Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1890-12-25
A THRESHOLD STORY.
Extract from the Diary OF AlgernoI
Stokes.

Extract from the Diary OF Algernon
stokes.
/ have found her! The maiden of
nv dreams-the fair, sweet girl of my
soul! The poetic, tender embodiment
of nv hearts aspirations! ! nave writ
ten three sonnets. two madrigals, and
a poem since midnight. all addressed
to Marjorie! Marjorie! What tender
visions arise at the name! Let me re-
cord the happy event!
The utter abomination. Tom Grey,
came into my studio Yesterday after
noon in his usual clustering, vulgar
way aud with the voirc of II huckster
calling 'WatcrmelonS!" shouted:
'Hullo, Dickr'
J. suppose | have told Tom Grey
i.COG times that | have had my name
changed TO "Algernom" by act of the
legislature, but the brute persists in
calling me Dick" because, when we
went to school together, my name was
Richard" The Stokes" | can not
drop, rs my uncle Bob left me his for
tune on condition that / did not drop
the family name in what he called my
COMPOUNDED nonsense" Uncle Rob
ert had no poetry in his entire eompo-
sitiOn.
But / wander from my subject. Tom
Grey rushed into my studio, shrieking:
''Hullo. Dick!'
was deeply absorbed in the shadows
of my group of Lilies of the Lake.
and although my sensitive nerves
quivered under that horrible voice as
ii had received blow, | painted on
without answer.
But Il staggering blow upon my
shoulder almost paralyzing my right
arm, compelled me to look up.
Gomez shouted my friend(?).
Tom never speaks - he always
shouts.
Come! want you to go to the
fair with me-"
What fair?" asked. Il never GO
to fairs!"
But you must go to this one! Tip
top girls! Lots of fun!'
Il despiSe fun! l abominate girls!'
"0h. bosh! Come along! Stop
embarrassing those old snowballs in 4
puddle and come"
"WilI you leave me in peace?"
cried. desperately.
No; am going to sit right here
until you take off that velvet monkey
jacket and put on a presentable coat
to 60 with me. If were you, Dick, l
would give that coat to an organ"
grinder"
only looked my scorn! That coat,
made upon the strictest rules of art,
was one of my triumphS over the COM
mOnplace. | hoped the day would come
when could wear it in the street with
Venetian rutlles of lace at the wrists.
But Tom was not TO be d.unted by
Il look. and. finding / should have no
rest until | complied with his request,
reluctantly left my work.
Under his ridicule | dared not as
sumo my full aesthetic costume; but /
ventured upon my ruflicd shirt-front
my loosely knotted tie, and low Byron
collar. To my surprise he made no
comment, and even pinned in my but
tou-hole boquet of valley lilies with
his own clumsy fingers.
But ] fprgave Tom all past sins
when. after walking about in great
hall flied with fancy turntables. he
said with start:
why, there is my cousin Marjorie"
s1l owed the direction of his ewes.
Can calmly write down description
Of that vision? Marjore! Locks of
gold half-curling. floating down from
filler: of classic shape that confined
then above the ivory brow. hut suf-
fercn their luxuriance to fall unre-
strained far bc.ow the slender waist.
A -. Ian nf 10 Il,
at h@ shoulders by canoes, fell in
lot ,. loose folds to form a sweeping
tram that gave majesty to the perfect
fn m Lilies were hroidrred on the
edge. lilies rested upon the bosom.
Bands of gold upon the white arms
re the only ornaments Marjorie
wsre.
II was disGuStingly conventional TO
he introduced to my cousin. Miss
Grey" and TO how in society form
when was longing To throw myself nj
her feet aud devote nv life to her SER
vice. Could l have drawn a sword
and vowed to he her faithful KNIGHT
till death. it would have hccn some re-
lief. But. alas! could. only bow and
murmur something about n,v pleasure
IN meeting my dear friends cousin.
Tom grlnned like an ape. But Mar
jnrie recognized Kindred soul. She
claspsd her hands and spoke in low,
sweet words. her delight in meeting
the author of .'rhe Faded Jessamiue. y
Our souls met aud mingled. She
quoted lines from my 'Droopino
Daisies" and hlushingiy confessed 10
having all my poems 4eollectcd in an
album. She had seen my Maiden by
Moonlight at the picture dealers. and
the one dream OF her life was ON,
day to possess gem from my pencil
Tom had sense enough 10 leave US
and we talked of art. OF poetry. O
music, and of flowers.
Then she showed me tiny vase. M
antique gem that had been donated tc
the fair by a famous collector Sh,
told ma the agony she bad suffered
lest this priceless iretsure should fall
into unappreciative hands. She i'm
plored me Ia a III /: TO nv store oI
gems, and drew u check for the
amount with ecstasy. II stands befor,
me now, my inspiration. until once
more gaze into the soulful eyes of Mar
jorie. Another sonnet presses upon
my brain. | write 10 the sulny lock.
Of the maiden. Marjorio.
MACS LETTER
Dear Sue: IL was too bad, alto
I gether too had. that YOU could not DC
NJ our fair last cycning. Tom had m
<utkea. You would hardly believe that
NJ. M IA u .s M ~