Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-08-29
CHAPTER II.

CHAPTER IL
lam disposed to think that never before
did a sincere friendship, one which was
fated to last unbroken for years, ripen 50
quickly as that between Carriston and my
elf. As now look back find it hard to
associate him with any, even a brief, period
Of time subsequent to our meeting during
which be was not my bosom friend. l for
get whether our meeting at the same pic
turesque spot on the morning which fol-
lowed our Standardization was the result
Of accident or arrangement. Anyway, we
spent the day together, and that day was
the precursor Of many passed in each others
society. Morning after morning we sailed
forth to do our best to transfer the same bits
Of scenery to our sketching blocks. Even
ing after evening we returned to dine side
by side and afterward to talk and smoke
together, indoors or out doors, as the tenn
perature advised or our wishes inclined.
Great friends We socn became-insepar-
able as long as my short holiday lasted. It
was, perhi p, pleasant for each to work in
company with an amateur like himself. We
could ask each the others opinion of the
merits of the work done, and feel happy at
the approval duly given. An artists stand
ard of excellence is too high for a non-pro-
fessional. When he praises your work he
praises it but as the work Of an outsider.
You feel that such mmendation danns
it and disheartens you.
However had Carriston cared to do so,
he might, think, have fearlessly submitted
his productions to any conscientious critic
bis drawings we're UNNECESSARILY more artis-
TIC and powerful than mine. He had I'M
doubtedly great talent, and 1 was much sur
aA To ind hat bn OF LAW
scape. he was even better at the figure He
could. with a firm, bold hand, draw rapidly
the most marvellous licensees So spirited
and true were some of the studies he showed
me that could without fattery advise hun,
provided he could finish as he began, to keep
entirely to the higher branch Of the art.
have now before me a series of outline faces
drawn by him-many of them from men,
ory; and as l look at them the original Of
each comes at once before my eyes
From the very first had been much in
terested in the young man, and as day by
day went by and the peculiarities of his
character were revealed to me- my interest
grew deeper and deeper. l fatter myself
that am a keen observer and skillful ana
lyst of personal character, and until now
fancied that to write description Of its
component parts was an easy matter. Yet
now when / am put to the proof find it no
simple task 10 convey in words proper idea
OF Charles Carriston's mental organization.
soon discovered that he was, | may say,
afh cted by a peculiarly sensitive nature
Although strong, and apparently in good
health, the very changes of the weather
seemed to affect him almost to the same ex-
tent as they affect a flower. Sweet as his
disposition always was, the tone of his mind,
his spirits, his conversation. varied, as it
were. with the atmosphere He was full Of
imagination, and that Imagination, always
rich, was at times weird, even grotesauely
weird Not for one moment did he
seem to doubt the stability of the wild
theories he started, or the possibility of the
pcetical dreams he dreamed being realized.
He had his faults, of course; he was hasty
and impulsive; indeed, to me one of the
greatest charms about the boy was that,
right or wrong, each word he spoke came
straight from bis heart
So far as could judge, the whole organi-
xation of his mind was too highly strung,
too finely wrought, for everyday use A
note Of JOY. Of sorrow, even of pity, vibrated
through it too strongly for his comfort or
well-being As yet it had not been called
upon to bear the test of love; and fortu-
nately-I use the word advisedly-fortu-
nately he was not, according to the usual
significance Of the word, a religious man, or
should have thought it not unlikely that
some day he would fall q victim to that re-
lgious mania so well known 10 my profess
sional brethren, and have developed hysteria
or melancholia- He might even have fancied
himself messenger sent from heaven for
the regeneration of mankind. From natures
like Carristons are prophets made.
In short, l may say that my exhaustive
study of my new friends character resulted
in a certain amount of uneasiness as to his
future-an uneasiness not entirely free from
professional curiosity.
Although the smile came readily and fire.
quently to his lips. the general bent of his
disposition was sad, even desponient aud
morbid And yet few young mems lives
promised to be so pleasant as Charles Carris-
toms
was rallying him one day on his future
rank and its responsibilities.
You will, Of course, be disgustingly
richf' l said
Carriston sighed Eyes, if 1 live long
enough; but / don't suppose shall"
why in the world shouldn't voui You
look pale aid thin, but are in capital health.
Twelve long miles we have walked today
you never turned a hair"
Carriston made no reply. He seemed in
deep Thought
"Your friends ought 20 look after you and
get you a wife" ! said.
Il have no friends" he said sadly mo
nearer relatio than cousin good deal older
than am, who looks upon me as one who
WAS born TO rob him of what sheald be hian
But by the law Of primogeniture, so sa-
cred TO the upper ten thousand, he must
know You are entitled TO it,
Yes: but for years and years l was al
ways going To die. Ny life was not thought
worth six months purchase. All OF a sud
den | got well. Ever since then l have
seemed, even to myself, a kind of inter-
loper"
1T must b, unpleasant to have a man
longing for ores death. All the more rea-
son you should marry and put other lives
between him and the title"
Il fancy l shall never marry said Car
riston, looking at me with his soft, dark
eyes. you see, boy who has waited for
years expecting to die doesn't grow up with
exactly the Same feeling as other people
Idont think shall ever meet q woman I
can care for enough to make my wife No;
Is1pect my cousin viii be Sir Ralph yet"
A. IL