The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-01-09
LIFE Ok DEATH
BY THE LATE HUGR CONWAY,
CHAPTER. III

boy left Coombe- Acton, honest farmer |
Abraham, just when tho d-fashioned |
hawthorne hedges were in whitest |
Lloom, sickenei, turned his stolid face |
to the wall ant del. Gera!l hal been
summoned, but arrived too la5s to sec
lbs father alive Perhaps it was as well it
should be So; the farmers last moments be-
ing troubled ones, and full OF regret that
Watercress Farm would no longer know
Leigh The nephew who had taken Gerald's
place had turned out an utter failure; so
much So that Abraham Leigh had roundly
declared be would BE- bothered with no mora
boys and for the last few years had man.
aged his business single handed However,
although Gerald supheaval of family tradi-
lions made the farmers deathbel unhappy,
he showed that his son had not forfeited his
love. Ali he possessed, some three THOUSAND
pounds, was left to him. Mr. Herbert took
the lease of the farm off tine young mans
hands; by and bye the live and dead stock
were sold off, and Watercress Farm was
waiting for another tenant
The winding up of mis- fathers affairs
kept Gerald in the neighborhood for some
weeks, and when il became known that Mr..
Herbert had insisted upon his taking up his
quarters at the hall, the simple Coombs-
Acton folks were stricken with great won
der. Knowing nothing of what is called the
''aristocracy OF art, their minds were much
exercised by such an unheari-of proceeding.
What had Jerry Leigh been doing in the
last seven years to merit such a distinctioni
Nothing his agricultural friends could
have understood. After picking up the
rudiments of his art in a we'll known seulp-
tors studio, Young Leigh had been sent to
study in the schools at Paris. Mr.. Herbert
told HIM that so far as his art was con-
cerDed Paris was the workshop of the
world-Rome its ba2at and show room. SO
10 Paris ths boy went He studied hard and
lived frugally. He won certain prize; and
medals, and was now looking forward to
the time when he must strike boldly for
fame Even now h. was not quite unknown.
A couple of modest but very beautiful
studies in low relief had appeared in last
years exhibition, and, if overlooked by the
majority, had attracted the notice of few
whose praise was well worth winning. He
was quite satisfied with the result of hi;
first attempt In all things that concerned
his art he was wise and patient No sooner
had he placei his foot on the lowest step of
the ladder. than he realized the amount Of
WOTh 10 u uNllc-tuC tttuulCSh SAIL 10 w
acquired before he could call hims self a
sculptor. Even now, after sever years
stuiy and labor, be had self-denial enough
to resolve upon being pupil for three years
longer before be made his great effort to
place himself by the side Of contemporary
sou ptors. Passionate and impulsvs as waI
his true nature, be could follow and WOO Art
with that calm persistency and method
-
her smiles
He is now mana sngularly handsome
man Ii not so tall as his youth promised,
he is well built and graceful. Artist is
stamped al, ever him Brow, eyes, even
tie slender, we'll shaped hands proclaim it,
The general expression of his face is one Of
calm and rlpose, yet al acute observsr
might assert that, when the moment cans
that face ght d,pict passions stronger
than tho5e which 81 av most msn
his hair aad eyes an1 something in the
style OF his dress gave him Il look not quite
that Of al Englishman-a look that terribly
vexal poor Abraham Leigh on those rara
occasions whom his cratic boy paid him a
visit; hut nevertheless, it 10 a look not out
OF place on young artist.
This Is che kind u inen Gerald Leigh ha;
groSn irto, ami while lis transformation
has been IA progress Mis-, Eugenia Herbert
has teconiy woman.
Although remembering every feature of
the child, waJ seemed in some way asso-
eiated with tas Gay If his liberation, Gerald
had not asaln seen her until his fathers
death cailei him Lack to England. Each
a. l. l. l.. L
OF course reported progress to MIR Herbert;
but, shortly after the change in his life, Mr..
Herbert, By great fort Of self denial, had
sent his darling AVA to school, and at
school she had always been when Gerald
call ID at the hall But now, when he &C
opted Mr.. Eerteres hospitality, be found
tie iai-Siiks chill grown, it seemed TO him
into his ideal woman; and found, more
over, that there was a passion so intense
that even the love Of art must pale be-
fore it.
He made no attempt to resist it He let
1t master him, overwhelm him, sweep him
along Ere week hal gone by, not only
by looks but also in burning words, he had
told Eugenia he loved her And how did be
farel
His very audacity and disregard of every
thing, save that he Lowell the girl, succeeded
to a marvel Eugenia had already me-
with many admirers, bus not one like this.
Such passionate pleading, such fiery love,
such vivid eloquance were strange and new
to her There was an originality, a fresh
ness, thoroughnesi in the love he offered
her. His very unreasonablene7s affected
her reason All the wealth of his imagina-
ton, all the crystalizations OF his poetical
dreams, he threw into his passion His
ecstacy whirled thu girl from her mental
feet, his warmth created an answering
warmth, his reckless pleading conquered.
She forgot obstacles a. his eloquence over
leapt them, she forgot social distinctions as
his great dark eyes lof Fl into hers, and al
last she confessed she ! I'd him.
Then Gerald Leigh came down from the
clouds and realized what he had done. and
rs soon as he touched the earth and became
reasonable Eugenia fancied she did not care
for him quite so much.
His conscience smote him. Not only must
Mr.. Herbert be- reckonsd with, but terrible
interval must elapse before be had fame and
fortune to lay before Eugenia He could
.c.rcalv expect her to leave her luxurious
home In order toilive au quatrieme or al
csucuiems In Paris. while he completed hi
studisA He grew sad and downcast as n
thought of these things, and Engenia, wn'
HE'D pleasant. bright, weii-to,ao people
felt less kindly disposed toward him, an
showed she did 30.
This made him reckless again. he tnrsV
the future to the winds, recommenced ni
passionate wooing. recovered his lost grount
and gained, perhaps, little more
Bnt Abraham Leigh's affairs were settie
I'M. and Gerald knew he must tear nimssl
from Acton Hall and 60 back to work IL
had fingered a few DAYS to finish q ouit .
NJ Herbert. This done, he had no e1cus
for staying longer