The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1891-08-12

may be better for q man to be a black
smith rather than genius"
Iagree with you, Mr.. Arnold / know
that Harlan longs to devote his life to lit
erature but his father Is wrapt up in the
idea of having him lawyer and my SYM
pathies are with Mr.. Otis"
But there's another side to it." re-
marked Arnold, whose face In the last few
years had become sufficiently mature to
conform to his stature. q knew Harlan
very intimately for four years. I am. IL
you will forgive me for saying SO, inclined
to doubt that he will make a success as a
lawyer"
"Why?n
In the first place, because he does not
care for his profession. That is fearful
handicap from tho start Then again, he
possesses a creative Imagination. To a
certain degree such mental characteris-
tic is valuablein any line OF life. When,
however, 1t Is sufficiently developed to APP
proach genius 1t becomes danger to him
who holds it and a menace to those who
expect him to live and move and have hia
being like other men,"
She flinched little at his words Could
it be that this men understood Harlan
better than either his father or his wife2
Then you mean, she suggested, that
the creative Imagination In making q man
o poet renders him abnormals"
Perhaps that is II. At all events ann
Inclined to think that any conception due
10 what we call the inspiration Of genius
IL the outcome of either permanent or
temporary unhealthy condition OF the
mind. No perfectly normal oyster has
ever produced q pearl The gem is the
product Of disease. A great poem is. to
my mind, the highest achievement of the
human mind, but. like the pearl. It's birth
is due to abnormal conditions. Wipe out
OF literature all the poems, legends, stor-
les that were begotten by mon In fever.
under the influence Of drugs or In the ex-
.citement of bodily pain and you will
erase much that the world can not afford
TO lose"
Granting that all you say Is true.' said
Alice, II am, nevertheless, a woman and
don't understand generalities. What I
want Is the personal equation. or course.
Dur sex can not argue, but tell me this: II,
as you say, the production OF poem Is due
10 an unhealthy condition of the mind, Is
II right to encourage anyone to beget
poems?"
All, my dear Mrs, Otis, IL will mako no
difference whether the poet Is encouraged
OF not, SO far as his output Is concerned,
but as regards his personal happiness the
difference may be very great
For many days Alice pondered those
words. Perhaps they would have borne
good fruit IL she had seen her husband
oftener and he had shown an inclination to
be to her more as he had been In those
happy days of their betrothal. But tho
fact was that Harlan had gradually become
thoroughly self-absorbed. The influence
that Alice had once welded over him had
lost its force. Sometimes no would look at
her longingly as though craving some
thing she had failed to give him. Some-
times he seemed jealous Of the warm
friendship that had grown up between her
and his father. Later on he became mood
uy suspicious OF John Arnold. His only
relief from the worries that his over
wrought nerves produced lay In the ecstasy
Of composition. He felt within him grow
Ing power IN the realm OF poesy, strength
and freedom OF utterance that sometimes
gave to his verso q lit and melody that
strangely moved those who read his work.
That man Rupert Is a true poet" Alex
nnder Otis had remarked ono day as ha
out tho leaves OF q current magazine. Ills
W.
Yes" he said, I" but he might better be
lawyer"
Alice was the only one present who heard
tho remnrk and she glanced at her hus-
band suspiciously.
A few days later Harlan was.seated at his
desk In his fathers Office copying some
wearisome legal document. The Office boy
brought him letter. 1t was postmarked
New York"
My DEAR MR.. OrIs -
VIII you forgive me IL I.take the liberty
OF sending you q few lines to tell you how
much L admire your recent poems. In
that dreamy past when we 50 ofton talked
OF your future ! did not realize that your
genius was as great as you have proved 1t
to be. You may wonder for moment how
know that you and Rupert are one and
the same III your memory Is not at fault
You will recall that you once discussed
poem that has made the name OF Rupert
famous: AS the years have gone by have
found that the chief longing OF my life was
to have you fulfill the destiny that Fate
marked out for you. How much rejoice
In your success you cannot know. 1t may
be that you have even forgotten my OK
istence. But, be assured, not an hour Of
my life passes that do not think OF you
and OF the past. 1t Is my only joy to read
what you write and to see that the talents
uttdhO HttfO yOu niS RCiik WOiLlilly Oltl~
ployed. ! send this note to you In the
friendIiest spirit, hoping that In your lit
erary career you are receiving that
encouragement and sympathy that know
could have but that is absurd. find that
am more selfish than I thought was.
Again / ask your pardon for intruding
upon your time. and trust that you win
accept my little effort at applause In the
spirit In which IL Is sent.
Sincerely yours,
RHoDA BARR.
Harlan turned pale as he read these
words. From that moment he longed TO
soc again tho woman who had onco SYM
pnttiizad SO warmly with his literary am
billions. 1t was delightful to him to know
that at least ono being on earth admired
his talents, and could give him the encour-
ageinent his soul crayed.