Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-06-27
GaIes and Skstftes.
4 sIanr OF DISASTER.


Paris, that young Englishman was find
ing it rather slow in his spacious apart
ments in the Rue Royale. For one thing,
he knew hardly a soul in that gay
metropolis, and the few souls that he did
holidays. You will ask why Bertram
Wilde, the Englisbman in question, stayed
in Paris The answer is that he was oblig-
ed to do so or. il not really obliged. he
thought he was, which comes to the same
thing for all practicle purposes.
He was about Is years old. and the son
Of . country gentleman down in we'll
wooded Hampshire His father had
wanted him to ..eDter the Church." but
willful Bertram had expressed himself de-
cidedly averse to the idea. matter-of-
fact, there was not the least reason-pecu-
niarily speaking-why young Wilde should
engage in any calling or profession at all ;
but he was luckily saved from idleDess by
his own native indsposition to rust and
60 to seed and do nothing.
Well, here he was, settled in Paris, ex-
periencing a mixture Of sensations, in
which the sense of loneliness and a desire
TO fly away were perhaps predominant.
He had tried going out and amusing him
SELF but he found that theatres. concerts.
public balls, the Exhibition itself and all
its concOmitant attractions simply made
him more distressed than before. Neither
the porte d'entree Of the Palace on the
Champs de Mars, nor the foyer OF the
Opera-house cculd attract him. Pleasure
seeking without q companion is always a
drearv business, and at that period there
was one companion, and she only, whose
presence he longcd for. and she was far
away. So he did his work, as much Of it
as he felt inclined for, during the day, and
moped and gave himself up to his own
thoughts at other times.
But he was not entirely melancholy; far
from it. Rather he was in that safe Of
subdued excitement arising from being
drawn in two different directions at the
same time. A very strong attraction was
pulling him in the direction of An
tibes and the shores Of the Mediterranean
Can you boubt what that attraction was ?
Bertram Wilde was a lover. and an ac-
cepted lover, and at that delightful French
watering place Of Antilles. where even
winter strikes with no lev blast, but the
blue, tideless sea shines warm and bright
in mid December, there was a young En-
glish girl looking out for him and keep
ing up an exceedingly lively correspond
ence with the Rue Royale in the interval
before he made his appearance. And
now you can understand why time hung
heavily on BERTHE Wilde's hands, and
why he chafed and fretted under the re-
straint and loneliness of his solitary
chambers.
Why did he not run down 10 Antilles
Simply because he had devoted himself
with all the passion of an inexperienced
amateur to the cause Of art he had taken
it up as his profession. intending to stick
70 it, and he had been living in Paris for
more than year and working studiously
in order 10 get on in his new calling. And
he had got on very well; one or two of
his pictures had appeared at the Salon,
and one or two others had been hung in
the rooms of the ..Societe Generate DIES
Beaux Arts" What was keeping him in
Paris in those sultry August days of 1878
was Just the fact that he had been given
commission to execute a painting of a
battle scence in the Vendean war by a
rich Burgundian patriot. and he had felt it
his duty to stay in his studio and finish it
before rushing down to the place where
pleasure and inclination both called him
the sandy bay of Antilles.
The English season at Antilles is the
winter time. while the French season is
the summer. The Spaniards come pretty
regularly both summer and winter to en-
10y this smaller 'queen of Mediterranean
watering-places." BERTHE Wilde's first
visit to the place had been in the winter
of 1877, and it was then that he met. saw,
and was conquered by Miss Helen Graham,
who was living with her family in villa
some miles from the town and close to the
sea.
Up to this time his courtship had run
more smoothly than it had any right to do |
as he had been happily betrothed with the
full consent of Helen's parents within a
few weeks Of first seeing her. 1t is true,
there were other aspirants to her hand. |
Two Englishmen had gone half demented
with admiration for her before Wilde APP
peared on the scene but they had been
repulsed with severe loss, and had disap-
peared. Then young Spaniard. Senior
Basil Garcia, of the bluest Castiian blood
was-Bertie knew-in love with her, and
had not by any means relinquished his at
tentions ut the time of which am writ
ing.
As an accepted lover. he could of course
snap his fingers ut other suitors; all the
same there were times when BERTHE, know
ing the fiery Spanish nature, and having
special reasons to distrust Senior Basil.
felt certain uncomfortable misgivings
Not for himself; he was as bold as hon
but who knew what vengeance disappoint-
ed love, working in fierce southern heart,
might not possibly be led to wreack on an
other n good deal dearer to him than my
selfP But such thoughts Berthe always
dismissed as too dreadful; after all. there
was law in France, and the Spaniard was
\ civilized being. who would not be likely
to adopt desperate measures, and get him
self guillotined for his pains.
1t so happe ed that misunderstanding
fate had brought Wilde and Senior Garcia
into hostile contact with each other. quite
apart from any question with regard to
Helen Graham. And this was how it &C.
Cured.
There is-or was-a hourishing English
club at Antilles, numbering in all about
500 members. When Bertram Wilde
was wintering at that place. he was
asked to act temporarily as Secretary,
not very onerous post. The real Secre-
tary was away for two months. BERTHE
yielded with his usual good humor. and
acted in his official capacity to the satisfac-
q Nal Il q