Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1867-03-09

he did not look at his companion when
he said it. The latter cleaned round
the room again, placed his hands on
the back of a chair, and fixed his eyes
on his godson. ).
Julian, said he, could you give it
up?"
There was in his tone something that
it had lacked before; q touch of feel
ing, as if it had occurred dimly to the
elder man that there might, alter all,
be in these pursuits something hard to
give up. =
"If 1t is necessary" replied Julian,
''of course can.
"And take to real hard work?" said
the old gentleman.
YES" replied Julian. &c.
'Brayely spoken, my boyl' exclaiin-
ed the old gentleman. "And now,
listen. / don't think commercial life
would suir you. Edon't think you are
fitted for it. What do you say to the
idea of emigrating" -,
{ The Young man could only repeat the
word in amazement, but his friend per-
sisted.
fYou will not think i propose this
without due consideration, said he.-
81 always thought it a mistake for you
to be wasting your life in this way
Formerly, however, you were at liberty
to please yourself; atpresent l scarcely
consider that you are SO. You are
strong, young and brave; not without
brains; likely-looking lad enough, IN
spite of your accomplishments here
The fact is, / have an enterprise In
view. for which I want brains, and a
reliable agent. Ibeheve that you are
especially suited TO my purpose, and
that Won can do me service if you will,
as we'll as taking the first step to Your
own fortune. i trust to your sense OF
duty to throw your heart into the work
If on begin it. "
'But--" said Julian.
sIwant no answer now" interrupted
the old gentleman; Il am not so I'M
reasonable. / would rather that you
wouId consider well of the NATTER
Think of it. A new country, a glorious
country. with scenery such as you have
never dreamed of. There you may
ouadruple your capital-or mine, fyou
nrefer that mode of speaking-and
|
take up your piles of pictures again, If
you like. They, and all this miscel-
laneous property of yours shalt be re-
spected. / promise that your studio
shall be locked from all eyes, if that
will please you. Now, goodbye"
The old gentleman was gone, and the
Young one, with sigh, turned to look
after him. He seemed TO have partial
" taken ont of the room that load
which had come In with him; that
strange, sudden waking up from a
world of beautiful dreams into acorn
mon-place, hard necessity. The pre-
senee of the old gentleman in that study
was unusual and improbable; he had
left an air of improbability and unreal.
ity over the news he had brought and
the changes whichit seemed imperative
should result from them. The young
PAINTER took up a brush and bent over
his work. There vas the gold, put on
lust before the coming of this i'll OMEN,
ed visitor. 1t lay waiting for him, with
the furnishing stone beside it. There
were the conventional outlines Of leaves,
flowers and fruit, only wanting to be
filed in with bright cadium, lake anc
ultramarine. How full of promise the
sketch wasl How beautiful the finish
ed piece would bel And then he hune
down the brush and turned away. i
was no longer a fitting implement fol
his fingers. This terrible tale was true
he could no longer follow his own plea
sure, but must work for his living.
Julian had an intense desire to 81
down TO the table again, and go on will
that one piece. Surely there could b,
no such immediate necessity for break
ING off his former studies; that Nigh
be done at any time. And was il on,
possible that ia the distant future-nt
matter that il was distant-his geniu
and perseverance might achieve suffi
Gent to satisfy him?-an amo mt of sue
cess which should serve for all hi
wants? But how was he to live now
And besides that, the debit The recol
lection of it fell upon him like sud
den blow. He had hardly realized th
fact st first. In the eyes of the world
indeed, if debt existed it would be n
business of his; but In the eye of hi
own conscience and his gratitude, wha
was it? All his life long he had owes
everything TO the fallen man, his unc
his education, luxuries, the smaIles
necessaries of life. Was the old mai
! to put-llis shoulder to the wheel now
in the evening. of his days, and tn
nephew remain visionary-idle, O
rather unprodRctive, inasmuch as tn,
pursuits he loved were unproductiye
He went up to the easel and covered
the picture gently, then he took dowI
frame from the wall and looked at it
contents; German poem, the illum
insted border of which he had finished
only the day before. He thrust thi.
amongst otherscraps, finished and I'm
finished, into a portfolio TO put away
! then he went TO the window again, stand
ing where he had stood whilst his FRIEND
talked with him. His eyes, to all APP
i pearance. were looking upon the scene
outside-the swaying tree-tops' and the
cooper tints of the western sky; bu In
! reality he saw none of these. He saw
instead, another room, singularly unlike
his own; delicate fingers were there
! and made it beautiful to the eve of art
ist and poet. A shadow fell upon the
wall OF that room, and dark eyed girl
rose mp from her seat to meet him. -
The Young painter stretched out his
arms With an involuntary cry, eClare
nv ClareK' How was he TO tell hel
that they must part? How bear the
long years of waiting that must sepa.
rate them? They might both grow ole
apart; that fortune which the old mer
chant spoke of so confidently might
never come. What was he to do?
Through the long hours Julian
thought, calling up his life In review
before hIm, and In the twilight he weni
4 - ,x,t,, 81 q. or O ~ a 4 4