Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-01-04
DARK DEEDS.
BY HENRY VI. NEsFIELp.
CHAPT R |.


No. 3, Netherl; Road, y. W.. was one
OF the prett est little semi-detached houses
In St John wood. With its garden full
OF lllacs and laburnums, whose blossoms
hung over he low brick wall in the
sprn tempt Il, within reach of the
predatory butcher-bOy, its coach house
and able, its greenhouse abutting on the
the studio and its generally out of-town
appearance it was rs sweet spot for a
young married couple to nestle in rs can
well be imagined.
There We're, however, certain ms OF
neglect ABOUT the outside of the house.
which seemed TO need repair rather more
than its neigh ors. The paint had blister
Ell OIL the green door in the wall. and
chalk marks upon it., evidently made by
the tradeSmen's young men, showed a
want OF res ect on their part Nh h sug-
gesIed to the pasSer by that they had
Gale or their lit lie ac cunts pre- ~ fra
QuentlN without any pract cal result.
On the inside OF the gate Tie garden be-
spoke e same state OF thin s. Where
ere had once been gras, plat and ca e
fully he { wer beds. there was now q
bare patch OF ear II with a rudely erected
swing upon il, demo ing the presence os
hid Ell and with the exception of the
full grown shrubs, the only plants the
garden cou Il boast Of were few stray
Cling ags and marigolds. which some
how had managed to survive neglect.
Within the house signs of poverty were
to be met it'll. The oil 10th in the en-
trance was much worn. and the shabby
coats and hats upon the pegs did no b..
token prospect Y large room, evident
~ built for a udiO, was Shabbil furn. sh
ed as a sitting-ro IN, for the present pro-
prietor did not earn his living by the
brush. arge diamond-paned windows
at either end, lofty ceiling supported by
oaken beans, and a car ed ~ OGDEN mantel
showed mat some previous tenant had
been fled with artistic ia es. Ow the
room looked bare and DIRE ry, for it lcl,ed
the pictures an the works of art for
which Il had originally heen de igned.
VI hat had once been n pretty conserva-
tory. no doubt well illed with overs,
was now quite empty, sa t for few Old
iiowcr-pots which renal ell to testify 20
its former grandeur. And so on through
the house, al the apar ments telling the
same tale and bearing evidence of had
luck or want of social success on the art
OF the present inmates
Still. Notwithstanding this stamp OF
poverty about the place it n.ust be owned
that it was scrupuio sly clean. and a
woman neat hands had certainly done
their utmost TO make it as plea,an and
presentahle as circl instances would per
nit.
The shabby curtains in tie sitting-room
were neatl ed back with pieces of rib
bon, a feN punches of lilac eshly gather
ed fro the garden 5 oot in some
old cracked asses. and the furniture
though scaniy and rather rickety. was ar
ranged with such taste as TO make at any
ra G the very best of IL.
such was the habitalion of George At
wood and his ,iie. Their household con
sisted of two small children, one faithful
servan , and a little girl who came in the
daytime To act rs nur e.
George Atwood had begun life with
fair prospec 5. A son Of a younger son.
he had re ived a fair college edu "a ion.
and possessing abilities rather ABOVE the
average, he ought to have succeeded IN
almost any branch of life, had Il not been
for his hav NJ inherited that common
curse of so many young men-an utter
want of stability OF purpose.
Leaving oxford without having taken
his egree, and with the reputation OF
having ucen mixed up in several discred-
liable eScapa les, he decided that lie would
read for the Bar.
His reading did not last long. for short
ly afterwards he inherited a small income
by the death OF his ather ami then he
capped his follles- as he was in the habit
Of remarklng to his intimate associates
by marry n pretty BlInche Merrivale,
the pennies daughter of untry cur
ate.
Daring the early da s o. their wedde
life all seemed radiant and delightful. lie
took the lease of the pretty house in ST.
John wool, lie gave nj @ little dinners.
and talked confidently of the hundreds a
year he intend q 10 earn presently his
pen. and so no doib, he might have
done had he been differently constituted,
and had he gone tn right wa to work.
lie coa d write uently enough, and
amusingly: bit he had the misfortune to
sell his frs DO Knot for very much GER
tainy ut he sold il, and the reruta ion
he earned haslng done so made him
care esS n his after attempts.
Thus, fully confident tina he would
some day astonish the world, he continued
his penditure just as is he were actually
in receip OF the income he da ly pictured
TO himself a almost within his grasp.
His club his little outings to Richmond
with his old assoc ates. his hanson cabs
his dress. and sundry other items. had be-
come he necessaries of life, until. after
some four or five years of staying OF cred
itors. George ttwoo ha brought him elf
to his present poverty-stricken condition
Occasionally. by strenuous effort, he
had earned a few pounds by writing some
little sketch for week. periodical; but
this only laid still further ''flat,ering'
junction. TO h soul. and more firm y estab-
lished the opinion he already en- ertained.
that he reall was a gifted mortal and
that the publishe were dense fools for
not having " umped' at the novels he had
written. Never mind; he would make
them smart for their impudence some day.