San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-02-02

uSAOo5 lIlitl ne DC college, Dfe0.
Now that was assured of II, felt sin
cere regret in seeing one who had enjoyed
such advantages at such wretched odds
with fortune. He muse have OWNED what
passed through my mind, for he glanced
hurriedly-and half sadly, as it seemed to
me-over his forlorn garments, and then
raising his eyes to mine and with CLEAN
Of humor lurking beneath his shaggy
brows, said:
"And pray, sir, how came gentleman
Of your education and intelligence down
In this God forsaken country
i smiled, and attributed my advent TO
the adventurous spirit Of the Nineteenth
century, for want of a better reason. lie
took my answer in the spirit in which it
was given, and appeared in a sense to be
relieved by it, as IL ii established bond
Of union between us, it struck me. But
he resisted ali inquiries Of mine into his
antecedents or past history, meeting my
hints and questions with adroit evasion
and skillful changes Of the subject.
And so, In the quiet night-for the rain
had now ceased, and the moon, riding
high, silvered the wan landscape, and
fringed the dripping foliage with flashing
gems-we drifted back to the topic with
which we began and talked Of literary
themes. 1t has been my privilege to con-
verse with not few cultured and learned
men, and to enjoy the society of some Of
the most brilliant Of modern converse
tionists; but, as sat and listened that
evening to the words that fell from the
lips of this frontier bohemian, IL seemed
to me that my acquaintance with the ma
ture Of true eloquence had Just begun. 1t
kn hxv Aao he's ~
lightning" What a wealth of bold
imagery, of keen appreciation, of sug-
gestiye analogy, of marvellous insight was
therel And what treasure house OF
memory! And when he finally lapsed
into monologue, and indulging in rhap-
sody upon the wonders of Milton, quoted
from paradise Lost" by paragraph and
page, thought of Macaulay's boast that
II the great poets immortal epic should
by any chance be lost to men, he might
hope to reproduce it; and my admiration
for the attachments of the man swept over
me in one vast wave of wonder. And
then, as lay there, listening to his deep
voice, which had grown singularly rich
and sonorous, as II in sympathy with the
dignity of those grand periods, bordering
what strange chance or force OF circum-
stance had compelled this incongruous
being to such surroundings, his form sud-
denly dilated, his lips parted as II in
terror, his eyes became fixed on vacancy
and staring, and with sudden spring to
his feet, he stood erect and menacing.
"Avauntr he cried, gazing with q
wild and frenzied stare into the empty air
"Avaunt! and quit my sight Begone, l
sayl Thinks st thou to dog my footsteps
always' To hound me to the day of my
death? Back Back! G-r-r-rhr Take
your grip from off my necki Avauntr'
He dashed his hands to his throat,
clutching it wildly, and striding to the
door, flung it wide open, glaring long and
iercely out into the quiet night with
frenzied and hunted expression Then he
came slowly back to the table, lettering
feebly and muttering incoherently, threw
himself into his chair, and, covering his
haggard face with both his trembling
hands, shuddered and gasped alternately.
Great beads of agony stood upon his
brow.
was SO startled by this sudden out
BURST that could only stare and sit
speechless. When he first rose | was
under the impression that it was to give
greater force to sone terrific denuncia-
ton. Not until lie tore open the door
lid realize that il was the hallucina-
ton of illness, and even then my con-
sternatiQn was 80 great as to deprive
me Of all power to act or speak.
The purOXysm soon passed. Meanwhile,
had poured some brandy into the cup Of
my pocket flask and offered IL TO him He
drank II with feyerish eagerness. BY
degrees the stimulaut seemed to overcome
his nervous apprehension. He sat for
long time with lislless, leaden eyes. Then
he rose YEARLY and asked, in n humble,
deprecating fashion, if there were any
place where he might sleep that night.
There was something so piteous, 50 I'M
utterably wretched in this appeal, coming
from one whose wonderful discourse had
so delighted me, that was indescribably
touched. Surely" said I to myself,
such abilities as l have recognized this
night shall not be without shelter" l
instantly placed my bed at his disposal
After much remonstrance and reluctance,
|, at last, got him to bed, and he laid
himself down with long, low, agonizing
sigh-the sigh OF one to whom life is
WEAKNESS and existence burden.
As stepped to the table near which he
had been sitting, 1 observed a small tin
box, something like tobacco box, lying
In his empty chair. / picked 1t up me.
chanically. Such a singular odor rose
from this box that was tempted TO open
it almost unconsciously. 1t was half full
of grayish brown drug. l examined IL
curiously. Opiuml
glanced toward the bed. He was
lying apparently in a heavy sleep.
closed the lid Of the box and placed it
quietly beside him Full of conjecture
for she past Of the unfortunate being who
occupied my bed. wrapped myself in my
blanket and lay down beneath the win
dow. There was no sound in the quiet
night save the occasional long howl of the
coyote from the hill For long time ]
lay awake, bordering over the singular
conversation Of the evening and its start
ling denouement. i wondered il his
hallucination could be directly traced to
opium, and what strange misfortune could
have placed him under the thrall of the
deadly drug. And then my thoughts re-
Cured to his quotation from Macaulay,
"But we know that there are remedies
that will assuage pain" What was the
pain or what the sorrow2
Unconsciously in my long reverie had
turned toward him. He was sleeping
peacefully in the wan light. The pale
moon, looking over the crest of a western
divide, stole through the files Of sentinel
mosquitoes in a long pencil, and rested like
a ghostly arm upon his breast. thought,
"The sister of Apollo has him in her
keeping" and I fell asleep. But in the
morning, the hands folded upon the breast
were pulseless and cold, the face was
waxen and still, and, hushed in the fear
ful calm Of lifais orpat uystarv tho old
man eloquent was dead,-Howard Seely
in The Argonaut.