Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-10-05

Between you and me, cannot understand
1t at alp
This was not very flattering, but had
been too much astonished myself not to
excuse his establishment.
what has happened to your book is
very queer" continued he; "people buy It,
but no one talks about it. 1t is the first
time / ever saw that happen in the book
trade. 1t is very queer, very queerp
Before we separated it was agreed that
500 new copies of 1.-The Swallows" should
be printed Immediately, 50 as not to miss
the sale. In fact, n few days after that l
saw my dear volume majestically dis
played by the booksellers and ornamented
with that aattering statement, second
edition"
Decidedly | wGs somebody. Neverthe-
less Massol's remark troubled me little.
No one talked of my book, no one seemed
to have read it except those to whom I
had sent copies.
after all" said to myself, II am very
foolish to torment myself in this way.
Since The Swallows sells, some one buys
The Swallows What more can askP
Besides, the book contains only love verses
and verses of passion, and it must be wom-
en- who buy it. Yes, womenp
Intoxicated by this thought, imagined
my blue covered book in the hands of all
the great ladies in the noble faubourg,
who read it in their beds at night and went
to sleep dreaming about it.
Encouraged by this first success, went
eagerly TO work. l wrote my first play,
1.-THE Grandmother" which, as you know,
had an opportunity to succeed at the
Odeon. Then came the Victims of Mar
riage' at the GyInnase, the 1.-TWO Broth
ers" at the Coincide Franchise, then still
others. was becoming full fledged au-
thor, as we say. Years passed, and
thought no more of my Swallows" the
timid and forgotten work of my youth.
1t was at this time that l experienced
one of the great griefs of my lifeI lost
my dear grandfather. He gradually wore
out, cared for and loved by us all TO his
last hour. He had one of those rare natures
in which egotism finds no place, and whose
active kindness recoils before no trouble
that may bring some joy 10 loved ones;
one of those tender and delicate souls, al
ways forgetting themselves TO think only
of others, considering themselves amply
repaid by a smile, and finding their happi-
ness in the pleasures they are able TO give.
| shall always remember the sadness
with which we entered his rooms a month
after the dear mans death. They had re-
manned just as they were, the old furniture
and familiar objects reminding US OF him.
Rays Of sunlight slipping through the
window blinds fell obliquely upon the
| lowered carpet, making slender golden
bars in which the dust was dancing. We
walked ON tiptoe and spoke In low tones.
| 1t seemed as If he must still be there In
the big bed with drawn curtains, or in
the armchair he had loved, or by the table
| where he used to spread his newspaper or
make up his accounts, with that whole
some exactness which he carried into the
smallest details of life.
| \ servant, recently come into the house,
| opened the blinds abruptly, indifferent t.
an emotion which he could not under
| stand. Suddenly the whole room was
| filed with light from outside, and with il
came a food of fresh air, bringing the
| roar of the street. Death was allowing
| life to enter; and with life, cruel necessi
| ties.
The dead mans rooms We're 70 be rented
| the furniture must be removed, the ward
robes emptied and all made clean for the
stranger who was coming TO take his place
| The dead 90 quickly, especially in larg,
cities-those immense hives in perpetua
activity. Scarcely is u cell emptied Of it,
| humming life when another life installs it
self there. ignorant alike of that which hai
preceded it and that which will follow.
The moving commenced and was sadly
affected. 1t seemed 10 me as if all thai
stin remained Of my grandfather was be
ing scattered and consumed little by little
Some one, pointing out 10 me the lowe
part Of the cupboard which he had jus
| opened, exclaimed in an astonished tone
"Henryl Come and seeF'
| / looked Immediately and saw--oh
dear grandfather! dear and excellent man
Il saw the lower shelves filed with uncu
volumes all alike, bound in the blue cover
l knew so well-"The Swallowsi" 9TH
Swallowsl"
The first edition Of my book was there
| almost entire-that edition so quickl,
bought up, (which people buy and abou
which no one talks" as Massol had said
| NY grandfather had bought 1t. He wa
that mysterious publiO-he those beautiful
duchesses whom had imagined devourinl
my verses, propped up in the midst of thei
lace pillows.
l kneeled down and with trembling ham
touched the volumes, at the same tim
both spotless and old. The stamps of tn
most distant booksellers were on some O
them. One came from the Boulevard dl
Temple, another from the galleries Of tn
Odeon. All the time that ! was handlin
them / seemed 10 see the dear man agai
setting ont on foot and hurrying to tn
four corners of Paris to buy his grandson
bookl | could see him enter the shoI
proudly ask for THE Swallows" by Her
~ Didier, take two or three copies "a
many as he could without awakening tn
merchants suspicion) and carry them III
der his arm, laughing to himself at hi
touching ruse. As soon as he entered b
would run quickly to this cupboard an
conceal his booty, happy TO see the ROY
growing longer and longer He had keI
his secret for all these years. His delicac
had not wanted the thanks 10 which it ha
so many rightsl
And then | remembered the expressio
he had used as he smiled behind his glasse
the day received the letter from Masso
"You are happy, little one2 Well, that
all that is necessary