Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-21

We took possession Of a table, and More de-
manded, What will you havey'
declared for beer, but for himself my friend
ordered whisky neat. He swallowed two large
doses of IL, taking his time over them. and
glancing through Puck the while. At last
| We'll, forward, march, !" he cried; and we pro-
ceeded upon our journey. But at the very
halt again.
II dare say you'll think mo extremely chicken
hearted, he began, but I'm not quite up Ia
1t yet. Let's walk around the block. I'm
screying my courage to the sticking place, but
1T short by several notches still
| So In silence we walked around tho block
and could feel his hand trembling upon my
arm.
Now" he said, when we had regained the
studio building, now come in"
He unlocked his door and we entered the
ante room. He flung himself upon a sofa, and
| pointed to portiere at his right. ''Its-it's
In there" he said in a sort of gasp. "Sit down
| and let US res. Bit
sat down and waited. He was leaning over
his hand supporting his forehead, his eyes
fastened upon the foot.
do you know what I feel hke?' he asked
presently.
my dear More. know it's a terrible moment
Tor you. It's idle for me to tell you that sym
pathize with YOU"
| No. sympathy won't do me much good. /
feel hike l.onian father about to take the life
| of his child
After that we did not speak for, should
think, five minutes. Then he started Up alb
] ruptly. and exclaimed: '.Oh. Tn ashamed of
| myself. never knew l was such n coward.
Allons. pas de faiblesse! The sentence Of the
law has got to be carried out. Come"
He brushed aside the portiere and we walked
into his studio.
! 1t was dark and chilly, and the air was loaded
with the damp odor of clay. He lighted the
| gas and turned on the steam heat which came
with succession of sharp explosions like the
burning of a package of firecrackers.
| In the middle of the floor on a movable plat
! form stood his statue, swathed from head to
foot in wet, clay-staned cloths. He climbed up
on his working ladder and began to peel the
cloths off one by one, finging them to the floor.
At last the general stood unveiled, an heroic
| figure twelve fee. high. with sword raised urg-
ing his soldiers on TO battle / could not sup
press a cry of delighted admiration.
Why, my dear fellow, i'll magnificent! It's
superbt Its one of the best martial figures
I've ever seen in my life
He looked at it, smiling a sad, fond smile.
But pretty soon he shook his head. ''Magnif-
cent? Yes so the committee told me-" he said,
and broke into bitter laugh.
'But, More, really it is. The committee were
| right" 1 insisted. II think I'm qualified to
express an opinion, and tell you the thing is
! a sumner. I can't understand your dissatis-
| faction with it. It's well drawn, it's cor
rect anatomically, and for the rest, IT fairly
breathes."
4 lcS, eSdcuy, go ~ Is. IL mas
just that ationai. meretricious quality, that
! dash, that go, don't know what, which will
make everybody call it a sumner when they
| first look at it. But it has no staying power.
1t won't wear. 1t has no dignity, no repose;
| it's f1ashy. insincere. If you were to live with
1t every day for week you'd get as disguised
] with it as l am. What merit it has is superb
| cial: it's faults are radical, fundamental It's
| a failure, failure. There's excuse for it.
| Oh, my Godr' The last three words burst
| from him in - sudden passionate gust.
| 'Well, all can say is, if you destroy that
! figure you re a raying maniac. You'll regret it
| to the last day OF your life if you recover
your reason and understand what you have
done. Look at it, man. Look at the action Of
1t. Why, it's alive %
"All right. 1t will be dead enough in about
| five minutes" he rejoined.
He went to a corner of the room and brought
back a crowbar; the sight of it gave me a
shiver, as if it had been a murderous weapon.
| Then he stood still for a little leaning on his
| crow bar, and appeared to be looking the statue
| over from cap 10 toe.
1.-TWO years work." he said, finally "And,
good Lord, how I've worked at it! ] hate the
thing, and yet-well, 1 love it. 1t represents
| two years of my intensest life Do YOU remem-
Der the supper l gave here in my studio two
years ago, just after I'd got the order, to cele-
brats my luck? Who'd have thought then that
it would come to this." For a minute OF two
longer he looked at it in silence. 'Ah, WELL it's
got to go, he cried in the end. IF it were
done, when 'twere done. 'twere well it were
| done quickly! You stand over there, out of
! the way. Now thenI'' He advanced toward
! the statue with his crowbar raised.
But suddenly he let the bar drop with a re-
| sounding clang-clang to the hoor and falling
back few steps, mo, L can't do it" he cried.
Il haven't got the sand. must have some
thing more 10 drink. Go into the ante room
and fetch me decanter Of whisky you'll and
on the shelf in the cupboard"
Look here, More, began.
'.For Gods sake do what ask Won to and
don't dispute with me-" the poor fellow cried
passiOnately.
went off and fetched the whisky. He drank
| still glass Of it at one swallow. There! l
feel less like a woman now" he announced
He picked up his crowbar and again advanced
| upon the statue.
Goodbye, major general" he called ont, in
! grim comedy; and he ran the point Of the crow
bar through the soft clay of the generals feet
until it struck upon the iron support within.
At that he stood off for q moment and drew a
| deep breath. Now then! A long pull and q
| strong pullr' he shouted, and he threw his
whole weight upon the free end Of the bar. The
! statue did not move, but we could hear dull
crpnching sound within it. whereby we know
| That the iron support was loosene6.
1t was rather blood-curdling sound. con-
fess. Poor More turned pale and fell back
again. 'Oh, merciful heavens merciful
! heavens!' he groaned.
He turned his face away and could see that
his body was shaken by sobs.
I'm surprised at my weakness" he said, BY
and by, in a calmer voice, but 1 can't seem to
| overcome it. The thing is as good as done
already; the backbone of 1t is broken; it can't
stand long; its own weight must bring it down
sooner or later. The sooner the better only
can't do it. I've done all 1 can already It's
your turn now. Throw yourself upon the
| crowbar, old man, and finish what I have
begun"
Il? Neverv cried.
"Oh, come! Don't refuse me that. The mis-
chief is done, / tell you. All / ask you to do is
| to hasten the end and put me out Of my agony
You know as well as do that it can't stand
! now. Come. The general is mortally wounded,
be merciful and dispatch him. My courage is
| used up. / can't even look at the thing. Go
on! One good push and it will fall"
He kept his back turned toward il and me.
After all, he was right. The figure could not
stand, now that its interior support was broken
Its downfall was only question of time. And
for his own sake as he said. the sooner it fell.
and the tragedy was played out, perhaps the
better.
YOU'RE sure?" 1 asked
'Sure!" he answered.
threw my weight upon the crow bar, the
next instant Nore's statue fattened itself ont
| upon the floor, with Q shock that shook the
house.
THANK you," he said quietly. "Now let's
] go and have some supper. / feel rather faint I"
For some six weeks after this More lay yio-
lently ill in my rooms and it was three months
before no was strong enough to 20 to work
again. Meanwhile the committee had granted