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

WOIu.
Il may drop allegory," Miss Hallam con-
tinued, ''for you know that speak of Guy
and you. l should never have told you this,
dear, had not read the confession in your
eyes,"
But, If it is true" the girl asked breath
lessly, why does he not come near me? If
he loves me"-a great joy shone in her eyes
-''why shonld he not tell me sO?"
''You are rich and he is poor--a sufficient
reason for man like Guy. But he has an
other reason, and, unless he knew that you
loved him"
UNLESS he knewI Oh, Theo, he might
guess how dear he has always been to me
What can do if his pride so stands between
us? How | hate this wretched money that
separates u.s. Why did not my grandfather
leave it to Guy, whose it was by right, and
so have spared us this wretch dness? Why
won't Guy take it from me now? I should
not be too proud to tell him loved him, were
it his, if he cared for me-"
Her companion smiled.
Things that seem terribly warped and
twisted when we are nineteen, my dear, have
way of disentangling themselves by the
time we reach Internationally. Have pa
tience and faith, Fides, and all will come
right-it may be, sooner than you think. If
this cantata, from which we all hope so
much, should prove the success I, for one,
expect and Guy find himself famous, I
should not wonder if he took courage then
and acted on the belief which l have tried to
instil into him, genius is fair exchange for
gold"
''It must succeed, TheoI How can such
music, in which every note is full of genius,
fail?'
The elder girl shook her head.
81 believe as implicitly in the greatness of
the work as you do, my dear; and | am GER
tain that sooner or later it will be found to
have the handspring of life in it, and so,
whether we live to see it or no, will be hon
ared in days to come as the works of the
masters from whom Guy has leaned are hon
ored now. But, though nowadays it is easier
than of old for living worth to gain its lust
acknowledgement, there are yet a thousand
things that may occur to prevent its being
properly appreciated and to hinder its Show
ing itself, even to unprecedented eyes, in the
most favorable light To my mind, Guy is
doing a very foolish thing in having his work
performed for the first time in the Cathedral
and by the choristers, in place of in the con-
cert-hall, where frstclass singers might have
undertaken it,"
''But could any other place be so suitable
for It's representation? What is needed to
enhance the deep religious feeling of the
music but the corresponding Sanctity of our
old MinSter?"
Both Of you look at the question from the
artists impractical point of view, Fides,
While L regard the matter with the eye of the
general public, and apprehend the difficulties.
But L need say no more about it! | have al
ready argued with my brother on the subject
till l am tired, and, as neither your ideas nor
my convictions have any possible bearing on
it, we may as well drop them both. In fact,
L don't want to talk any more about the COM
ing ordeal. am not naturally nervous, but
l confess | should not mind going to sleep
now and not awaking till Friday is safely
over, and Guys fortune as he persists in say
ing it will be, made or marred. l believe he
has put his very heart-throbs into this work,
poor boy; and, if it fail, | dare not think
what may be the c0nsequence-he is SO
proud! Success and failure balance them
selves almost evenly everywhere; and Guys
enemies"
Enemies! Where?' interrupted Fides.
at is the penalty of genius to be hated
even as its privilege is to be adored, my dear
perhaps one is the corOllary of the other.
But, putting that aside, l fear Guy has made
most innOcently, know-private and per-
sOnal foes. To speak of one among many,
you have only to watch old Luttrell in his
presence to see how he detests him."
but why?"
''Why? Because h" supplanted him in the
peoples favor, and then deprived him of the
right to feel himself ill-uSed. Do you know
what Guy did, though | tried to show him
that it was the most ridiculous QuiXOtiSmp
Il do not know. You have never told me. y
"And, if he knew, Guy would never for.
give me for telling you now; but l feel i'm
PEELED to make a clean breast of it once fol
all. Old Luttrell, as you know, became quite
| superannuated. L do not think he could
have been very brilliant musician at the
best of times; but during the latter part of
his reign our glorious organ mumbled and
| muttered as if it were as shaky and hOaTSe
and Scant of breath as he, while the choir
boys performances were confined to cats
cradle and musical feat done with a bare
cotton-reeI and pin. Naturally the con-
gregatiOn began to complain, their discon.
tent growing at last SO loud that the noise OF
it reached the dignitarieS of the Cathedral
In solemn conclave they determined on old
Luttrell'S dismissal, and a resolution was
taken to offer Guy the vacant place. How
! delighted he was | need not tell you. To
have an organ under his command has been,
ever since he lost this one, the dream of his
life; but he would not consent until the com.
mittee promised to transfer his salary as
| pension to the Old man. 1t was not that he
| did not need the money, goodness knows
| for Guy is as poor as a church or cathedral
1,,,A - \ 4 y
| pTive another of his daily bread while he
! could earn enough to keep himself without
| taking it, Though the news was broken as
| delicately as possible to old Luttrell, l be-
| lieve he ragged furiously, heaping all the
blame on poor Guys head. The matter OF
! the pension was to be kept profound secret
! but some interfering person with, [ suppose
amiable motives told him its real source, and
his anger was redouhled. He is too mean
/ and perhaps too poor, to refuse the money:
| but ever since, with all the malignlty of a
| small cowardly nature, he has hated he man
who was kind to him; and he has said, and
| shows in every look towards him, that, if he
can injure him, he will"
FideS shuddered.
Il could almost find it in my heart to wish
| Theo. that Guy were utterly commonplace
and that we had him safely beside u.s.
Her companion laughed.
and paradoXical as it may appear, my
dear, in that case you would quickly wish
him back again.
/
Guy Hallam sat alone In his lodgings. His
room boosted no spare comfort; the walls
were bare and the windows unShaded by cur
tains. The one handsome piece of furniture
in it was a piano, and on it stood a large
photograph OF a young girl with irregular
features and small slight figure