Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-06-18


east of Lexington avenue. Strahan fol,
lowed a diagonal course across Central
Park The full moon was set ike Splen-
did topaz i'm the dark vault of the SKY.
The naked twigs of the trees, coated with
ice, sparkled diamond fashion i'll the
wind. All the air shmmered with a tros-
ty, mystic light. The cold was piercing,
and Strahan was thinly clad but he
walked briskly, and, betweenteXercisea and
excitement, managed to keep tolerably
warm In less than five-and- forty min
utes he had pulled Elliotts bell.
\ maid answered ii.
Strahan fished Il pad of paper from out
the depths of his pocket, and with stitIen-
ed fingers scrawled, rs Mr. Walter Elliott
ut home ?"
rEhe maid read the question, eyed the
dumb and shabby visitor with suspicious
curiosity. and at length said, "Ges."
Strahan watched her lips and under
stood.
"rhou," lac vi 'te, "please say that Mr.
Su ham would Ike to see him
7 70 maid left Strahan standing in the
had ana went upstairs. BY and by, com
ing back She slgnalled him to enter the
parlor Then, having lit the gas, she
handed him Il note, and vanished. The
note ran thus:
Dear Strahan: Merry Nmas De
lighted that you have hunted meup. Am
dressing for Il party VIII he with You
inside Of ten minutes. Meanwhile, sit
down and make yourself monarch of all
YOU survey. W. f..
Strahan sat down, and tried to be pa
tiput. Ten minutes And each of them
infinitely precious He wondered how
much Roadway his fire would make in ten
minutes What if it should burn itself
ont sooner than he had counted What
if. when he reQained his studio, he should
find that the dreaded mischief had been
wrought The misgiving made his flesh
creep He stroVe to silence It, by rising
and pacing restlessly to and fro. 1t was
quite twenty minutes before Elliott APP
peaied.
The pnir shook hands. A sharp con
trist thev nrnsented the one. appr6priute
" shorn and shaven, in spotess linen and
glossy hroadcloth-a uicture of health
nro.nerity and well being; the other. ont
At At rIrows. snllow, unkempt, ill.fed, with
lone disheveled hair and tangled beard
nfyuIcal pilgrim from the shady by-wavs
of ii{S"h~nin At Munich they had heen
Cantemnnraries md Elliott had hired
Strahan TO give him a few lessons in
modeiinr. though his regular courses were
in naintinr Elliott had n rich father.
Int Gmbini1s talents Straban had nIenty
If tnient Inf mo- father TO EIli6tt art
LaJ bncn - MISTRESS. he had forsvorn
ha,',,nd nsnonsed law To Strahan ari
was n WIFE he had remained faithful TO
hsr IN tn ihr hrink Of Starvation True
ElIott had furnished nm aesthetic studio at
No ION If he honse where he sill dah-
find vith his noints ON SUNDAYS On
oilHdavs Strahan mt Inv his MADELINE
FOOLS and sold walking sticks TO the crowd
~, Ififth oven,,n iarebv ncni,irin,r tbe
whnrnwithul ia carry linn thronTh the
,,anl,
Elliott. who had learned to express him
press himself with some nuency in the
L.. i. ~
han. how ale you getting on :"
"Oh, $3.50" was Strahan's answer
"And YOU ,"
First rate" signed Elliott. "Beastly
cold outside, isn't it,
Bitter" assented Strahan.
well, tomorrow being Christmas, it.,
no more than we're bound to EXPECT
Hard at work ! suppose
YES. NV Iilith is nearly finished ~
Good What are YOU 20 ny to HAY,
her done in-bronze or marble ?"
"Piaster for the present"
con. well, she'll keep. N'ou can pu
her into bronze after Won &c rich. Blu
why don't You sit down ? Sittings cheaI
as standing"
no, thank YOU : ! won't sit down. Tn,
fact is. Pm in something of hurry.
called-I hate to bother you, but | need i
very much-I called to ask If you would
be kind enough to lend me dollar
/ 'klhd enough a uollaf w ny, man
! III he delighted. III lend you ten if you
want them
"Oh no. thanks. ! shall have SOM
money coming in next week. one will b
ample, if you can spare it,
Take this, anyhow said Elliott, AM
he thrust upon the applicant five-dolla
bill.
When Strahan babe Elliott goodbye
which he did as soon as decency woul
permit. he saw bv the clock on the parlo
nantel that it was half-past nine-nearl
an hour land "A quarter. the calculated
since he had left his studio. Dread sa
heavily upon his heart, as he pursued hi
march back He ran till his breath CAV
out then ne lapsed into a rapid walk.
was colder than ever. The mercury. h
guessed mad fallen to the neirnborhoo
of zero. CThe papets. next day. reporte
that it had fallen to 1 below The moo
itself looked pinched and shrivelled. TT
moonlight seemed like a vaporized for,
t of ice. Strahan's breath condensed an
| froze upon his berrd. His ima0inntio
acted AS though bewitched Ghnst
visions of Iilith i'm ruins kept hoverin0 h
| fore him. and turning his blood TO waite
These alternate with dazzling flashes