doggedly, keen for signs that others saw what he did, and quick to burn with bitter, unreasoning resentment, w

ht see as he did, he was glad when his father went-this time as Professor Alfiretti, doing a twenty-minute turn of hypnoti