Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-11-12
CHAPTER IvL.-EYILE
OH gl3dness comes to many,
But sorrow comes to me,
AS l look DER the wiQe ocean

would have settled that had there been n,
other unlucky stones for the enemy to pei
him with. Strange how communities ar
subject to be shocked into passing spasm!
Of virtue by common occurrences when in
vested with uncommon associations. Pub
lie opinion has its periodical fits of hysteria
and when the full moon is in the RICH
quarter the sight of a black cat in ecstasy
Is enough 10 bring them on. The horror
shocked people published the BlarnabJ
party fcr the removal" of ar anti-Biarnaby
editor. The Patriot, however. true to the
journalistic instinct, calmly took credit Il
itself for victory won solely by its apps
tolic teachings
The murder of poor Michael Mahogany
saint and martyr, if ever the quill-clar
produced such a rarity, was not cleared up
Some day, when party hatredS give way tC
patriOtric unity, there may oOZe out some
startling disclosures, if only as death-beG
confession. Political murders-of which
there are more than we dream. and more
n1urder-methOds, subtle and respectable
from slow starvation to slaughter by worry
rarely survive the Doctors certificate OF
death from natural causes, or the coroner's
jury'S perfunctory verdict of temporary
insanity Besides, who cares for a mere
ignote of an editora Unless. of course, he
has somehow got wealth and gentility.
All! wbo can tell how hard it is to climb
The steep where fames proud temple shines
All who can tell how many soul sublime
Has felt the influence of malignant star
and Faged with fortune unequal war;
Checked by the scof of pride, by Envy frown,
And Poverty's unconQusrable bar.
IN LIES low vale remote has pined alene,
When dropped into the grave, unpitied and IN
known
What was the outlook for Blarnaby the
defeated
His loss was grievous, crushing. Loss
upon loss: lost prestige, that is fatal in any
Ia Lost hi I1,,frr ~
blight that turns the promising young fruit
Into apples of S0dom; lost faith in friend
ship-tbat is too familiar an experience to
deepen wrinkle one hairs thickness. Lost
love! As for that, some more daring hand
must essay 10 fsthom the human heart for
bottom TO its love-depths. This, too, is
Blarnaby of whom we are speaking.
He lost four years of glory, plus 5000 900
reward for winning IL. Or perhaps it were
nearer the mark TO put it as 4 prize to be
divided among those who win il for you
He had counted ON the supreme pleasure of
patronizlng his devctees with rank, influ-
ence, Office and cash. He had pictured him
self surrounded by a cabinet of bosom
friends, each eager to repay his generosity
with such wealth-augmenting services as
high functionaries alone are able to avail
them selves of and tender to their friends.
AL gone!
Can there be loss of caste in land of
equality! If so, he had lost caSttoo. This
means the fading of fair-weather friend
ships which add successes to success and
failures TO failure.
Commercial eminencea This, too. hangs
the skirts of prosperity, which grow so
Eyed with change that nothing of weight
hereafter keep hold. Commercial de-
nc stared him in the face. Nay, it
"oped down on him before he could brace
l~ef 10 ward its blow Within the
H-ih S!arnaby was Wall street wreck.
ne oar was left him on the frail raft
hai bore him up. That much-coveted.
multiplication asphalt contract had been
secured by his good friend Fotheringham's
Astounding genius. True. the stuff might
not ROW be procurable from the Inflated
wyoming Schemes territory, but it could
be got somewhere else easily enough.
Blarnaby naturally made up his mind to
stick to this oar for the present. 1t would
1T least keep him afloat and moving ahead
for awhile.
So he called one morning at his excellent
friend Fotheringhams Office.
ooh, yes, the city contractl Why, GER
tanly, my friend. That's all right. You
see, got 1t made out in my name-to shield
you from unfair suspicion, don't you know.
] shall not make anything out of it worth
speaking OF, but, my dear friend, as you
give me TO understand money is rather
tight with you at present, if a loan of
thousand would be of any use to you'll
would try to raise it-for old acquaintance
sake, you knowr'
Blarnaby begged his friend to excuse his
hasty departure because he felt suddenly
sick at the stomach and must hurry to get
brand y-and-SeltZer.
His crystal-clear mind never hesitated
when action was necessary. He took one
more sweeping survey of the situation, and
then proceeded to business.
He made over his assets, mostly prospec-
tive, TO his creditors; settled his heart
broken sister in Il comfortable country
home with old friends; sold most of his
household effects and personal belongings,
and set sail once more for London.
Not alone, this time.
few days before his departure an inter-
esting rite had been sclemniZed in a quiet
little church on Madison avenue, which
united one Euphemia j. Shicksper, widow,
with one De Witt NJ. BlarnaOy, bachelor, in
the holy bonds of matrimony. No display,
no friends, no presents, no public advertise
mentS.
But to her, faithful among the faithless,
he paid unstinted heart homage as all NAV
now for the first time know by these lines
he had copied out and gave her as his mar
rlaCe testament.
When in disgrace with fortune and men eyes
all alone bcweep my outcast state,
And trouble deep Heaven with my bootless
cries
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like TO one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends -os-
De + NJ This mans art and that mans scope.
with what most enjoy contented least;
' Ct in these thoughts myself about despiSing
HAPPY think on Thee, and then my state,
Like 10 the lark at break OF day arising
From Sullen earth. sings hymns ut Heavens
gate;
For Thy sweet love remembered such wealth
brings
That now scorn TO change my state with
kings.
And 50 the darkness seemed to break into |
the bright promise of a sunny day for two |
advcnturerS upon the wilderness of a |
strange world. For though Blarnaby was
: clever man, ana Encw much of London ,
life. the new conditions under which this |
first serious task of starting life anew at
past middle age, in strange country with
out available friends, was in truth an ad-
venture OF which Robinson CruSoe need not :,
have been ashamed.
They found themselves in vast London
pr ucally alone. He preferred it so to be- /
he had set himself the ordeal of struggle |
calm, resolute, prolonged if the fates so |
wllled IL He was enough of u fatalist to
3dmlt that what is to be will be- and had |
Aong fortified himself with the cheerfulness
or submission when his honest best had
been done in vain. His wife too, was like
minded. She, as we know. had drunk
pretty deeply of the bitter cup It had |
proved merciful tonic against future Ills
They were happily fitted for helpful COM
partnership in this novel experiment in life.
Exile, they called 1t, with a well-under-
stood melancholy tingeing the make believe