Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-10-11

One evening, little before nv dinner, Mrs.
Maudie waited on me with an air Of meek mys-
sery, 70 ask II her son might ''step up by-and-
oy" and speak to me. Il 10 be that had no OBJ
lection.
His name, his mother told me. was Cincin-
naIus; ne was rather low-spirited, and had, in
TACT. something on his mind
Dear mel" said, ''poor fellow! any trouble?
Nothing serious, hopper"
"Oh, dear, no, sir-leastwise nothing wrong
Gins a. innocent as the babe unborn, as to evil
ways SIR; no. It's the mind, that's where it II"
(mysteriously) "he's got a soarin' mind sir, and
| the worlds too little for him."
indeed! said |. mentally regretting that the
Young gentleman had selected me as the conf
| dant OF his mental trials; but aasl little
guessed what was to come. Scarcely was the
cioth removed when modest rap announced
my new acquaintance, and Cincinnatus entered,
bearing huge brown paper parcel, which he
deposited with jerk on the table, violently
shaking pack long wisp Of hair which kept
falling rebeiliouslv into hiseyes and sinking Inn
medlateiy into the first chair near with an air
of profound detection.
This young man had large nose Of the solid
Roman type, very red eyelids. and a sonorous
voice with twang In it. He told me he was in
an attorneys Office, but that the work was very
| dstasteful to him. and he had thought of CIV
| ing it up and turning author.
he mad begun several works of Importance,
one of which (his '.chef douyer," he called it, )
he had brought up with him.
|
ten books, revealing the mysteries of human
soul TO the moon, who is supposed to be listen
lng-poetical license, of cOurse-you under
stand. The first three books"
isn't it a risk" interrupted I, shrinking
from the prospect Of being pressed into the same
service as the moon, and resolved to be as prac-
| tlcal as possible; "isn't 1t risk to give up
steady work for an uncertainty like ltera-
| ture?"
well, sir, mother talks like that, and she's
vflI,fra rIrff in n;rfO Of x,3n
said the youth, meekly; "but when you've a
| soul, and when your soul mounts beyond the
once stool. where are you them"
He waved his hand descriptively as 1t were,
OF an aerial fight; his nails were inky and very
| long.
We'll, don't know" said I. "but hadn't you
But he had risen, and hurriedly commenced
| undoing the brown paper, withdrawing from it
about fifty sheets of foOlscap. well written over.
'Listen!" he cried oracularly, and slowly re-
cited as follows:
Hall! cold, unfeeling orb, tho thy bright ray
Mocks the absorbing madness OF my soul!
Soon, soon thy last quarter viii draw nigh;
But sooner still for me the funeral bell shall toll.
That's the opening lines" said he; ''the
| next'-
''My frend.' said. Il am afraid you will find
the public hard to satisfy; you must look for
disappointment"
That's all | look for, sir" he interrupted.
certain air OF satisfaction. ''And as mother and
father aren't as well off as they were. / daresay
there won't even be recordin' marble to tell
the world Cincinnatus Maudle lies below-but
that's of no consequence"
He sighed.
''Arent you little out of health?" asked at
this point
''0h. yes. sir" he smiled. "I'm iourneying to
the tomb. I've no sort of a doubt about it my
self, but the cold world will pass needless by
md t.fr11y pnfh tnrr 81
sublunary! Don't you find it so. sir?'
well. yes ] suppose it Is that" said never
having had cause to doubt it as fact Eyes, |
| suppose it is. But now let me advise you as
friend"
He looked up softly
II knew you would" he cried; s'that's lust
it. you will assist me- and I'll step up OF even
ings and we'll go through it together gradual
like. Yes. felt snre you'd be the friend to do
it; when mother said, Gin. that's our first floor
going out i felt as it | could open my heart
to yon like brother; did indeed. SIR
Look here l said. when he paused and
shook back the excited wisp OF whitey-brown
hair, with joyful vehemence; ''look here. I'll let
you know when to bring it up. The fact is,
I'm awfully busy lust now: haven't a minute
to spare for study or the delights of the muse
smiled grimly as almost pushed him out of
the door. bearing his precious brown paper par
eel and overwhelming me with undeserved
thanks. Inwardly | resolved never to have
iatiOns to the moon" which would hence
forth haunt my waking and sleeping hours
even should the meek Cincunatus sink into his
early grave the sooner for lack OF qrotherIy SYM
pathy.
The next morning when l entered my sitting
rc~.in. Sophronisba Ann was there, a little be-
lated. / concluded as she was finishing the
operation Of busting. which / never observed
to produce much result. Something in the street
had caught the dan'sels notice. for she did not
observe my entrance. as she stood with her
hands on her hips, the buster hanging idv by
her side, her mouth open, and vacanty fixed
eyes; the refractory hair-pin in open rebellion
and stray wsps and tails of hair obtrudng
where they were off duty: while the hooks and
eyes at variance completed the effect of the
bulgy lines OF S0phOnisba AIMS figure before
limited at.
Now it happened that | was engaged i'm max
ing series of sketches for comic journal. and
SOphonlsba Ann. as she now stood was the very
model wanted for one OF them. The opportu-
nifty was too good to be lost. I seized paper
and pencil
zone moment, my good girl" ] cried. "Stay
as you are; Obge me by not moving"
Or course she did not stay las she was" but
nearly enough so to enable me to throw on
paper the outline which had caught my fancy.
'Thanks-that will do" said rs blandly as
could.
She simpered and actually forgot to sniffle.
La. sir! whatever could you take me like
tHiS i0f: she CRIED ar last. III I'd ONLY been
in my afternoon froek, at least and done nv
hair up bit tidy-if you had told me; but ia
now"
Don't name it." ! said; 'Id rather not, in
fact. wanted you just as you are
The next evening Mrs. Maudie came I'D smil-
ing-yes. actually saliing.-with a cheerful Sc
renity, If not 81 little excitement in her de-
meanor. as she placed before me Photographic
likeness OF SOphronsba Ann.
(Which Maudle and me, sir couldn't hear of
your putin up with such sketch like all OF a
| hurry; and bein as our CURL wasn't tidied up
as she'd wished, in course, so Sophronisba
AIMS been and had this took at Mr. Daubley's
sure good-hearted. weil-disposed gurl is nv
girl. though l say it, and not took up with
foilies like some, and THAT steady, almost too
steady for her station in lfe as her father tells
her; and I'm sure both her rather and me-but
there, sir, when you're a parent youth know
what a parents feelin's are"
Ali this was said in one breath, without any
pause whatever l sat bewildered. wondering
If 1t would be unpardOnably rude to reject the
offer OF ladys portrait, aud what could say
in excuse.
"Tm afraid" began, you're very kind
the fact isl think didn't make myself quite
understood"
"Oh. yes. sir, you did Pray don't name it.
Y on was all a gentleman should be; and Maudie
and me are proud"-here Mrs. Maudle without
proceeding further. conveyed herself down stairs
in tremulous condition between tears and
smiles that fairly st unned me. What could the
stupid people think wanted with their daugh-
ter's likeness? / stuck it on the mantepece ut
was not very fiattering photograph. resolv-