Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1892-08-11
THE coMMoNEsT POSSIBLE STORY
From Scribner's Magazine

~N HILANDER Atkinson, bachelor O
law and writer of light verse, sa
one murky August evening in hi
~ hall bedroom, with the gas turned
4 low, wondering whether the nigh
would be too hot for sleep. At
quarter before ten lettering messenger
boy brought him line from his frienC
Darnel: "Come around at once. Jus
back. The very greatest news" There
upon Atkinson discarded his smoking
jacket, reluctantly exchanged his slippers
for shoes and took the car down tt
that Darnels brief vacation from the
Broadway bank expired that day anG
specializing as to the nature of the great
news which the clerk had brought bach
from Vermont. The lawyer was a Yer.
monter too, and it was this fact, as wei
as common literary ambition, that had
drawn the young fellows together al
first, long before Philander, on the
strength of having two triolets paid for
had moved up to Thirty-first street
Philander Atkinson liked Darnel adj
mired his feverish energy and his pluck,
envied his acquaintance with books. He
had always persisted in thinking that
Darnel's stories would sell, if only some
magazine would print one for a starter
and he had patiently listened to most OF
these stories and to some of them several
times over. Yet Darnel had never had
any luck; had never had even his desert
and the sincerity of his congratulations
whenever Atkinson's verses saw the
light always caused Phlander to feel a
trifle awkward. He knew that the indie
fatigable clerk had two or three manu-
scripts "out''-out in the mails-when
the vacation began and as he turned in
at Darnel's clearinghouse he had al
most persuaded himself that The Hon
had accepted "Laki," his friends Egyp-
tian story. 1t was long climb up to
Darne's room and the writer of light
verse mounted deliberately, being fat
with over-much sitting in his office chair.
On the third floor the air was heavy with
orange flowers and Bonsilene roses and
a caterer was carrying away ice-boXes.
A whimsical rhyme came into Philan-
der's head and he made mental note of
it. just then Darnel appeared, leaning
over the balustrade of the fourth floor
landing, his coat off, his collar visibly
the worse for the railway journey and an
eager smile upon his thin, homely face.
"Hullo, d." said Philander. "Here l
am. Been having wedding here?" he
added in low voice, as he grasped
Darnel's hand.
81 believe SO. I'm just back. Come
in, Phil. You got my message"
"Why else should 1 be here, old fell
low? Is it Laki,' sure?"
Without answering, Darnel led the
way into his tiny room. His trunk lay
upon the floor, half unpacked, the fold
;oor bod x,,op down for tho hatfor aanon.
mediation of some of the trunks contents
and the desk in the corner, under the
single Jet of gas, was covered with piles
of finely torn paper. Darnel's manner,
usually mel vous and somewhat conscious,
betrayed a certain exhilaration but he
was under perfect self-control.
"'Laki p" he said, seating himself in
his revolving chair and whirling around
to the desk, while Atkinson threw him
self upon the bed, 6 'Laki?' Oh, had
forgotten. It's probably here"
He pulled over the mail accumulated
during his absence. eyes" He tore
open the big envelope. ""The editor
of The Eon regrets to say etc., and
he tossed the printed slip, with the man.
uscript, into his waste-basket, with a
laugh.
Atkinson's heart sank. Poor Darnel ;
it was not cheerful welcome home.
But Darnel was busted with his letters.
ssAnd here are the others, he went on
81 thank the Lord none of them were &C.
cepted."
ssWhat!" exclaimed Philander, turn
ing upon his elbow.
Darnel looked at him with puzzled
smile.
s'That's why sent for you," said he
''Phil, all that I've been writing here fol
three years is stuff and I've only just
found it out. / can do something differ
ent now"
Atkinson stared. Darnel had rarely
talked about his work and then in 8
scarcely suppressed fever of excitement
and anxiety. Many time had Atkin
son noticed lis big hollow eyes turr
darker and his sallow face grow ashy
even in reading over with shaking
voice some of that same "stuff."
81 have learned the great secret, Oar
mel added, quietly.
"You have Aladdln's ring?" said At
kinson. s'Or are you in love?"
Both" replied Darnel. at is the
same thing"
Philander flung himself upon the pill
low with little laugh. $50 ahead, D.
II have found her and myself. LIE
me turn down the gas little, see
hurts your eyes. l belong in the worlt
now; am in the heart of it, said t.
myself coming down the river this after
noon-in the heart of the world HI
fingered over the words. ''Phil, he ex
claimed, suddenly, "all the time | wa
trying to lift myself by the boo,-straps
l was laboring to imagine things an,
people, and to get them on paper. |
was all wrong. Do you remember tina
French poem you read me last winter
about the idol and the eastern princess
how she lay on her couch sleeping-th
plight was hot-with the bronze idol ga2
ing at her with its porphyry eyes, Will
her brown bosom rose and sank in he
sleep, and the porphyry eyes kept stal
ing at hers-staring-but they neve
saw! Well, / believe my eyes have bee
like that. In 'Laki, now, you know
wanted to describe the exact color OF tn
stone in the quarry, and asked tn
Egyptologist up at the museum to tie