Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1892-11-29
LOVES LABOR LOST.

11O LO hhDOh hOD1S s
We do not claim to have model
boarding-hou No one has ever been
heard extolling themerits of Miss Cragg's
coffee or lauding the virtues OF Miss
Crsgg's boarders. But we are quiet,
social little coterie- all excepting BatelS,
Bately is worse than the woman with
mission. For she is at least tame and
sociable, and better than all she is a
woman. But Bately-why, his like was
never seen. For weeks he has been
known to walk through the upper hall
all night. talking to himself, and remain
lects those attentions to the details of
toilet which are indicative of the con-
ceited man, for his hair is long and his
beard is ragged He seldom conyerses
with any one except his roommate-for
Bately, to tell the whole secret, imagines
he is a poet.
None of us have ever discovered any
plausible reason for Batelys arriving at
this opinion. 1t may have been brought
about by the encomiums which mis-.
guided friends had heaped upon some
earlier efforts in praise of Bogg's harness
oil, perpetrated when Bately was in
pecuniary straits, which condition, by
the way, was chronic one with Bately.
Or he may have discovered by a system
attic series of experiments that he wGs
good for nothing else. and consequently
would make success as a poet. How
ever that may be, the fact was indis-
putable that Bately firmly believed the
divine affiatus was his in large quanti-
ties.
How the other boarders regarded the
matter did not in the least trouble Bate
ly. He conceived supreme inditer-
ence to the opinions of us all. He had,
Miss Cragg on financial matters as ex.
pressed weekly But for the most part
he gave his fellow -boarders wide berth
and walked apart, ever wrapped in rosy
visions of future greatness with his name
emblazoned high on the roll of fame, his
rhymes on the lips of school children
everywhere and stone in Westminster
Abbey to mark his final resting place.
Bately had roommate. This was not
his fault, to be sure, and suppose that
jeffrey had seen more congenial room
mates in the course of his wanderings
But jeffrey had come to the Cragg's
bower of bliss one night for room when
everything was full.
Z" You might take half of Mr..
Bately's," said Miss Cragg, and, as
jeffrey wasn't particular, he came and
stayed.
He always expressed mild sort OF
pity for poor Bately, and would listen
with composure to the effusions of the
poetic genius. None of the rest of us ever
heard poem of his clear through, but
Jeffrey stood it with the fortitude of a
saint. M
We might have put up with Bately if
that was his only failing, but through
one of those freaks of genius we read
1t may have been poetic license, for no
one ever saw girl speak two words to
him. But Bately was firmly convinced
that some young lady was about as near
perfection as the law allows young Ia
dies of the present day to arrive. He
composed countless odes and sonnets in
her honor, which she never saw. This
latter circumstance was doubtless a
lucky one for whatever chances he might
have had Of gaining her favor.
Bately confded all this to his room
mate at odd times and at last one night
he told jeffrey that the young lady g
birthday was approaching, and it was
his intention to Just spread himself, 80
to speak, on that auspicious occasion.
He was to write poem which would be
the effort of his life, which would carry
her heart by storm and settle forever
any doubts which we poor benighted
souls might have as to his genius, his
inspiration, his poesy.
For three whole days Bately was deaf
to the outside world, He moved and
lived as IN a trance, working on that
poem, but we could see that it was not
all smooth sailing, even for his mighty
intellect. he worked all day and far
into the night, but produced nothing
which would satisfy even himself. As
the time drew nearer he became more
morose than ever, and the more timid
of our lady boarders feared to meet him
in his frenzied stalkings through the
halls. He used up whole quires of pa.
per, but no one, not even Jeffrey, dared
ask question or suggest line.
On the night before the birthday cele.
bration it was evident that he had been
inspired at last, for a softer light shone
in his eyes. and he gazed on some of the
ladies while he silently quoted to him,
self, as If practicing for that grand coup
d'etat when he should present to the
lady of his heart the outpouring of his
love embalmed in immortal verse
But he was not yet In that tranquil
frame of mind which follows the accom-
plishment of mighty work involving
time and thought He had evolved from
the recesses of his poetic imagination
the following:
Wiener glance
At the fair eIpRnse
OF your lovely face
In It's proper place
1feoi-