Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-01-17
LIVING OR DEAD.
A POSTHUNIOUS PUBLICATION.
BY HUGH CONWAY.
copyrighted 1851

{
now"
! trcmbled at my presumption, but he
I was not offended.
/ "Mr. Grace has papers which will tell
| you all that is necessary in the event OF
/ my death. BY the by, have given him
full instructions TO furnish you with all
| you need. ! trust you, Philip, implicitly.
Live az you like and how you will. Fol
low your chosen profession IL IL suits
you, but you may as well know II Is not
absolutely necessary you should work,
| On my return VIC will decide about your
future. Now, good bye"
saw him on board the mighty Cunard
steamer waved the last adieu, then
returned TO London, feeling very miser-
able and lonely, what would happen be-
fore we met again.
His movements were quite uncertain.
| He promised TO write, and told me TO
send letters to certain places on the
chance of his getting them. He was 20.
ing unfcttcred by any laid-down course
Of travel, just where his spirit moved him
to go, 80 could not help feeling IL was
possible that might be dead, buried and
forgotten long before his return home.
This was not at all pleasant thought.
Then II was that opened my heart to
/ hithhihN i40bihNit1 hiihh btkhh w lbOh
and long for his company, that his friend.
ship--hls entire and unreseryed friend
ship-seemed absolutely necessary TO my
happiness. | scarcely know how TO put
into words the affection began 10 feel
for this bright boy, "the child OF the sum
as ! playfully called him. Such feelings
between men are rare, very young school
\ boys at times experience them, but when
the struggle for success aud self
advancement has commenced there
are few to whom II is given to feel that
another mans success gives greater pleas
1 ure and happiness than ones own---that
his failure Ia more bitter than any mis-
carriage Of your own schemes and ambl-
lions. Yet this was how felt with VAL
entine. ! must confess, had IL been nee
essary, wonid have sought and schemed
10 win his love as ! might that of q
woman. Fortunately such course was
not needed--he met me half way His
| friendship and soon his love were mine,
and foolish AZ knew my weakness was,
rejoiced 10 know | was not alone In IT,.
| Confidence, hopes, thoughts, ambitions,
and what cares we might have were Joint
/ propertyi or SO | was glad TO believe.
His was u strange character, and its
study was TO me an uniailiug source Of
pleasure and amusement. In some things
mis- simplicity was almost childlike, in
others he displayed an amount Of shrewd-
ness IL was hard 10 imagine he could
possess. The same pecuiarity which led
him 20 bedeck his hands with rings in
clined him to gay apparel. Yet IN gar
ments | dared not have worn, Estmere
seemed TO be most properly and tlttingly
clad. II extravagant In some things he
was prudent in Others--almost economi.
cal nj times. He was both lazy and hard
working He would work bark at the
drudgery Of his art, but for days and
days would not do stroke to attain the
/ results he wished for az the reward Of
that drudgcry. Ideas and executions
were not 10 be forced he said.
Whether Valentine would eventually
succeed as IN artist | was unable 10 pre-
dict lie was deliberately adopting AIT as
! q profession. He rented studio al
Chelsea, where | spent many pleasant
hours with him, watching him work when
he was In the humor, sitting and chatting
at our case ut other times. His sketches
made out of doors showed cousid
cradle power~-thc question was
what his greater and finish
ed painting be like. AZ times n,
was hopeful and satisfied with his pro
gress, at times discontinued and dis
paraging OF his own efforts. | gave hiu
what praise could. IL pleased MIN, but
he knew 1t was partial, so did not carry
the conviction he wanted. Yet Estmere',
dependency was merrier and more anus
ing than many other mems high spirits
One evening, after what he considered
an unsatisfactory day, he WAS consolnl
himself with my sympathy and soothing
hk f.la
best on my plalo, | sat listening anC
smoking my cigar in great contcntment
for Estmere's performances were wei
worth listeningto. BY and by he finished
up composition which knew was hi,
own, with a great bang on the notes
closed the piano aud wheeled round TO me
81 almost wonder you never thought o
, music az road to fame and fortune,n
remarked.
nBut | did onoe--some years ago
almost determined TO go TO Leipsic ant
study for three years. Indeed to tell TN
truth think tossed up which II shout,
be, music or painting"
"llappy man to be able TO choose be
tween the twol--and happier in beln,
rich enough TO be Independent OF ether
"But am not rich-what gave you tina
ldea?n
81 think vlgor must have conveyed /
somehow
, "Well, you had better get il conveyed
| away again. NV mother has fair incom
now, but only life interost--at her dealt
u nearly all goes from mo--you don
know my mother, Philip-but you shall
/ SOON
B | thanked HIM.
| "She is away now he said. ssh
I went 10 Malvern about ten days ago
am afraid she win not return for 81,
weeks. Then you must come aud see her
. You viii like my mother, aud | Thin
! she VIII like you. Dark, grave lookm
/. fellows like you suit her.
I "lou arc very fond OF herfn asked
3 Valentine laughed his pleasant laugh
: "Fond Of her Is not the word You So
we are alone. and everything 10 eacl
1 other, ought 70 be with her now bn
she would not let me come
I ''What is she like--iell mop
elbow can son describe his mother
! To me she Is the faifest and nohlesl o
\ wonlan--but any woman who loves yol
: like she loves me must seem that Blu
my eulogies make you look sad, ough
| 70 have remembered YOU have uevo
/ known mother Let us talk Of some
thing less exclusive Art, for Instance
I ! was feeling sad, and he observed
enylrd him his mother as much as | di,
/ gifts OF his. So | changed the subject.
"rhe great work Is not going ON as yol
} wiShr' | said.
"a a. a.. . .