Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-07-25
CHAPTER XVI.

spent. and day arrived when / was pen
niless. The ring and the cord were still
In my possession. do not know how it
was that | was tempted to keep them
about me; perhaps it was as a punishment
which | obstinately inflicted upon myself
AS though my sufferings were not great
enough without these evidences of nv
guilt; but the fact remains, that / found it
impossible to part with them. When |
was penniless / could have twisted the
diamond out Of the ring, and sold the gold
for few shillings, which really would
have enabled me to live without labor for
some considerable time; for during all this
dolorous time | ate nothing but dry bread
and drank nothing but water | did not,
however, put it to this use. 1t did not
belong to me; it belonged to the dead.
The labor | obtained was of the lowest
and most mental kind, and thus it was
that, being far away north, found my
self working in the hop gardens. The
pay was bad but that nlattered not; it sui
feed for bread. The danger was that
herded with men and women of de-
graded stamp and that, like them, I was
fast becoming brutalized. This enforced
contact with degradation caused in me a
kind of revulsion. Hitherto | had kept
mostly to myself, and the gloomy thoughts
In which INDUCED were created by my
own lack Of moral strength; but now that
was brought face to face with things I
aDhorred, saw, as it were, the reflection
OF my own moral image, and the thoughts
IL engendered had salutary effect upon
me- 1t was this better phase of experience
which led me into the companionship of a
man Of higher grade than the other hop
- ~.
more. was never made acquainted with
his Christian name.
He must have recognized in me, as I re-
cognfzed in him, man of a superior
stamp; and he confided to me that he was
not hop-picking from necessity.
1.-THE fact is, Gaskell," he said to me U
had to bear some name, and chose that,
I am killing two birds with one stone.
One bird IS with me; the other am wait
ing for
This, of course, was enigmatical to me,
but did not ask for an explanation. He
gave me one of his own prompting.
The bird that is here is in my port
folio; the bird / am waiting for is a wo-
man.
| knew what he meant by this reference
to his portfolio, which contained number
of sketches he had been making of the
hop-pickers, selecting for choice the most
squalid and disreputable su bjects. He had
thrown out hints that | might look over
these sketches, but had not awaited my
self of the offer.
The hop-picking was now over, and we
were paid off. Upon Stanmore's invita-
ton | accompanied him to a respectable
hotel, and agreed to remain with him for
two or three days. 1t was the first time
since my Punishment that had consent
ed to lead decent life, and did so now
chiefly out of a feeling of gratitude to-
wards Stanmore for having provided me
with a refuge from the indescribably
coarse associations which otherwise would
have been my lot. In the hotel at which
we stopped he engaged two rooms-a sit
ting-room and another with two beds in
Thus far he had persuaded me, but ne
could not induce me to join him at meals.
] still adhered to my humble fare. of which
partook in secret.
On the first night of our stopping at the
hotel we were in the sitting-room. which
was lit with gas. Stanmore was busy
with his sketches, which, when he first
took them, had been merely sketches in
rough outline; now, with paints and
brushes before him, he was engaged in
glasses were on the table.
"Gaskell," he said, you are a strange
fellow. and that, dare say, is the reason
why have taken to you. like every
thing that is strange. But you are. more
over, an enigma. Locked in your breast
is story it would entertain me to hear"
Startled, | gazed at him. and half rose.
''Pshar' he said. sit down again. |
do not ask you to tell me your story, I'M
less in moment of confidence you choose
to unbend Now / am in the humor to be
more frank and open. Let me give you a
piece of advice, though, properly, you
should be the better able to give it to me,
being the elder of the two. Don't take
life too seriously; it is not worth while.
Those enjoy the most who accept it as q
comedy. Tragedy or comedy, it is before
you to take your choice The same thing
that will make you cry will make you
laugh. 1t all depends upon the view you
take Some people are annoyed at being
tickIed; enjoy it. If a man gives me a
slap in the face | laugh and give him one
in return. The laugh is an enjoyable
condiment in the dish; the frown imparts
an Objectionable flavor to the meat"
/ could have argued with him that it
was matter of temperament, but it was
not my cue to say anything that might en-
large the field of conversation; and there
fore held my tongue.
'All right" continued Stanmore, and l
understood him to allude to my silence:
lit suits me. | was ever voIuble fellow,
aud my tongue bids fair to grow rusty
with the company | have kept these last
two or three weeks. The worst of your
English clodhopper is that he is duh.
don't complain of him for being coarse; it
is his dizziness that nettles me. He never
makes a remark worth the listening to,
and to hold forth to such scum is enough
to give one the megrims. On the CONT
nent have travelled, Gaskell-it is diff
ferent. You get a flash of wit occasional
ly; you meet with a fdrceltr who enter
tains you; but here, God save US, there is
nothing but coarseness and drunkenness
No, there is no talking to such dregs OF
the cutters. Now you, Gaskell, are man
of education-no Disgusting it, old man
and must let off the steam, gratif1ed that
have the opportunity of doing so in good
company. I come back to what was say
ing-you lean towards tragedy in your
views, | towards comedy. All, that's
right look through my portfolio; you IL
find some fairish sketches there-half OF
them taken in foreign lands. Yes, as
Beatrice SAYS, when | was born, my moth
er cried; but then there was a star danced,
and under that was | born | am CRATE
full: it might have been otherwise; q blessed
heritage. l was fiogged at school; |
laughed l was expelled; I laughed. ]
made some money; l laughed. | was
robbed of it: laughed. | fell in love: ]