Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1893-10-26
but he SAID nothing.

/ UtAJ li5 btllu
"Ah, well, | wish l had known that
you contemplated this idiocy before |
wasted time and ink on you, Murray.
You didn't tell me, Of course. No rea-
son why you should. But assure you,
had guessed what manner Of man you
were I wouldn't have plunged into such
a bewildering prophecy about your fu-
ture greatness. I'm not usually SO i'm
pulsiye," and he rent the sheets half
across before Toms voice made him
pause.
SIS this fair? If you really liked THE
Worlds Way why won't you say sop
The mysterious violet gray Of twilight
stealing through the high windows be-
hind him touched his young face with
shadows. It was pinched, eager, watch
| full.
ooh, I'll do that, of course. A few
lines, a paragraph, will suffice, but not
this psalm Of victory, this heralding Of
a new voice that is not to be stilled, but
will rise again and again-not that.
You'll have to prove all I've said false
before write Of you in that strain. y
And he was the incarnation of bland,
impersonal regret as the papers once
more fiuttered i'll his hands.
| He looked them over half regretfully.
Its one of the best things I've ever
written, but in submission to my honest
opinion must destroy it,"
In few strides Tom was beside him.
They looked intently at each other.
Toms eyes wavered and fell.
''Don't-don't, he said, and his voice
was half choked. 'sGive me time. Let
me think
Half an hour later they were walking
up University place. They dined at a
chophouse frequented by Bohemia,
where tables We're bare and beer was
served in mugs.
"Better than Delmonico'S III certain
moods" said Delatole as they crossed
the sanded floor; 1.-THE food is excellent
and cooked to suit Lucullus. AS accom-
paniments you have art, devil-may care
ism, smoke and even socialism"
His friends We're scattered through
the long room, and merry greetings were
called out to him, which he repaid in
kind. The hours passed in sparkling
"reminiscences, jests and laughter. Della
| tole's levity became astonishing, and in
this impudent wag, who soon formed a
group around himself, there was not q
trace Of the cynic, the philosopher, the
serious man of letters. Much that he
said was coarse, but so audaciously hu-
morous it was impossible not to respond.
Tom found himself moved to entilusi-
asm and laughter. His pulses were
alive; his eyes glistened. Yes, let him
reason as he would, he was attuned to
this reckless brilliancy, this mingling of
wits, this clatter Of defiant freedom and
spontaneity. Delatole was right. Chance
words here and there gave him new in
sight into happy, modern paganism
that filled his brain with imagery. The
witchery, the sweep of it were intoxicat-
ing.
He regretted when o'clock came and
Delatole parted with him to keep an ap-
pointment at his club. No word had
been exchanged between the two men
upon the subject that so nearly con
cerned them both. Now, as Tom hur-
ried up town the undecided question
danced before his eyes, his heart became
suddenly weighted.
| Should he cast the old life behind him
utterly and enter upon a new one-free?
He reached Union square. 1t sparkled
in crystal whiteness. The branches pat
termed on the pavements waved fantas-
tically about his feet as he strobe on, his
head down. Passionate indecision went
with him like wrath in the white rays.
He thought Of his enchanted dreaming
of the night before. Only last night
All, he had learned much since then.
Had he ever really reasoned or under
stood before?
'Keep yourself unshacl1led The man
who enters o race fettered is fool"
The frosty breeze that whistled past
his ears seemed whispering these words
to him.
His memory few back to miserable
childhood spent among the rigors of o
poor western farm, and he shuddered.
Only by a hard fight and incredible sac
rifice had his father saved the money
necessary for his support and education.
Povertyi How he loathed and feared
it'll How he had always loathed It'll In
grained in his nature was a love for the
poetry of life, hatred of the common
place, and now-let him be careful, lest
by one i'll advised step he taste all the
old bitterness again.
The fragrance Of the hyacinths in his
coat came to him in the crisp air, 50
penetratingly sweet it gave him heart
ache-the flowers she had given him.
With groan lie flung himself into a
seat.
II love herl / love herl And she?
Have 1 not had the confession in her
eyes-in her kiss? Who has helped me
who has understood me like her? How
can pain her-how can leave her?'
For himself, if the reckless ambition
mastering him required it, he could put
love away, blot it from his life, and the
thought had some of the ecstasy of mar
Ityrdom But Virginia loved him, and he
knew it. Phe Thought Of hurting her
was cruel, and in the agonized tumult Of
the moment cold drops stood on his
J
the inward avowal of his own weakness.
Oh, what if Delatole had spoken truly,
and the sovereignty of love meant the
enslaving of the talent he had sworn
should make him famousl Then-oh,
then, to what depths his ruined hopes
would fling himl And he would drag
her with him in his fall, perhaps making
her taste bitter anguish to which this
younger disappointment was but little.
And the other side Of the picture-the
life of the artist purely, theuntrammeled,
easy, earnest life, where great things
would be accomplished-wa it not bet
ter?
Hours passed in this mute conflict.
Love with doves eyes first pleaded, then
changed to a fury and scourged him.
Doubt, fear Of himself, Unsuitable ambi-
ton, passed in mocking line and with
shadowy lips whispered predictions that
terrified him.
When he rose from the seat, he was
! benumbed. The frost seemed to have
made casing for his heart. The mid
night traffic Of the town, like the throb-
bing Of massive lna> linery, swept across
the white silence Of the square impera-
lively rousing him to a sense of action.
Yes, there lay his world, his life. No
more dreaming. He had dreamed long
enough. The conflict was finished. Love
had received its death wound.
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