Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-03-14


in it was piano, and on it stood a large
photograph Of young girl with irregular
features and small slight figure.
On this summer evening Guy was In no
state to notice his surroundings, whatever
they might be- He sat with his elbows on
the uncovered table, his face hidden in his
hands. The daylight had almost ebbed
away, and there was dusk I 4 the room; but
he needed not the growing darkness. He
was on the eve of failure in the dearest hope
OF his life, and was more miserable than he
had ever been before.
He raised his head at last, and with a
weary gesture put back the hair from his
brow. He looked out at the glimmering
twilight and everything in life seemed like
it. dim and dreary, ghostly and uncertain.
With heavy sigh he rose and lit candle
that stood near Then he paused before the
portrait that stood on the piano, and, look
ing intenty at it, spoke as if the figure il con-
tanned were alive.
You only know" he said, chow hard it is
for me TO have success within my grasp and
fail. You only, from whom all my inspira-
ton has been derived, can tell how high my
hopes for the future have scared. Oh, II is
Ill to bearl Only yesterday | was dreaming
such Dreams was building such fairy castles,
and tonight they lie shattered beside me ]
Truly think young Chatterton did wisely
when he looSed himself from all his troubles
and silenced the malicious tongues that SIAN
dered him by pennyworth of poison. What
does life hold worth having for me? Why
should l waste my love on you, cold-hearted
Fides, who took part with my grandfather
against me, who inherited my inheritance
though Heaven knows 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
reyere.
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'll Come IMP 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 wantT' he said. you had
better be off. If you have come to ask for
work, understand thar have none for my
self, and, If for charity, let me tel! you that
am poorer than you, and have only enough
70 buy oblivion-the last and best necessity
of life"
The boy seemed to start, then he spoke in
soft sweet voice.
II do not come for charity, sir" he return
ed; II 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.
1T will be the blind helping the blind,
fear" he said. 'How should you, young
ragamutlin, be able to assist me, an older
one2'
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 Iu,Sed.
ave 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 a searching though
cautious glance round the barely-furnished
room, which looked cold even on this sum-
mer evening.
know then, my" Guy began, with
melancholy attempt at mirth, that my can
tata-the cantata which was to be sung to-
morrow in the Cathedral-is good honest
work, and has, | swear, life in it, 1t was in
spired by love; she looked at me while l
wrote it; she approved, she corrected, and at
last gazed through and through me with
those dear eyes of hers, and said, Guy, it is
excellent; and, when it is successful, you
shall winner"
The candelight, falling on the boys face,
seemed to whiten il curiously, and his brown
hand shaded his eyes from the glare.
81 am COMPOUNDED fool to talk like this"
the young composer continued with some
self-contempt; but / 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
l saying? Why should ! ask you, my poor
boy,' he broke off, with a laugh, you, who,
! dare say, do not understand one-tenth of
the words l speak or one-hundredth part of
what / mean?"
You were telling me Of your music, the
boy answered quietly.
my music-rightl / was telling you how
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, sir2' his young companion asked.
81 scarcely know myself my boy. All |
can tell you is that the chorister who was 10
have sung the great solo part Of it has disap-
peared."
But how does that ruin your Is there no
one who can take his placer
"You don't understand, child" the young
man answered impatiently How should any
one take his place at days notice? Even II
.b,-c ,r,oro ono If +bo obnrfatare trtho had