Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-04-29

| 4hfetptt N'tN hSStI Ntb ltTCu.
Yes, will tell you the story. Throw
a few more logs into the stove. will you:
Cold out doors?
Gold? l suppose so; thermometer 40
below, but I'm best if l feel it much
! Your mountain air is wonderful to me
Been living omit ever since came west.
Oh, we Soon get used to it, and then
our only wonder is how we ever con
sented to live where the deadly damp
and chill is like chronic ague. Nc
more of it for me. The valley states
have their good features, of course
orchards and corn fields and all that
good to look at when there are no noun
tains in sight; but of what use would
they be here: Plenty of fruit to be had
if you want it. Cad, how used to
work when l was a kid! Wading
through the black soil of Illinois. drop
| ping corn as soon as / shed nv dresses;
then covered and hoed and plowed and
husked until got disguised, cut the
whole business and lit out
Wasn't cut out for a king of the soil,
eh?"
King of nothing! If boy wants a
! taste Of Inferno let him live on a farm
! and have Dutchman for father.
Granted; but perhaps you inherited
| from your good German ancestors the
artistic talent which enabled you to get
on so well after you did cut and run"
Well, may be so. At any rate l have
no quarrel with the old man now. He
likes his farm and his fat cattle-I like
my den here in the mountains. and nv
paints and brushes. So here l mean to
stay. Pile in some more pine, Jim. l
! tell you, you might freeze to death and
never know it.
Smooth way to pass over the range
| to Paradise. But 1 say, Gus, don't You
ever eat here: am as hungry as a
| bear"
| Eat? Open that oven door and take
| a Whit. That is the finest roast of ven
ison in Montana, and ranch potatoes
which are poem. Nearly done, old
man. Here, let me set the table: Two
plates, two knives, two glasses, and
| there You are-or would you like some
coffee? Have 1t ready in three minutes.
Talk about the refnements of civiliza-
ton. l suppose you newspaper fellows
have to have printed programme with
your grub, a napkin and silver fork
and all that sort of trumpery; but as for
me, give me liberty or give me death.
Supper is ready. Better keep your hat
on.
"All right; that doesn't bother me
any; but say, Gus, give me that yarn.
That is what am here for, and | have
just two hours to get back to Helena"
You're going TO stay all night or no
story. l don't have visitor often, |
can tell you, and you don't give me the
cold shake. Stay till morning, get
good snooze once in your life-you look
as if you needed it-and will see you
over the range in time to catch the o 80
train. Is it go:
''Well. guess so. | ought TO be in
Denver in thirty-six hours, but | will
trump up some lie to satisfy the man
ager if l am too late for the Sunday
issue. By the way, Gus, what n happy
life yours is. Sleep as long as you please,
dress as you please, eat when you are
hungry and work when the fit comes
on. Happy mani"
That's all right, Jin-for me. You
would loathe yourself in a week, if You
should try II. Don't quarrel with your
destiny. You are a man of action-your
place is in the world. | am a dreamer. a
mixer of paints and-a failure.
"A failure, are you: If you could hear
the comments on your picture and the
stir it has made il Denver you would sing
another tune, swear You would be as
proud as a peacock-and, by the way.
was to ask YOU if she is for sale
Who: Oh. my picture! No; not if
was starving. That picture is part Of
my life, Jim. Ny hearts blood mixed
the colors on that canvas, and when Hell
mer begged the loan of it for month
did not suppose that he was going to
place it on exhibition for lot of idiots
to gable over.
.'Of whom / am the chief"
Not at all, Jim. know you have a
heart, although you may not believe j.,
or would never tell you the story of my
Mountain Dream"
well, proceed. will admit the heart
if you will get down to business-note
book and pencil all ready"
1t was away back in 20 that l built a
cabin here, thinking that it would be a
good studio for the summer. l had no
notion then that would occupy it more
than few months. | enjoyed it i'm
mensely for a time and set to work with
a will, making sketches of the scenery
1t was new and very fascinating work,
too. The atmospheric effects were SO
different from anything had ever ex-
perienced, the coloring so new, that ]
was in a sort of artistic frenzy for once
in my life, and scarcely knew whether /
ate or not.
/ had been here about six weeks and
had made a good many studies, which ]