The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1884-03-28
THEUNFINISHEDMAN
SCRIPT.
rOnie Read in Texas Siftings.1 ]

o kind of social black eye, tnau Is, no
one believes that they are quite as good
husbands OF as good fathers as they
should be; and from the observatory OF
casual view, this is correct. Few people
know to what extremities literary men
are reduced. Few, very few indeed,
know how they court the so-called
muse OF inclination. The man
who handles the drawing-knlfe or
plane can, if he be in physi-
cal condition, do his work creditably;
but the literary man, though he may be
in robust health, and though he may not
have an ache or pain, is frequently
unable to do acceptable work. This Is a
freak which no student of metaphysics
can explain, for the mind OF man, al
though it is constantly becoming clearer
and more capable of comprehension, is
still something which Newton cannot
define, nor Bacon perfectly explore. A
mans mind seems to have but little to
do with his affections, for, although his
heart may be warm, his words are some
times cold.
II want you to go to bed," said Mr.
Mecklambre, the we'll known novelist,
to his little girl Every night when L
sit down to work you persist IN snort
ing around. Go to bed, I've got work
to do"
"She can't understand you, said
Mrs. Mecklamore, Il don't think that
she is WELL"
"She's always ill when want to
work. She seems to study the time.
What do you want to snort that way
fors You are enough to drive man
crazy!"
Robert, 1 don't think the little girl
can help it" the wife replied. She IS
too young to know anything about the
Importance of your work.
"Well, it's time she was learning"
the author exclaimed, turning, with an
angry air. "Other people can work
without interruption. 1 don't see why
should be imposed on. I'll go down
town. I can write there without inter-
ruption," and he gathered up his papers
and left the house.
Quietly, and without the slightest in
terruption, he worked for several hours.
Occasionally, while his mind was deep
in the moulding OF character, he would
see little anxious face, and hear an eX-
clamation of gladness; but he waved
aside the vision and worked on. Late at
night boy came in with a note. The
message ran:
"I am very uneasy about Dora; I think
she has the diphtheria.
"My work is done for tonight" he
mused; and arranging his papers with
discontented air, he went home. He
found the doctor there. The little suf-
ferer smiled at him as he entered. She
tried to say something, but ''papa's
come" was all he could understand
An unfinished manuscript stared at
him.
Is it very violent attack ?" he asked
of the physician.
Yes, very
The mother sat on the edge of the
bed. The father approached. He
couldn't see the lines of the manuscript
now. The little girl choked, and they
lifted her up. The father put his arm
under her head. The unfinished manu-
script was dim.
"She has been aiffng for several days, !"
said the mother, but we did not think
that there was anything serious the
matter with her She has been so gay
and so full of frolic that we didn't think
anything could all her."
The sufferer looked at her father and
tried to speak, but failing, she put her
hand into his and smiled. The un-
finished manuscript was DINNER. With a
struggle she said:
Gam | bad?"
mo, angel" whispered the father.
"Doyou want me to go to bed?'
"No, darling" The unfinished
manuscript was fading more and more.
"She is past all help" the doctor
said.
The mother hid her face in the win
dow curtain. The father took his child
in his arms. She looked at him and
was dead. The unfinished manuscript
had faded.