The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-08-21

are coroilary of the general truth or
virtue known to the outside world az
moderation | have. however. some deli
cacy III inficting SO great an incubus
for 1t must seem such TO the uninitiated
upon one who. like you is of the beau
monde and lsed to it's smooth ways. /
speak knowingly, for too in my day be-
longed to the beau monde, and am far
miliar with the easy. however volatile.
dow OF speech incident thereto"
DO not mind me, pray" said "In-
deed, | have read your essays as well as
your poems. Mr.. Spence, and am very
anxious to understand your system prac-
tically
Be it So, he replied 1 did not
wish to infict myself unduly. Art
should be sensitive. Do you not agree
with me. Miss Harlan?"
How exquisiteI' | heard Miss Kings
ley whisper to Mr. Fleisch, with whom
she was standing few feet distant gaz.
ing at the master
1t was Mr. Paul Barr who answered
the question for me:
no, Miss Harlan, art should be ag-
gressive; art should be ardent. do not
agree with Mr.. Spence. In fact, we never
agree upon any subject But we are
friends. lifelong bosom friends Shake
Charles. shake; we have not given the
grip and pressure of aEnity tonight
He spoke ii deep, sonorous bass, ami
extended to his friend hirsute hand
1T is true we belong to different
schools, Mr. Barr and |, Miss Harlan,
said Mr.. Spence 'sHe believes in the
supremacy of the untrammeled, as his
poems and pictures show; [, on the con
trlry. give my voice to equipoise. But,
as be has we'll said we are devoted
friends
You shall Judge between US" con-
tinued Paul Barr. addressing me. (which
is better, the free undulation of self. or
eternal tension?'
"A fine antithesis." murnured Miss
Kingsley
'Mein Gotti but it is not true, that
free undulation of self It deceives, it
deludes; 1t is a-wllat word is it am
seeking?-a-eh-I have it-boomerang
"a boomerang that plaques the invent
or" said Mr. Fleisch
t'Refuted, well refutedl" said Mr.
Spence 'Fleisch has hit the mark The
overmuch is indeed boomerang Thanks,
Bernard for the epigran," he added
turning to the little German.
Everybody clapped their hands except
main neutral AS for the artist, he stood
stroking his beard fercely, with his eyes
fixed on the ceiling.
At this moment the door opened and
maid servant announced tea.
Mr.. Spence looked at Miss Kingsley
interrogatively From this moment.
please. said size.
He shrugged his shoulders and sighed,
and as we walked into tea together Miss
Kingsley whispered that he was about to
practice his theory.
''Of course. Virginia, dear, every one
will understand that you are q novice,
and you will be at liberty to talk in your
natural manner The rest of us are ex-
pected to assist Mr.. Spence as far as pos
sible. | am all in a futter | know
shall break down.
The room in which we took tea was a
veritable snuggery The servant found
it difficult to get round the table, and
there was strong smell of the frying
pan owing to the vicinity of the tiny
kitchen But these inconvenience, if
they were SO to be called, merely added
to my zest and enjoyment. Here, in
deed, was agreeable and talented society.
Aunt Agnes was right. My associates
hithertoha had been frivolous and volatile.
The world of fashion was a sham. What
CONTRAST could not help making it
between the insipid speeches of my for
mer friends and the clever talk of this
purely literary circle, where ideas and
scholarship were recognized and crowned!
Mr.. Spence and Mr.. Barr sat on either
side of Miss Kingsley, and | glanced
from the one to the other, debating with
myself whether | preferred the bold,
strong beauty of the artist, or the sub
tile and more delicate traits of feature
of the philosopher. For, though had
begun by regarding Mr.. Spence almost
as commonplace in appearance, the ear
nestness of his manner and the serious
lSIfOI VI eyes 51fO I'LL oil ApICS-
sion of having deep and genuine belief
in his own theories, which when com
pared with the impetuous but more vol
atile air of Paul Barr commended him
to my respect and admiration even while
was fattered by the gallantries of his
rival
1t was Mr. Barr who first broke the
silence after we sat down to table by
asking me if had not passed the sum-
mer at Tinker's Reach. As he spoke IN
the ordinary guise I was surprised, until
it occurred to me that, as a member of
another school, he could hardly be ex-
pected, even from courtesy or friendship,
to practice doctrines to which he could
not subscribe.
EYES," said 1.
Malaria, began Mr.. Spence.
There was little murmur of ex-
pectation, and Mr.. Fleisch, Drumming
over with excitement, said, "Bad drain
age"
mo excuse. Sea near Inhabitants
should agitate question" continued Mr.
Spence.
Everybody appearance Of health not
withstanding, exclaimed Miss Kingsley
"Oyermuch ozone, said Mr.. Spence.
Unhealthy stimulus. Reaction LATER
addad the little German