New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-17

not vet decided to try my fortune In literature.
but ono day, bred by sudden enthusiasm s,,.
question Of the day. 1t was printed next morning
in all the glory of large type. ana slened is
EIcdone 1t Was the p re hS ov e To-
ward afternoon | entered coiiee,shol, anu
saw, in the compartment neNt 10 n.y. go, 10
lead buried ia sS F %ad 0 0pn ths
nave containing nv letter. / sat- bushing win
| aid the pride of fresh blown authorship. Presently
face Looked up and S1% Sn6 10 g dar eyes
met but his stony orbs gave no sign OF .recGgnloi;
Then he turned 70 the paper again. anu Siliileu
| Yes he reading my letter. III might asuoL i
| the puplic nut il coulu not impose upon MN;
There were Latr and Creek quotations III IT, any any
fragments of moral philosophy; now asnalheu ie
| of them as saw them como under MS palelIi SlG
| He smiled again. placed down the paper, pald MS
reckoning and walked out Of the shup Witiiont q
word. ] went home "a miserable man. mle1t PuD
ON grand airs before tho public. bNt one man hho"
nv measure and that man was randle aiaoplcIsOi,.
II was no use arguing with myself fhal tnu nan
Was an idiot; that altbough lie was Gl'o nt ~, nr
ing what was taught him. he had neither talent nor
originality. The memory OF those early Gays
| haunted me like shadow. LIE With
j an not going to weary y0p-ahi nSse,i- Is,i
4 history OF my literary struggles, TIL CON urlT I
the book -taSter tie magazine e1ltOI au n1 tho
| Usher aud became recognized prouuceI VI TO I
popular literary article. Years pIs onGcn ON the
invitation Of John Stiil, the philosopher; Ineh
pubshed my fret book. and, as Il nave tolu you i
/ was "A faQre | Retriever hA SUI ~ ny $50.
which was about half "a good, and not snear so e4
nest. rs tbe INST ! still had Glasgow ana SaHuIo
/ MACPHERSON in nay mind when ialieu Oh ~ Ir
Int IN course Of time the imp ession grew ui'. IN
| and DINNER IL was ono fine day lhat JVih YIN
Ttttrning from the North, where ho had been iec-
| turing on some political subject spoke 10 4ho 40
80 By the way, ErciIdoune, l met al old School
| fellow Ul yours in GLASGOW. .,,,a., ,,o,,rt
| -" Ay, indeed y | said, ieellng lhs Oioou hlo""'
70 ~ man named Macpherson small tradesman,
| and q member Of the local club when tooh IIo
| duyvu. prCsy fellow ana very tarcaStc' no
| amused me very much with his dry "reminiscences
| Of yOur schOClda and seemed greatly 9s;ohisHcu
! that you had made any mark IN the WollH; o,.o.
| Il forced a laugh but felt hot and cold Az over.
." DO You remember him 4" proceeded still lie
remembers you wonderfully ..,, o.o,o,sross r
81" I'm not sure returned wlth caieIesSnesS
believe there was lad vi that name III Ihe Grass
with me. bur I've almost forgotten Aih' u.s."
' liz fbot | was! Did John Still know
| that was I,ipgi Iio looked 1T me for some mo-
me,ts with an amused smile, il lie were ealing mp
| some Queer rtminisceLcc; and II coulu hah 1g
braiued him. Some little TIM after that Jonh Gun
and fell ont. llc wrote ctltlGiSm OF ouch, t >
| History Of Civilization" and publishcd ~ ID INC o
radical LGmbe'a Ret'1c hanueu VIC SAM III
next quarter in The Cdicd0RGn, ana lufneu H.li ,
| arprtpputs inside ont IN lao very comp llmenI2IF
! fashion Still was sentative man. ana WINE
after that, lie cut me dead III the street. hiauo
II up aitcrwaTd but were never the same rs peIOre'
Till the day OF his death, never gave MN any eN-
planation | cared no moro for Suckle or MS aTgu-
than for the fly Oh tile wall! ouchc, iuucC'
| the poor, silly, over-cranmed COckney gowk .
Tie real caGse of my attack John Still was anger
! and irritation. Sandie Macpherson, again. was al
| the bottom OF it all!
| A wear or so after this went down TO Glasgow
| on business BY that time had made name LOT
| myself and my visit caused STIR IN tue cl'y'
| stayed witch sir Robert Mun2o. the Iord lToNOSl-
a sily man. with IL staggering taste ior philosophy
After few days, grew weary OF being non loH :
| for nearly every time there was grand dinner.
| and was bored to death with the admiration Oh
1 18th, hath
| wandering about the streets, looking Ht me OIu
houses and calling to mind the places had known
when lad passed down the GalOwgate, and saw
| The name Of Alexander Macpherson " over small
prOcer's shop. Now, ! was in sympathetic ln0od
that day the contemplation of Old scenes, and The
thought OF the kindness of my countryncn, had
tonehed NV heart and 1t melted suddenly at the
name of nv old schOOlteilow. Could 1t possibly oe
the came Before knew what was dong had
Yes i was right There. standing behind the
counter was Sandic himself oder. crmner' lut
neat and clean as usual: AS | entered IN, he was
measuring ont pound of moist sugar foI paIc-
footed servant laase. in petucoat aud short gown.
-" Mr. Macpherson :" l said, when he had done
lie looked up and our eyes met. ! saw w. If "a
manned grim az granite and his eye was cold as ice
'"That's my name" he replied.
I smiled and prepared To hold ont my hand.
q" think We old sch0Omates together My
name is Erc.ldOune Thomas Ercildoune. DO you
lie looked at ne from head TO foot. His eye
rested on my old cloak, my broad-bTimmed hat and
he nodded darkly, as he replied:
"a mind ye well enough. Can l serve ye with
:" Nothing, thanks: ONLY was passing and
thought SHOULD like to remind you OF our DAD &C
AS smoke. Sandie proceeded eisurey with his
business behind the counter opened his till ard
looked into it took down piece OF loaf sugar. and
| began breaking it into small portions lie gave
sort OF g7uni rs flushed my address to him, and
| nodded again; then, after q pause, while stood
hestating he observed quietly, surveying Inc crit
4 H1..f Lostl fn Ton
'"You'ro staying up in London. hearT
ayes" -
- Just So" | replied, smiling Good-nauredly, but
! feeling rather ashamed.
IA weel,1 sad Saudle rctcctively. as nc swept
m his pieces of sugar and putting them into large
lar weel London'5 q big place, ana they call 1t
| The centre of ceeyilization; but '-heT1 he shut
tie lid of he jar sharply" mcny things Please the
folk in London that wouldna gang dooh III Giles
eC.Wha: he meant could hardly gather; it was
more general reelection, but felt somehow that 1t
! had personal application A long pause ensured.
stood awkw ardly waiting IN front OF the counter,
! but Sandie did not seem inclined for further con
versation AT last, feeling rather uncomfortable,
| determined to put an end to the interview.
"Wel III wish yoI g0OG'mOrnlng, | SAID,
moving to the shop door.
$" Good morning granted Sandic not raising his
eyes from his desk and ledger, to winch he had Just
/ walked out Of the shop, indignant at the mans
| impertUrbability. CHANGING back from the pave
Inrnt, saw Sandias face quietly regarding NE over
his ledger-and smilinE-just az 1t had smiled when
] saw him reading my first ei!oit III literature. lie
was certainly quite irrcc0ncliaDle
About this period Of my career, rs you NAV re-
| member, ] was particularly severe in my Writings
on The British Phistine, and the SOrdid, scls
conceted. money grabbing Secularty OF the trading
classes in this country. denounced the EypOoriscs
OF sodom aud tho deshrOts OF GCmOrrah Inc press
took up my cry, and Phi!istlnls hud bad time OF
Is. Poor idiots, they thought that had grew
ance against society. Nothing OF the KIDD / was
only trying TO have my revenge on SandIe Macpher
son
For wrestlc as | might against hlm. the man had
mastered me. Folk might compare me 10 John the
baptist preaching III the wilderness. they might say
crce. pure living and high thinking. 70 a rotten