The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-01-30
fated, alas too soon to become aquaint.

air of meek mystery, to ask If her son
might "step up by-and-by" and speak
to me, if so be that had no objections.
His name, his mother told me, was
Cincinnatus; he was rather low-splrlt-
ed, and had, in fact, something on his
mind.
Dear me-" I said, poor fellow! any
trouble Nothing serious, | hope?"
"Oh, dear, no, sir-leastwise, moth
ing wrong. Gins as innocent as the
babe unborn, rs to evil ways, sir
no, it's the mind, that's where it is"
lmysteriously) hes got a soarin' mind,
sir, and the worlds too little for him. "
Indeed" said l, mentally regretting
that the young gentleman had selected
me as the confidaDt of his mental trials
but, alas. little guessed what was to
come. Scarcely was the cloth removed
when a modest rap announced my new
acquaintance, and Cincinnatus entered,
bearing a huge brown paper parcel,
which he deposited with a jerk on the
table, violently shaking back a long
wisp of hair which kept falling rebelli-
ouslv into his eyes, and sinking i'm
mediately into the first chair near, with
an air of profound detection.
This young man had a large of
the solid Roman type, very red ayelIds,
and a sOnOrOus voice with a twang in
it. He told me he was in an attorneys
Office, but that the work was very dis
tasteful to him. and he had thought of
giving it up and turning author.
He had begun several works of i'm
portance. one of which (his "chef dou-
YER" he called it, he had brought up
with him.
BLANK verse mostly, sir" he ex-
claimed; Sin ten books, revealing the
mysteries of a human soul to the moon,
who is supposed to be listening-poeti-
cal license, of course-you understand.
The first three books
Isn't it a risk interrupted l,
shrinking from the prospect Of being
pressed into the same service as the
moon, and resolved to be as practical
as possible: isn't it q risk to give no
steady work for an uncertainty like
literature"
"Well sir, mother talks like that,
and she's right and you're right, in one
point of view" said the youth, meekly;
but when you've a soul, and when your
soul mounts beyond the office stool,
where are you then?"
He waved his hand descriptiveIy, as
it were, of an aerial flight; his nails
were inky and very long.
well, I don't know" said l. "but
hadn't you BETTER?
But he had risen, and hurriedly com
menced undoing the brown paper, with
drawing from it about fifty sheets OF
foolscap, well written yer
LISTEN" he cried oracularly, and
slowly recited as follows:
Hail! cold, unfeeling erb, tho thy bright ray
Mocks the absorbing madness of my soul!
Soon, soon thy last quarter will draw nigh;
But sooner still for me the funeral bell shall
toll
"That's the opening lines" said he;
''the next
"My friend" I said, II am afraid
you will find the public hard to satisfy;
you must look for disappointment"
"That's all / look for, sir" he inter
rupted, "that and an early grave" he
added, with a certain air of satisfaction.
"And as mother and father aren't as
well off as they were, l daresay there
won't even be q recordin' marble to tell
the world that Cincinnatus Maudle lies
beiow--but that's of no consequence. "
He sighed.
Aren't you a little out of health ?"
/ asked at this point.
"Oh, yes, sir" he smiled. 'sIm
iourneying to the tomb. I've no sort of
a doubt about it myself, but the cold
world will pass needless by and think
nothing of it. The worlds so very
sublunary! Don't you find it SO, sir? !"
"Well, yes; / suppose it is that" ]
said, never having had cause to doubt
it as a fact. Eyes. / suppose it is. But
now let me advise you as a friend"
He looked up softly
81 knew you would he cried; that's
just it, you will assist me, and I'll step
up of evenings and we'll go through it
together gradual like. Yes / felt sure
you'd be the friend to do it; when
mother said, Gin, that's our first floor
going out. I felt az if / could open
my heart to you Like a brother: I did
indeed, sir"
Look here" I said, when he paused
and shook back the excited wlsp Of
whitey-brown hair, with joyful vehe-
mence Look here. I'll let you know
when to bring it up. The fact is, I'm
awfully busy just now ; / haven't q 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 parcel, and overwhelming
me with undeseryeG thanks. lnwardly
I resolved never to have five minutes
leisure to listen to those revelations II
the moons which wonld hencefortl
haunt my waking and sleeping hours ever
n - ~ fys--s---ln. - -.