Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-03-21


Fides, who took part with my grandfather
against me, who inherited my inheritance
though Heaven knows 1 never grudged you
that-and won the love of the old man loved
you, who offer me charity, and would pass
me by with averted looks if we met? Why"
A timid knock at the door interrupted his
reverie.
Mrs. Pearman, | suppose" he muttered-
though it is not like her knock-or some
other kind friend come to repeat to me that,
because at last even my vanity has found my
cantata unworthy of production. / have got
rid of and probably murdered the proposed
principal performer in it! Come inp' he
added roughly, seating himself again by the
table
The door was gently opened, and the in
truder stood shyly on the threshold.
Guy Hallam held the light high and sur
veyed his visitor. The feeble rays of the
candle fell on the figure of boy clad in tat
tered garments and broken boots. He had
closely-cropped black hair, and from dark
skinned face strangely bright eyes looked
out. He stood timidly silent, his old cloth
cap in his hands, one foot crossed over the
other in bOyish shyness.
1t was not often that Guy Hallam was
rough, either to children or distress; but he
was in no kindly mood just then and he
spoke hastily.
''What do you want?' he said. You had
better be off. If you have come to ask for
work, understand that have none for my
self, and, if for charity, let me tel you that
am poorer than you, and have only enough
to buy obliviOn-the last and best necessity
of life"
The boy seemed to start, then he spoke in
a soft sweet voice.
II do not come for charity, sir" he return
ed; Il am not so poor as l seem. l have
heard you are in difficulty, and want to
help YOU"
Hallam looked at him again with surprise,
and laughed bitterly.
sit will be the blind helping the blind, |
fear" he said. Chow should you, young
ragamutfin, be able to assist me, an older
one?"
TEL me what is wrong, and let me try"
the sweet voice pleaded.
Guy paused little, then smiled contempt
uously.
''What fools we mortals beP' he yu.eed.
"We find talking to any audience better than
soliloquising. So, as it will ease my mind,
why should [ not answer the question, and
once more recount my wrongs?'
The boy stood patiently waiting; but in the
interval he had given searching though
cautious glance round the barely-furnished
room, which looked cold even on this SUM-
mer evening.
know then, N.Y." Guy began, with a
melancholy attempt at mrth, ''that my cam
tata-the cantata which was to be sung to-
morrow in the CathedraI-is good honest
work, and has, l swear, life in it. 1t was in
spired by love; she looked at me while /
wrote it; she approved, sno corrected, and at
last gazed through and through me with
those dear eyes Of hers, and SUD, Guy, it is
excellent; and, when it is successful, you
shall winner"
The candlelight, falling on the boys face,
seemed to whiten it curiously, and his brown
hand shaded his eyes from the glare.
81 am a COMPOUNDED fool to talk like this"
the young composer continued, with some
self-contempt; ''but I have lived so long
alone that | cheat myself into the belief
sometimes that her picture is really alive, or
that her spirit lives in it for me. What was
saying? Why should l ask you, my poor
boy" he broke off, with laugh, you, who,
dare say, do not understand One-tenth OF
the words speak or one-hundredth part of
| what mean?"
=
boy answered quietly.
''My music-right! was telling you how
l thought it was to make me famous, and
how happy | was in dreams of tomorrow.
Well, the dreams have faded away, as all
dreams do, and [ am left with ruined hopes
and blighted prospects to comfort me-"
''Will you not tell me more plainly what it
all means, sir?'' his young companion asked.
Il scarcely know myself my boy. All /
can tell you is that the chorister who was to
have sung the great solo part of it has disap-
peared.''
but how does that ruin you? Is there no
| one who can take his place"
'FYou don't understand, child" the young
! man answered impatiently. 'How should any
one take his place at a days notice? Even if
there were one of the choristers who had
voice for it, it would need weeks and months
of training to make him sing it as it should
be sung. / gave every moment l had to
spare to teaching that boy, and now
Well, after all, it matter hitler. The great
, world knows and cares nothing about me, /
| suppose and the small one will only laugh,
and say / put him out of the way because |
feared to produce my work. don't care for
them; but what is hard to bear is that she
will believe it too, will think more than ever
that l bartered my inheritance for mess Of
pottage and will, like the rest condemn me
as vain egotistical fool whose boast Of
genius was but arrogance. Besides, if any
thing serious has happened to the boy-which
Heaven forbid Il may have trouble in the
matter, and may as well make up my mind
at once to leave the place that has been dear
to me for so long. For here, in this little tat
Ting town, where Justice Shallow reigns
! u, S1-Alr- hr
! killed by the law, shall run every chance
! of being socially communicated and finally
starved out in cruel earnest. No pupils will
come to a man of whom it is whispered, as
my enemy Luttrell, sneeringly sympathetic,
| told me only this afternoon, that it is strange
| the boy was last seen in my company and
| that it is awkward had seemed so angry
! with him."
| Through the dusky skin of his companions
| cheeks a red glow burned.
''Do rot add that to your troubles he said
! quietly; MIR. Luttrell knows where he has
gone"
''Luttren knowsI The villain! Are you
sure?"
1.-The boys own mother told me 500
| Guy made movement as if to leave the
room. His companion laid his hand detain-
ingly on his arm.
1T is not of any use, Mr.. Hallam," he said;
''they would not tell you where they have
hidden him, and, even ii they did, he is sent
too far away to be of any service to you to-
morrow"
The young man sat down again in his old
responding attitude. He was presently
reused by gentle touch on the shoulder.
Don't despair, sir" the boy added-and
the words were spoken in so jubilanr tone
that he looked up in establishment, to see his