The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-20
THE AMERICAN CLAIMANT.
Bv MARK TWAIN.
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CHAPTER KILL
Tracy wrote his father before he sought hi
he'd. He wrote q letter which he believes
would get better treatment than his cableRran
received. for II contained what ought to b
equality and working for living: had made
aght which he could find no reason to b.
ashamed OF. and in the matter Of earning
living had proved that he was able to do II
but that, on the whole. he Had arrived at tn,
conclusion that he could not reform tho world
single. handed. and was willing to retire from
the conflict with the fair degree Of homo
which he had gained. and was also willing tc
return homo and resume his position and bt
content with 1t and thankful for It for the III.
turo. leaving further experiment Of mission
airy sort to other young people needing the
Christening and ouelling persuasions OF ex.
perience. tho only logic sure to convince q dis
sased imagination and restore It to health.
Then he approached the subject Of marriage
with the daughter Of the American claimant
with good deal of caution and much pnins-
taking art. He said prniseful and appreci-
alive things about the girl. but didn't dwell
upon that detail or mako It prominent. The
thing which he made prominent was the op-
rortunty now 80 happily afforded to reconcile
York and Lancaster. graft the warning roses
upon one stem. and end forever . crying In
Justice which had already lasted far too long.
One could infer that he had thought this
thing oil out and chosen tho way OF making
all things fair and right, because It was sum-
GENTLY fair and wiser than the renunciation
scheme which he had brought with him from
England One could infer that. but he didn't
eayit. In fact, the more he read his letter over.
the more no got to inferring IL himself.
When tho old Earl received that letter the
first rart OF It filled him with grim and snarly
satisfaction: but the rest OF 1t brought snort
or two out of him that could be translated
differently. He wasted no ink in this emer-
Csncy either in cablsgrams or letters: he
promptly took ship for America to look into
tho matter himself He had stanchly held his
grip all this long time and givon no sign OF
the hunger at his heart to see his son: hoping
for the cure OF lis insane dream. and resolute
that tho process should 60 through all tho nec-
essary stages without assuaging kilograms or
othor nonsense from home. and hero was VIC
tory at last. Victory. but rnarrod by this idiotc
marriage project. Yes he would step over and
take hand In this matter himself.
During the first ten days following the mail
ing OF tho letter Tracy's spirits had no idle
time: they wero always climbing up into tho
clouds or sliding down into the Garth as deep
as the law Of grnvitation reached. He was In
tensey happy and intensely miserable BY
turns, according to Miss Sally's moods. He
never could tel! when the mood was going to
change aud when it changed no couldn't tell
what 1t was that had changed 1t. Sometimes
she was so in love with him that her love was
tropical torrid. and shs could find no Ian
Guage ferv:ns enough for It's expression: then
suddenly. and without warning or any appar-
ent reason. the weather would change and the
victim would find himsel; adrift among tho
iceberes and feeling as lonesome and friend
less rs the North Pole. 1t sometimes seemed to
him that a man might better be dead than
exposed to these devastating varieties OF
climate.
The case was simple Sally wanted to be-
licve tina: Tracy's preference was disinterest-
ed: so she was always applying little tests OF
ono sort or another hoping and expecting that
thc%would b-in: out evidence which would con-
firm and fortify her belief. Poor Tracy did not
know that these experiments were being made
upon him. consequently he walked promptly
into all tho traps tho girl set for him. These
traps consisted in apparently casual refer
enccs to social distinction. aristocratic tito
ard privilege. and such things. Often Tracy
responded to these references heedlessly. and
not much caring what he said. provided it kept
the talk going and prolonged tho seance. He
didn't suspect that the girl was Watching his
face and listening for his words rs ono who
watches tho Judges face and listens for the
words which will restore him to home and
friends and freedom. or shut him away from
the sun and human compantonship forever.
He didn't suspect that his careless words were
being weighed. und so he often delivered sen:
torces Of death when It would have been Just
as handy and all the same to him to pronounce
acquitta1. Daily he broke the girls heart:
nightly he sent her to the rack for sleep. He
couldn't understand it
Some people would have put this and that
together and perceived that the weather never
changed until one particular subject was in
troduced. and then that 1t always changed.
And they would have looked further and per-
ceived that that subject was always intro
ducsd by tho one party. never the other. They
would have argued. then. that this was done
Tor purpose. II they could not find out what
that purpose was In any simpler aud easier
way. they would ask.
But Tracy was not deep enough or suspicious
enough to think OF these things. He noticed
only ono particular: that the weather was al
ways sunny when visit began. No matter
how much it might cloud up later. it always
began with clear sky. He couldn't explain
this curious fact to himself. he merely knew 1t
TO BIO fact. The truth OF the matter was that
by the timo Tracy had been out OF Sally's
sight six hours she was 40 furnishing for q
sight OF him that her doubts and suspicious
were all consumed away In the fire Of that
longing. and so always she came into his pres
enco as surprisingly radiant and Joyous as she
wasn't whom sho went out OF 1t.
In circumstances like these growing
portrait runs n good many risks Tho portrait
o. Sellers. by Tracy. was fighting along day
by day. through this mixed weather. and daily
adding to itself ineradicdble signs Of the
checkered life it was leading. It was the hap
plest portrait. in spots. TINT was ever seen: but
In other spots IL damned soul looked out from
1t: n soul that was suffering all the different
kinds Of distress there nre. from stomach ache
TO rabies. But Sellers liked It He said 1t was
Just himself all over-a portrait that sweated
moods from every pore. and no two moods
alike. He said he had as many different kinds
" emotions in him as q jug.
1t twas kind OF deadly work OF art. maybe.
but 1t was n starchy picture for show: for it
was life siza full Ian 9TH md ranre aent od tha