or under-bookkeepers. One genial young fellow struck up a conversation with Fred, and became quite friendly during the evening.
"I guess you will go out to the 'Zoo' to-morrow, won't you? That is about the first place that visitors usually strike for when they come here."
"I thought of getting a general idea of the city first, so that I could go round better before going farther out."
"Oh, you won't have any trouble in getting around. Just ask folks, and they will direct you anywhere."
"But everybody seems to be in a hurry; and by the time I open my mouth to ask them, they have passed me."
The young clerk, Mr. Perkins by name, thought this was a great joke and laughed long and loudly at it.
"I wish to gracious I could go around with you. I have been so busy ever since I have been here that I have never seen any of the show sights myself. But I tell you what I will do: I can steer you around some on Thursday night. That is my night off, and then I will show you some sights that are sights." The young man chuckled as he got his hat and prepared to return to the
shop. Brent thanked him in a way that sounded heavy and stilted even to his own ears after the other's light pleasantry.
"And another thing," said Perkins, "we will go to see the baseball game on Sunday, Clevelands and the Reds,—great game, you know." It was well that Mr. Perkins was half-way out of the door before he finished his sentence, for there was no telling what effect upon him the flush which mounted to Brent's face and the horror in his eyes would have had.
Go to a baseball game on Sunday! What would his people think of such a thing? How would he himself feel there,—he, notwithstanding his renunciation of office, a minister of the gospel? He hastened to his room, where he could be alone and think. The city indeed was full of temptations to the young! And yet he knew he would be ashamed to tell his convictions to Perkins, or to explain his horror at the proposition. Again there came to him, as there had come many times before, the realisation that he was out of accord with his fellows. He was not in step with the procession. He had been warped away from the parallel of every-day, ordinary humanity. In order to still