The morning call., 1891-06-22
A WELL-BROKEN WILL.

IL Y "
Two years ago / was a hard-working
artist quite content If weeks labor on
black and white work brought me mOder-
ate compensation. l had not an ambition
beyond hanging a picture at the annual
exhibition of the Academy. On this l had
been working assiduously at spare mo-
ments. 1t represented a man sitting at
table with jug of beer before him. the
very picture of coDtentment Under it was
the sentiment: eff l had fortune I'd
never leave New York;
This picture was great success. People
got to discussing whether if they had plenty
Of money it would be possible to fully enjoy
life without leaving the island. l awOke
one morning to find that one OF these idiots,
who had taken au pied de lettre what l had
merely intended as joke, had suddenly
died, making his will in my favor, but
coupling his benefaction with the proviso
that /, Peter Van Pelt, should never leave
Manhattan. If did so the property, some
thousands per annum, was instantly to re-
vert to another of his fads, the Society for
the Cultivation of Social Ethics.
You NAV imagine that, never having been
able to afford any but the most meager and
temporary absences from the city, this pro-
viSo attached to the gift Of several thou
sands per Rnnum was one which didn't
trouble me greatly. l only blessed my lucky
stars that a crank like Mr.. Marston had eX-
listed and had taken the extraordinary view
that man with plenty of funds at his dis
rOSal couldn't be perfectly cOntented IN New
York CITY. l at once notified the executors
of my intention to accept the conditions of
the legacy and proceeded to enjoy life.
/ threw up all my black and white work,
neglected the art which had brought me my
rnrfN n a1f irht aftA a
in endeavOring to extract all the pleasure
possible from my new position. l took
apartments on the avenue, furnished
them extensively, gathered around me
a number of choice spirits, and for
awhile actually succeeded in enjoying
myself | lived on the fat OF the land.
Things went along swimmingly for nearly
year. The only thing that married my en-
jOyment of my new fortune was the per-
petual espionage | underwent at the hands
of the agent of the Society for the Cultiva-
ton of Social E hics. He naturally wanted
to catch ms tripping.
He was small, thin, stealthy man, with
the most Odious, yellow eyes. At first 1t
was matter of perfect indifference to me
whether he followed me or not, but after
awhile | got into a habit of CHANGING over
my shoulder to see If he was there. was
nervous if l saw him and entirely miserable
if he was not in sight Oh, how l grew to
hate him.
Il was absolutely impossible for me to get
rid OF this fellow. He followed ma every
where. If | went TO the theater and took
box he was sure to be there sitting IN the
parGuet. If took seat in the parquet L
had only to glance up to see him regarding
me steadfas.y from the balcony. | went
into restaurant, / ate with The con SciouS-
ness that his eye was upon me. / never
spent a dollar but l seemed to hear him
cry:
How much more good that would have
done for the advancement OF social ethics.
The fellow pursued me everywhere. OF
course he was not always IN sight, but
there was the consciousness that he was
perpeiually logging my footsteps. Ii
went down to the Battery or to one OF the
wharVes in summer 10 get little fresh air
he was there, utterlns not WORD, Dut say
ing as plainly as possible by his looks:
"Why don't you give this thing up and
take a trip into the country? You know
this confinement I killing you, and what
will be the Use OF SJur money then?'
got rid of him for a whole night once by
a Tuse you will admit was rather clever.
Ny man servant was not unlike me in style
and general appearance. l dressed him up
! to closely resemble me and sent him over to
jersey City. The agent followed him. and
that night | took the boat to Astoria and
had a splendid walk in the country.
The very next morning, however, L could
tell by his manner that he knew he had
been tTicked.
You NAV say what you like about tho
pleasures If the town. | tell you they come
10 an end at last There came time when
l was nearly throwing up my contract and
getting off somewhere out into the country.
1t was summer time. party of my friends
had just left that morning for Newport
| O. Row l detested the city and The hot pave
mentS.
l went into Central Park. It was the
| h., frx- 1,,II
| find but its trim rusticity only g0aded my
brain into Tn hiking of shady lanes and real
country meadows. Above the tops of the
trees could see the roofs Of the houses. l
was still in town.
| felt so aggravated on this particular
morning that l had half mind TO sit down
and write to the executors OF the will and
tell them 1 could hold out no longer. [ was
10 the mental act of preparing this letter
when | was aroused by terrible noise
beyond some bushes, and the sound Of a
female voice evidently in great distress.
To plunge through the bushes was the
work of but moment,
On green plot of lawn young girl in a
light fluffy dress stood wringing her hands
and be ting yalnly with sunShade at a
confused mass Of fur, which ! presently
made out TO be two dogs, engaged iD a
canine game Of fsticuffS. 1t was all white
and black fur, rolling over and over and
swapping and biting aud barking. 1t was
from this mass that the terrible noise afOre-
| said proceeded.
understand dogs-and carry snuff. 1t is
| a habit | acquired in Rome, where all artists
use it.
80. save my dear Benny!" cried the girl
Not stopping to Identify Benny | gave the
| pair of them the contents of the snuff box.
Benny Immediately tore himself from his
| opponent and the two animals set to sneez-
| ing furlOusly.
As soon as he would let her the girl
| picked up Benny and getting some of the
snuff started in sneezing too. For time
there was a perfect chorus. "Ka-chug, ka-
| chug, ka-cbug"
1t was so infectious that also said Ka-
chug."
Then the girl said, very coolly:
90, is that you? Thank you so much.
! What fortunate thing you take snuff"
am one of the old school" | replied,
land carry it in order TO be in the fashion.
| If you would permit me to wash Benny
will do it with pleasure"
! We took him down TO the lake between us
! and washed him. l never washed dog SO
| thoroughly in my life. You see, 1 began to
| be interested in her and wanted as much as
| could possibly get Of her society. | knew
when / got through washing Benny should
have to leave her So | nearly drowned the
little Deggar. l declared he was positively
| filthy. He was really a remarkably clean
dog-but you know love is blind.
Al last he was washed Then a bright
thought struck me; he must be dried. This
we accomplished by sitting down on the
grass and rolling the dog over between US,
ball fashion. II he did not enjoy it I'm sure
/ did.
Then the girl got up and said, very Sc
| dately:
81 think / must go now. 1t wasn't bad
fun, was it?"
l declared 1t was splendid; that could
wash dogs and dry them all day with her.
| / began to look around for q duenna of
some kind, but to my surprise no one came.
1t began to dawn upon me that this SUI
premely pretty girl with the charming eyes
had no other protector than Benny.
1t seemed to be my part-indeed, / felt
admirably fitted for it.