Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-06-05

did sincere friendship, one which was fated
10 last unbrOken for years Tipen 50 quickly
as that between Carriston and myself. As
1 now look back 1 find il hard 10 associate
him with any, even a brief, period 81 time
subsequent to our meeting, during which he
was not my bosom friend. | forget whether
Our meeting at the same picturesque spot on
the morning which followed our self-intro-
duction was the result Of Academic arrange
ment Anyway, we spent the day together,
and that day was the precursor If many pass
ed in each others society. Morning after
morning we sailed forth Ia do oar best to
transfer the same bits of scenery 90 our
sketching- blocks. Evening after evening we
returned to dine side by side, AID afterwards
TO talk and smoke together, indoors or out
doors as the temperature advised or our
wishes inclined.
Great friends we soon ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
as long as my short holiday lasted. 1t was,
perhaps, pleasant for each to work in com
pany with an amateur like himself Each
could ask the others opinion of the merits of
the work done, aud feel happy at the sp-
prevail duly given. An artists standard of
excellence IL too high for nen-protessioral
When he praises Your work ne praises it but
as the work of an outsider. You feel that
such commentator condemns it and dis
heartens YOU.
However had CarTiston caaed ~ do so, j
think he might have fearleSsiy submitted his
productions 10 any conscientious critic. His
drawings were UNNECESSARILY more artistic
and powerful than mine. lie had und0ubt-
edly great talent and 1 wa much surprised
10 find that good as he was at landscape, he
was even better at the figure. He could,
with a firm, bold hand, draw rapidlythe most
marvellous likenesses. So spirited and true
We're some of the studies he showed me, that
| could without flaitery advise him, provided
he could finish as ne began, to keep entirely
10 the higher branch OF the art ] have now
before me a series of outline faces drawn by
him-many of them from memory; and as l
look ut them the original of each comes at
once before my eyes
From the first had been much interested
in the young man. and 20 dayby day went
by, and the peculiarities of his character were
revealed to ne, my interest grew deeper and
deeper. fiatter myself that Il am Il keen
observer and Skilliul analyst of personal
character, and until now faDcied that TO write
description Of its component parts was an
easy matter. Yet when am put TO the proof
tind it no simple task to convey in words a
proper idea of Charles Canist0n's mental or
ganiZation.
soon discovered that he was, may say,
afflicted by peculiarly sensitive nature. Al
though strong, and apparently in good health,
the very changes of the weather seemed TO
affect him almost to the same extent as they
affect a flOweg. Sweet as his disposition al
ways was, the tone of his mind, his spirits,
his conversation, varied, ~ it were, with the
atmosphere he was full OF imagination,
always rich. was at times weird, even gro
tesquely weird Not for one moment did he
'eem TO dou@ the stability Of the wild theo-
lies he started the possibility Of the poetic
nj dreams ne drex,aed being realized. He
sad his faults of course; he was hasty and
,mpulsye; indeed TO me one of the greatest
charms about the boy was that right or
wrong, each word he spoke came straight
from his heart
So far as could Judge the whole organiza-
fiOn of his mind was too highly strung, too
.nely wrought for everyday use. A note of
Joy, of sorrow, even of pity yibrated through
it too strongly for his comfort or wel-being
As yet II had not been called upon to bear
The test of love, and fortunately use Che
word advisedly- fortunately hewas not ae-
cordng TO the usual Significance of the won,
4 religiousm an.oG should hive thought itn1t
unlikely that some day be would fall victim
10 that religious mania SO well known 10 my
professional brethren, and have developed
hysteria or mclanchOlia. he might even
have fancied himself "A messenger sent from
heaven for the regeneration OF mankind.
from natures like Carristops are prophets
made.
In short, | may say tilst any exhaustive
,iudy of my new friends character resulted
IA certain amount of uneasines> as To his
.uf1rp- VnpnsiupsS NOT Qnti-plV frp,a frnt,
professional curiosity.
Although the smile came realty and fire.
1uently to his lips, the general ben. OF his
disposition was sad. even respondent and
morbid. And yet few young mems lives
promised TO be so pleasant az Charles CARTS
IONS.
was ralying him one day oh his future
rank and it, responsibilities.
You Will, Of course, be- disgustmgly rich"
said.
Ca1iston sighed. "Yes, IL live long
enough; but don't suppose | shall"
why in the world shouldn't you2 You
,nsk pale and thin. but are i'm capital health.
Twelve long miles we have walked to-day
ycu never turned IL hair.
Csrriston made no reply. He seemed in
deep thought.
Your friends ought TO look after YOU and
get y~a - wife / said.
II haze no friends" he said sadly. "No
nearer relation than cousin a good deal
older thap i am, who looks upon me rs one
Sho was born to rob him of what should be
his"
But by the law of primogenitre, 50 sacred
20 the upper ten thousand, he must know
you are entitled to it..
Yes; but for years and years Twas always
going to die. Ny life was not thought worth
six months purshase. All of sudden | got
well. Ever since then have seemed, even
10 myself, kind of interlOper."
1T must be- unpleasant to have man long
ing for ones death. All the more reason you
snould marry. and put other lives between
him and the title
IL fancy | shall never marry said CARTS
ton, looking at me with his soft dark eyes.
You see, a boy who has waited for years ex-
/ pecting 10 die doesn't grow up with exactly
! the same feelings a. other people. | don't
think shall ever meet woman can care
for enough 10 make my wife. No, expect
my cousin will be Sir Ralph yet"
! tried to laugh him out of his morbid ideas.