Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-10-24

live.
"Did you do this'" she asked. Are
you a painterT
L. His face frightened the merest trife as
he caught her look of interest.
Eyes, | am a banter" he answered.
LET me turn it to the light for you" he
added, with O courtesy of manner strangely
at variance with his coarse and even dirty
clothing. you see it is not vinished
vet" he went on, looking kindly at her,
as if he detected her ignorance of art and
pitied her for it.
II know the place." she said, forcing a
smile of encouragement. Il have had the
pleasure of visiting it. How we'll you
have represented it!'
80 you hat peen there?" he replied,
with just the faintest possible smile OF
qualification. ut is a pewtiful spot.
"Whv don't yol sell itT
What! sell it SO? 1t is not vinished."
Then why don't you finish itr" she
added. trembling with anxiety to make
him promise to do so.
II hat not time" he said, his gloom re-
turning. ,
oh. but you have time" she urged
eagerly. You shall have time"
He eyed her m~editatively, earnestly and
solemnly, as if querving whether he
should tell her his miserable story. While
he hesitated this excellent Janet Holcum
was PRAYING in her heart that heaven
would guide him toward goodness and
safety. 81.
..See here" he said at last, II will dell
you something. You hat saved my life. !
will dell you why l wanted to die. l he'd
no money. l conld not get food. could
not bay for my room. had had drubbles
pevore-over in Chermany. Und now /
had not a cent in my booklet. So at last l
tires ont. und | gives it up. lights my
sharcoal. und lies down to sleep it out.
That is my shtory." .
In spite of his strong German accent
he was sublime and terrible and pitiable.
The tears rushed into Janet's eyes, and
stepping suddenly forward she caught
both his hands, as If she would prevent
him by force from again attempting his
life.
II tank YOU" was the simple response
of q man whose sensibility and quickness
enabled him to understand sympathy
which had not been uttered.
You must not do this again." she
urged as soon as she could speak. II will
see that you have friends. You shall
have time to finish your picture. | will
help you sell it. Have you eaten today"
II hat no abbedide."
She understood that he had not eaten,
and the tears shone in her eyes again.
Come down to my ROOM" she said.
You must! You can take some tea, at
any rate. Come down and sit with me, at
least, while | eat"
Il nm Obliged" he answered as be fol-
lowed her. But you must excuse my
abb~earance," he added, glancing at his
ragged clothing, stained with grease and
daubed with paint II I'm not fit for the
gombany of a lady"
II am only a poor school mistress" she
smiled. And in you can respect the
artist
He bowed with a courteous grace which
gave him the air Of a gentleman, In spite
Of his wretched raiment.
Arrived in her little parlor bedroom
with this strange companion, Janet Hol-
GUMS heart futtered. It was the first
time that a mar had been with her there
alone. If visitors should arrive, what
would they think? OF course it would be
impossible to explain that here was a gen.
tleman whom she had caught trying to
commit suicide. and whom she had under
taken to cure of his self destroying pro-
pensities by means of tea and sympathy.
Moreover, what would this man himself
think of her? She was squeamish about
situations land here we come to a fact
which I nave not hitherto dared to men
tionewell, she was squeamish because
she was an old maid.
1t is curious, but none the less true,
that a woman of SO is usually more
fastidious about appearances, and even
about realities, than q girl Of IS. En-.
tightening meditations, perhaps some
dangers avoided. perhaps some scandals
innocently incurred, q habit of life which
has become a governing motive, are the
explanations of this singular phenome-
non. Well. Janet Holcum; being 3S
years of age. blushed and was troubled
at the thought of being alone with this
handsome man of 25, although he might
be looked upon as little more than q ghost
returned from beyond the grave. Pres.
emily her natural good sense, strength
ened by a perfect u~prightness Of heart.
came to her support. =.
"Pshaw" she; thought. II am old
enough to be his aunt; besides. I am saw.
ing him from death. Let who will blame
me. l nm doing my duty"
Having had lunch that day, she had
proposed to 60 without dinner, and con.
sequently she had slight provision for a
meal. She might have run out to make
purchases, but she was afraid to leave
her Tartar to himself for the present, and,
moreover. haste seemed to be more i'm.
portant than plenty She lighted her gas
stove. got her tea to drawing. and set out
a store Of graham crackers. butter and
cheese. Then followed a moderate repast
and a conversation which lasted well into
the evening
Drawn out by sympathy, the guest told
his whole story. His name, he stated.
was Ernst Rodolf Hartmann, and he was
the Youngest son of an official in the civil
service of Prussia Carried away by the
liberal Ideas so common among European
students, he had attached himself, after
leaving the University Of Berlin, to a
secret club of republicans, whose object
was to substitute democracy for the
Hohenzollerns. The club had been fer.
reted out by the police; Ernst and two or
three other members had been condemned
to q brief imprisonment; moreover, he
had been ~disinherited and disowned by
his father, a furious loyalist. Worst Of
all, a beautiful girl to whom he was be-
trothed had, during his confinement, been
driven or coaYed into q marriage with
some old baron. This last sorrow, which
he related with childlike candor and sim.
plicity, made Janet Holcum blush to her
ears, ever while her heart throbbed with
pity.
When he rose to return to his room, he
appeared to be at least temporarily recon
ciled to the struggle of life.
II will dry it q leetle longer, if you will
elf me a hand" he said. Il will 60 to
painting again"
"Oh! how can you talk Of 1t so coollyl"
she exclaimed with heartfelt solemnity
and even with horror. Don't you know
that what you have done today Is very
wicked? Forgive mel" she added In,
stantly. remembering how miserable he
had been. and looking with pity at his
wasted face. By the way, she talked
very little Of her Johnsonese to this
man; for in the first place, she sup.
posed that he, being a foreigner, might
not understand it; and secondly, she had
to be so earnest with him that only the
simplest words seemed suitable.
"What could l do?" he asked. "a
gentleman may not pc q peggar. Pc
sides, | was not a banter at home. Mein
faders were to make of me a parker.
Bainting was merely my fancy. had no
hope of success in it. What could | do"
Twill you promise to come to take
breakfast with me-"