Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-11-08
CHAPTER XvI.-EXILE
Oh! gladness comes TO many.
But sorrow comes to me,
AS l look DER the vice ocean

would have settled that had there been no
other unlucky stones for the enemy to pelt
him with. Strange how communities are
subject TO be shocked into passing spaSms
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 right
quarter the sight of black cat in ecstasy
is enough to bring them on. The horror
shocked people published the Blarnaby
party for the removal of an anti-Blarnaby
editor. The Patriot, however, true to the
journalistic instinct, calmly took credit to
itself for victory won solely by its apos-
tolic teachings
The murder of poor Michael Mahogany,
SAINT and martyr, if ever the quill-clan
produced such rarity, was not cleared up.
Some day, when party hatreds give way to
patriotric unity, there may ooze out some
startling disclosures, if only as death-bed
confession. Political murders-of which
there are more than we dream, and more
murder methods, subtle and respectable,
from slow starvation to slaughter by worry
-Seeeiy survive the DOCTORS certificate of
death from natural causes, or the coroner'S
jurys perfunctory verdict of Temporary
insanity Besides, who cares for mere
ignote of an editor? Unless, of course, he
has somehow got wealth and gentility.
All! who can tell how hard it is to climb
The steep where fame's proud temple shines
afar:
Ali who can tell how many a soul sublime
Has felt the influence of malignant star
And waged with fortune an unequal war;
Checked by the scon of pride, by Envy's frown,
And PovertyS uncomfortable bar.
In life low vale remote has pinned alone,
Then dropped into the grave, unpitied and un-
known!
What was the outlook for Blarnaby the
defeated
His loss was grievous, crushing. Loss
mr. icn hat &c fnto al in
dollarocracy; lost ambition, a midnight
blight that turns the promising young fruit
into apples of Sodom; lost faith in friend
Ship-that is too familiar an experience to
deepen wrinkle one hairs thickness Lost
lover AS for that, some more daring hand
must essay to fathom the human heart for
a 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 1t as prize to be
divided among these who win it for you.
He had counted on the supreme pleasure of
patronlZlng his devoteeS with rank, inftu-
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
themselves of and tender to their friends.
All gone!
equality2 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 eminence2 This, too hangs
on the skirts of prosperity, which grow so
ragged with change that nothing of weight
can thereafter keep hold. Commercial de-
cline stared him in the face. Nay, it
swooped down on him before he could brace
himself to ward its blow. Within the
month Blarnaby was Wall street wreck.
One oar was left him ON the frail raft
that 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 now be procurable from the Inflated
Wyoming Schemes territory, but it could
be got somewhere else easily enough.
Blarnaby naturally made up mis- mind to
stick to this oar for the present. 1t would
at least keep him afloat and moving ahead
fer awhile.
So he called one morning at his excellent
friend F'otheringham's Office.
''Oh, yes, the city contract! Why, GER
tainly, my friend. That's all right. You
see, got it 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 tt-for old acquaintance
sake, YOU knowi''
Blarnaby begged his friend to excuse his
hasty departure because he felt suddenly
sick ut the stomach and must hurry to get
brandy 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.
10 do
tive, TO his creditors; settled his heart
broken sister in 4 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.
A few days before his departure an inter-
esting rite had been solemnized in a quiet
little church on Madison avenue, which
united one Euphemia ]. Shicksper, widow,
with one De Witt NJ. Blarnapy, bachelor, in
the holy bonds of matrimony. No display,
no friends, no presents, no public advertise
ments.
But 10 her. faithful among the faithless,
he paid unStinted heart homage, as all may
now for the first time know by these lines
he had copied out and gave her as his mar
rage testament.
When in disgrace with fortune and men eyes
all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deep Heaven with my bootless
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like 10 one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends pos
sessed.
Desiring this mans art and that mans scope,
With what most enjoy contented least;
Get in these thoughts myself about despising
HAPPY think on Thee, and then my state,
Like TO the lark 1T break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns At Heavens
gate;
For thy sweet love remembered such wealth
brings
That now scorn 10 change my state with
kings
And so the darkness seemed to break into
the bright promise of a sunny day for two
sdventurers upon the wilderness of a
strange world. For though Blarnaby was
a clever man, and knew much of London ,
life, the new conditions under which this
first serious task of starting life anew at
past middle age, in a strange country with
out available friends, was in truth an adj
venture of which Robinson Crusoe need not /,
have been ashamed.
They found themselves in vast London, !
practically alone. He preferred it so to be-
He had set himself the ordeal of struggle,
calm, resolute, prolonged, if the fates so
wllled 1t. He was enough of a fatalist to |
ADMIT that what is to be will be, and had |
long fortified himself with the cheerfulness |
OF submission when his honest best had |
been done in vain His wife, too, was like |
minded. She, as we know. had drunk i
pretty deeply of the bitter cup. 1t had |