The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-09-06
"For nv FIRST askingY' he stammerel

"For my first askingY' he stammered
hotly. "Is this my first playT
s'But in writing the others You only
served an apprenticeship. They were
weak and false-no, don't look angry.
Let me tell you the truth now and help
you If l can. Did you write of anything
you knew or felt? Did you look into
your own heart and write? No, Tom,
not even in this one did you do that. 1t
is better than the others, but still only a
superficial study. Write of life, Tom,
dear" she said, and going still nearer TO
him clasped her fierce little hands around
his arm, her accents sounding inspired
on the silence. "Life!--it is the watch
word of the new school,"
sYou didn't say this before. You let
me plan and build like the conceited
dolt was"
Tom turned away in blind, unreason-
ing rage. His kindest critic had gone
over to the enemy. If he had come to
her suffering from a physical wound and
she had struck him in the face, it could
not have seemed more awful than this
wanton tearing down of his faith in him
self.
would it have been better, / wonder?
Well, perhaps. But as you read me the
play saw how you loved it. One dis
couraging sentence spoken then just when
you were thinking of leaving the college
would have panied you too much. /
couldn't say it, Tom. couldn't hurt
you SO. Besides doubted my judgment
and waited"
She paused and threw back her head.
How fearless, how loyal she looked, as
her Dyes flashed and her lips smiledl
"Now it has failed as i feared. But
what of that? l know you well-have
we been friends soy long for nothing?-and
say that when YOU have fought harder
battles and perhaps failed again, when
you have suffered more, the men and
women you write of will be human. Some
day you will be all expect you to be. /
know it. believe in you, Tom"
He could not see her face now, but the
sense of her nearness touched him with
O swift, evanescent feeling or delight.
Something in her voice disturbed his
heart again to dawning hope and a riot
of feverish questioning.
II believe in you, Tom" A forecast
of triumph rang in the words.
There was not time for more conf
dences before light, irregular footstep
sounded in the hall. Virginia hurriedly
lit the lamp and looked intently at her
father as he opened the door.
What she saw there gave quick,
strained anxiety to her expression, ire
Bistibly touching.
He was a striking figure. His small
pink and white face and delicate features
told nothing Of the insensate excesses in
which fortune had been squandered.
Sixty years of life had whitened the hair
falling like floss from bald crown, but
he did not cry quarter to Time. Age had
rome and found him rebellious. He kept
bis chin up and never confessed that
fierce premonitory tremors passed at un-
looked for moments over his frame.
His clothes were youthful and nm
usual. A cream colored coat, worn at
the seams, but stainless, fitted tightly,
foppishly at the waist and fell in clerical
frock to the knees. A long brown cape
was folded across his breast after the
manner Of o shawl. He belonged to the
past quite as much as the house he lived
in. AS he swayed uncertainty in the
doorway he seemed to have stepped from
forgotten canvas to be for single mo-
ment embodied in the lamplight.
"Ah, Tom," and he wagged his head
unsteadily. $50 you have come over to
us? Welcome! A guest beneath my roof
is always welcome. En-, Virginia? Why
don't you smile and say yes? If we are
poor, my girl, we know what hospitality
means. We know that crust may be
divided among friends and taste the
sweeter for it. As sure-as sure's my
name iss Rufus Kent I'd rather-rd
rather, by heaven, sit down with q
friend--mind, with q friend, that's the
point-to dinner of herbs than in soli-
tary magnifcence before stalled OK.
My sentiments, young man. AS Touch
stone says, "A poor thing, but my own"