Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-06-28

getting much. To me OF all men had
been given the chance to write the
most marvellous tale in the world
nothing less than the story OF Greek gai-
ley slave as told by himself. Small won
der that his dreaming seemed reai 20
Charlie. The Fates that shut the doors OF
each successive life behind us had IN this
case been neglectful, and Charlie was look
ing. though that he did not know, where
never man had been permitted 10 loon
since time began. Above all, he was aoso-
lutely ignorant of the knowledge soiu 70
me for FIVE pounds; and he would retain
that Ignorance. for bank clerks do not I'M
derstand metempsychosis. He would sup
ply me-here | capered among the DUMB
gods of Egypt and laughed IN thelr oat-
tered faces-with material to make my
tale sure-so sure that the world would
hail il as IN impudent and vamped nctlon.
And ], and alone, would know that IL Wa9
absolutely and literally true. l. anu i
alone. held this jewel 70 my hand Ior wy
cutting and polishing. Therefore, danced
among the gods till policeman saw nic
and took steps IN my direction. c,.
renamed now only to encourage Cnar-
lie totalk. and here there was no difnculty'
But had forgotten the gift OF the DOCKS.
He came TO me time after time as uselcss
as surcharged phonograph-dru on
Byron. Shelley, or Keats. knowing what
the boy had been and desperately ANXIOUS
not TO lose one word of his babele, coulu
not hide from him my respect and interest.
Ue nisconstrued both into respect for the
soul of Charlie Mears and interest ID MS
readings. and stretched my patience 70
breaking point by reciting poetry NOT ms
own now but that Of Others. | wished
every English poet blotted out OF the
memory OF mankind. | blasphemed tne
miphtiest names Of song because they had
drawn Charlie from the path OF direct mar
rative: but | choked down my lmpatiehce5
until the first food Of enthusiasm sD9uiu
have spent itself aud the boy returheu u
his dreams. -. II .
WHAT'S the use OF my telling you what
Think when these chaps wrote things Tor
The angels TO read" he grOwled one eve
ming. "Why don't you write something
like theirs?" lilo
II don't think you're treating me quite
" I've given you the story" he said short
ly, replunging into Lara"
But / want the details.
"The things I make up about that damn
ed shin. THEY'RE quite easy. You can Just
make lem up Yourself. Turn mp the gas a
little, | want to 90 on reading
I c0uld have broken the glass globe over
his head for his amazing stupidity. ] couid
indeed make up things for myself did |
only know what Charlie did not know that
he knew. But since the doors were shut
behind me, could only wait his youthiui
pleasure and strive to keep HIM III killer
4 minutes want Of guard might spoil
priceless revelation. for now and again De
yould toss his books aside-he Kept them
in nv rooms his mother would have been
shocked nj the waste of good money had
she seen them-aud launched into his sea
dreams Again | cursed all the poets or
England. The plastic mind the bank
clerk had been overlaid, cOlored, ana dis
torted bv that which he had read and the
result as delivered was tangle like the
muttercd song through q city telephone III
the busiest part of the day, =,
He talked of the galley-his own galley,
had he but known lt-wlth illustrations
borrowed from the bride Of Abydos."
He painted the experiences OF ne hero
with uuotatiOus from the "COrsalr." and
threw in deep and desperate moral re-
Elections from Cam and Manfred. Only
when the talk turned or LonEfellOw were
the Iarring cross currents dumb, ana /
knew that Charlie was speaking the truth
as he remembered it.
What do YOU think of tls?" ! said
one evening, and before he could exposiu.
late read him the whole Of The saga OF
King Olaf"
lie listened opcn-mouthed. flushed, his
hands drumming on the back Of the sofa
where he la. till | came TO the song OF
Einar Tambcrskeloer and the verse
"Einar then the arrow taking
From Tho loOsen"d string
Answered: That was Norway breaking
Meath Thy hand, OH King
He pasped with pure delight Of sound.
That's better than Byron, n lttle," /
venturcd.
Better? VIII, it's true. How could
he have known Z"
repeated:
"What was that said Olaf, standing
On the quarter deck,
Something heard ike the stranding
Ola shattered wreck :"
"How could he have known how the
ships crash and the oars rip out and 20 all
along the line? Why only the other night
but 20 back and read the 'Skerry OF
Skucks again"
mo. I'm tired Let's talk. What hap
pened the other nighti'