Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-05-31

down again with prodigious strides. He
was back to luncheon with a face which
glowed so from the wind and cold that he
looked as jolly as a rising sun. The Daisy
was to the full as ford; but his was
glow less invigorating and wholesome to
look at. He was a little puffy about the
eyes, and his temper, as he himself ad-
mitted broke off short like carrot. The
pale, phthisical young American was there
also, and Medhurst changed his place to
sit beside him-partly with view to leave
a clear field for the Majors operations.
and partly because he preferred the quiet
er companionship. The Major was not
much In the mood to operate at first; but
as the meal progressed and the champagne
bottle at his elbow grew rapidly towards
emptiness, he announced that he and his
friend, Captain Harley Medhurst, were
going down to Monte Carlo by the Tdpide
of that evening. Paul Jones was unaf
fectedly pleased at this intelligence, and
showed it. The Majors bluff. noisy ways,
his swagger and laughter, suited Paul
excellently. He thought the Major en-
inently British. as, indeed, in some respects
he was.
"I've been making inquiries" said Paul,
"and find it's most agreeable TO get to
the station early and dine there. That's
what Pm going to do. You wouldn't
think it, by the look of things at present."
he added; but Pm going out now to buy
a sun umbrella"
With that he rose from the table and
shook hands with the Major It was one
of his habits to shake hands with a man
whenever he met with him or parted from
him, If it was half-a-scOre times u day,
and he always went through that friend
ly operation with great heartiness and
BOlemnity.
That even ng the whole personnel of the
hotel hung about the entrance hall and
the corridors through which everybody
had to pass in quitting the house. Every
body knew about the fifty millions of
dollars, and cold hearts warmed in the
CLEAN of that splendid fortune. Paul,
who was unaware of the newspaper para
graph which had heralded the arrival of
the man with the dollars, was surprised
to notice how considerable a stir his de
parture made. He put it down to French
pOliteness, of which he had heard a good
deal, but he was not accustomed to this
sort Of leave-taking at home, and was en-
barrassed by the general GnpreSSemeRt.
He, Medhurst, and the Major dined to-
gether at the railway station, and after
wards found n disengaged compartment
in one of the carriages of the rdpide. At
this time of day the Major was naturally
in his gaycst form; the young Paul, with
his new-fOund friends, had taken a glass
or two more wine than usual, and was
gay at heart with the pleasant excitement
of the Journey, and Medhurst opened q
quieter cOuvivial vein than the Majors,
but made himself bright and amusing
companion.
Just for the fun of the thing" the Ma
jOr produced pack of playing cards and
Il travelling clamp, with artfully-arranged
reilectOrs which gave a clear and mellow
light. The three got together, with a
trnvelling-rug about their knees, and
played napoleon at hulf-franC points in the
most innocent, friendly way in the world.
Paul Jones won five or six louis, and the
Major grew sleepy, and proposed to stop.
He and Medhurst would take their re-
vcnge later on, perhaps; and if they didn't
get it-why, perhaps, it didn't greatly
matter; and with this and laugh which
ended in yawn, Major De We're packed
himself in "A corner, drew his travelling
cap over his eyes, and disposed himself to
slumber His companions followed his
lead; but Paul, with the best desire to
sleep in the world, lay awake for long
time, his big form occupying the whole of
one side of the compartment. He was full
of enthusiasms and hopes, for some Of
which his artistic face seemed to give bet
ter warrant shan the boyish bravadO of
his manner. He thought of violet seas
with the light of the southern sun upon
them, of palms and aloes. and of grey
olives fOaming up the mountain side; and
every now and again, with an unconscious
gesture, his right hand would move rs if
ii held brush, and were working freely
Mt canvas. Half-a-dOZen times he lifted
himself upon his elbow and tried to thaw
the frozen snow upon the window-pane.
He failed in this; but once rising and eau
tiOusly lowering the window an inch or
two, he heard the wind go by with a
scream, and saw the wild snow-flakes
flceting past in the black night, redeemed
for mere second by the flash of the furn-
ace fire. Little promise of the sunny
South as yet. lie closed the window with
comfortable shiver, and lay down again;
and, by-and-by, palms and olives, and soft
gltttering seas, and purple headlands of
fancy slid into his dreams, and he was
asleep before he knew it.
The Major was very grumpy again from
Ayignon-whcrch he awoke and partOok of
n bowl Of coffee and roll upon the icy,
wind-swept, open platform-to Marseilies,
where breakfast and wash restored him.
But Paul, with youth and SObriety on his
side, was rs gay rs colt from the moment
of his waking, and was quite imprisoned
by the landscape.
Saints aliver he said to Medhurst,
look at the color of the Gashes in that
groundI Look at the reds and brownsl
Look at the green of that turf It's as
tender as young lamb, and as bright as a
candle flame. The grey on them old olives
-eh, sir' guess I'll tickle that in before
Pm much older"
You seem to be an enthusiast about
painting" said Medhurst
"Well, sir" returned Paul, deliberately,
81 believe you. l wouldn't give up paint
ing for million year. don't think it
would be worth my while to give it up for
anything I've ever seen or heard about It's
one of those things that are just meat and
drink and life and sunlight if you once
cotton to it properly. If there wasn't such
a thing as color in the world I'd just die,
and make no bones about it."
This enthusiasm appeared just a little
strained to Captain Medhurst, who had
never had many enthusiaSms of his own,
and had parted with most of them long
time ago. He smiled. however and said
that no doubt that sort of warmth of feel
ing gave life Il certain fullness.
I'm afraid" he said, following the
smile with a sigh which was probably
more real, that the lives of most of us are
a little barren"
I'm inclined to think" said the young
fellow, with loud, cheerful optimism,
that it's about our own fault if they are
| can understand poor devil who hasn't
got one cent to Clink against another, or
forlorn wretch who's got no lungs or who's
in want of liver or a circulation. being
down in the mouth and thinking that the
world is pretty dark place. Or | can I'M
derStand n man who's had such hard lines
as to lose the folks he cares for. sitting
down and making up his mind he won't
care for anything any more. But | can't
live man asking to be buried
anywhere. What mans got to do in
this world is to take hold of something.
and never be contented till he's got il up
by the roots. He'll never get it up. sir,
not If it's worth getting; but he'll find
pretty considerable pleasure in Juggling
at it, and he'll have his heart full, and his
mind full, and his hands full, and that's /.
mighty comfortable thing, according to
my way of looking at it, sir"
Paul, in spite of his Partisan purchases,
hap but little luggage with him. He car
rleu q rather olQ-IaSnlonel SILVER watch at