Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-04-23


noon, he put the check for two thou
absent-mindedly along the street thai
led down to the river. He did not no
tice much that was about him, for hi,
mind was working in that sad sort o
anger of his over Joels treatment O
him. He did not at first feel the weight
of this acquisition of dollars or think
how it might freshen and change his
life. He had liked to a certain. limit
this big energetic man from the first
though as his own soul opened from
the bud of childhood into blossom
Joefs indelicate wit came to be dis,
tasteful to him, and his business meth.
DDS something to be despised. But his
heart was hurt, and an angry kind Of
loneliness was on him as he walked
across the bridge and up and along the
wooded bluffs that rose in the elbow OF
the stream that turned away to the
west. Had Joel some Interior and I'M
fair object in thus always letting him
believe himself penniless? He certain.
ly had taken advantage of him by this
secrecy.
These thoughts burned about in his
mind as he walked along under the
oaks that crowned the bluffs, with now
and then an acorn dropping from
among the boughs and bounding on
the sward. Presently he stopped
under an oak and, taking his hat of,
Stroked his forehead and hair back as il
to throw off the dark humor he was in.
His hat slid down on the grass, and he
leaned against the tree with a slow
wind falling against his forehead as he
looked out over the prairie that dipped
and folded away to the south under o
blue Elm of autumnal smoke. He was
not a pretty fellow, but many people
doubtless would have thought him fine.
He had no color-this perhaps from
excessive mental work-and his brow,
like his mothers, was square and high.
His nose seemed rather large. but was
strongly chiseled, with nostril sensitive
ts every emotion. He was not twenty
years of age, yet he had a touch
OF his fathers Square-shouldered stur-
Giness, though of shapelier sort His
mouth and eyes, however, best voiced
the inclinations of his spirit. The last
being bold and clear, with an eloquent,
eager look, and the first being cut so
delicately one might conceive that he
would never tire of looking at any
thing that was beautiful. This, indeed,
was one of his browning tendencies,
and brought him, from one direction
IN life at least, unmeasured anguish.
He might have been a poet or an art
lst; nay, perhaps was both of these at
heart. like many another in whom the
sound of music, the sight of lovely
flesh, the glory of the heavens and the
beauty of the earth, awaken answer
ing voices, that out of kind of mental
forever refuse to mate with or
expose themselves in ink and oil. Be-
sides, he was of too practical father
for many visions. and the conditions of
his life had tended little to rapture. But
often he would pluck flower, for in
stance, and look long and Accordingly
into it, studying its minute and mar
Vicious beauty. and thinking through 1t
at the infinitely delicate aud powerful,
whose thought it seemed
sent through the ground to meet his
own.
He took out the check and looked at
it; not valuing it much yet for what it
might bring him, but rather wondering
at it as representing in some sense the
mystery and tragedy that surrounded
his beginning. Then his mind followed
along the simple track of his life until
of sudden it came upon that evening
1T Judge Bowers, and the voice Of
little Celeste rang in the cha mber of
his memory like sound struck from
some exquisite fairy Instrument of sill
YER He closed his eyes and produced
i again and yet again by the help of
'ancy, and fell to thinking of her
beauty with something of the purity
With which one might approach an
angel for to John Earling whatever
~ hnn nj L..
thought or hand IN chastity and rever-
.nce.
Presently the sun began to 60 down,
linking in a great fire at the far-off end
II the valley through which the river
vent into the west, and flooding the
ong many-colored hollow with a mel
ow lovely light. While he was look
ng at this. girl riding milk-white
oony came around one of the valleys
textures following the gray road to-
ward the town with the rosy light about
Ter much us if she had ridden out of
he sunset When she came nearer he
Jaw that it was Maun Woodman. AS
he passed in an easy canter, uncon-
cious of the silent watcher above her,
lie saw how she sat her horse in kind
If willowy ease with a long and taper
ng waist and dark face rich with
'elor.
He turned to follow her with his eve
when she had passed. and saw almost
With surprise the silent book-keeper
coming quietly along the road toward
he sunset. He was looking aS the
ground as he walked, and when he
ooked up and saw the girl he gave a
tart. but took off his hat and bowed
politely as she passed him with a
mile and salute from her riding
whip. When he came by below John
CARING he seemed flushed and was
nuttering something to himself.
Then he stopped and watched the girl
Until she had gone out of sight, and
urned and walked muttering on into
he gathering shadows.
John Earnings retrospective and in
respective mood being thus broken
nto, his practically returned as he |
vent toward the town. and the check |
IS factor in his fortunes began to |
RIB about in his mind. He was not