Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1878-08-07


"Less than half would pay m
well, sir" he said.
"Tut, TUT stuff, man Eide
told me you were poor and hard uI
You always will be if you are nc
more of a man of business"
"Sir !" he exclaimed, rising an
looking at me angrily. 81 cam
here expecting the treatment
He stopped short, reeled, sanl
into his chair, covered his face witt
his hands, and sobbed like a child.
"My dear sir-I-really-I didn'
mean" l stammered, perspirin!
at every pore, for the position wa
most painful.
mo, no." he said, hastily, 81 bet
your pardon. But-but," he con
tinued, striving manfully to master
his emotion. al have been very
i'll, sir, and | am weak. / hav,
been very observation-disclosures
starving at times. / have not brolS
en- bread since yesterday morning
i conld not without selling my
colors. i am much obliged-for'
give me-let lie go back to town
Oh, my God has it come to this ?"
He sank back half fainting, bnI
started as l roared ont, AGO awayr
for Cobwcb was coming into the
room.
THANK you," he said, taking my
hand as he saw what l had done,
at was kind of you"
"My dear fellow" said, "this is
terrible y and | mopped my face.
"There, sit still | shall be back
directly"
| ran out to find Cobweb in the
hall.
"Oh, you dear, good father !" she
cried, with tears in her eyes.
What a kind surprise ! But is
anything wrong :"
"Artist little faint" / said.
"Here, the sherry-biscuits. Stop
away a bit"
/ ran back with them, and made
him take some wine and, thus re-
vived. he rose and thanked me.
"What are you going to do - l
said, staring.
"I'm going back to town, sir" he
sail, quietly, but with his lower lip
trembling. 81 am not fit to under
take the task. thank you, but ii
is too late. ! am not we'll"
/ looked at him as a business
man, and in that brief glance, as in
a revelation, | saw the struggles of
a poor, proud man of genius, who
could not battle with the worlil. L
saw the man who had sold, bit by
bit, everything he owned, in his
struggle for daily bread : AMI, as l
looked at him | felt ashamed that
should be so rich, and fat, and well.
"Mr. GRAVITY" said, taking his
hand, 81 ain a rough man, and
spoiled by bullying people, and hay
ing my own way. l beg your par
don for what / have said and AIR
going TO say. You came down
here, sir, to paint my little girls
portrait, and you are going to paint
it before you go back to town and
when you do go, you are going to
have fifty dollars in your pocket.
Hush I! not word, sir. My old
friend Eden told me that you were
n gentleman and man of honor.
Tom Eden is never deceived.
Now, sir, please come into the din
ing-room and have some lunch.
Not word, please"
He tried to speak, but could not,
and turned away.
"All right" / said, call right =
and patted him on the shoulder,
and walked away to the window for
a few minutes before l turned back
to find him more composed.
That afternoon we all three went
out into the wood, and l made Cob
web stand as / had seen her on that
day.
GRAVITY was delighted, and in.
sisted upon making sketch a,
once aud then the days wore on
with the painting progressing slow.
ly, but in way that was wonder
to me, so exquisite was ever,
touch, for the artists whole sou
was in his work.
Those were delighted days, but
there was a storm coming. Iquite
took to the young fellow, though
and by degrees heard from hi
whole story-how, young and Gag