Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-12-06

| But you seem depressed"
! Tom smoked for n moment in silence.
Not so much depressed 1 am dis.
gusted," he said fiercely. Did You
know that was-drunk last night:''
Delatole opened his eyes very wide
and softly laughed as if infinitely
amused.
Il wish you wouldn't laugh" Tom
said, little sullenly, streak of color
crossing his cheek. 1T was the first
time and is not pleasant to remember"
Delatole's eyebrows twitched; he low
cred his eyes and thoughtfully moved
some trife ON the table
But, say, are you going in for re-
spectability-for that cumbersome re-
spectability that strains Mt a gnat:' Are
your"
The languid curiosity of his tone was
more contemptuous than his laugh.
Tom was troubled by strange feeling
rs he listened. He did NOT like Delatole
in his usual genial. unreserved way.
Just to watch the slow movements of
his listless hands held an enigmatical
fascination. He felt n strong desire to
emulate his ease and sagacity, but I'M
derneath and through it all there floated
an i'll defined repulsion.
The man seemed the product of a
forced, perverted life. Something about
his dark pallor and sneering lips dimly
reminded Tom of flower forced into a
semblance of bloom by the aid of nox-
ious gas, but with life and color and
strength missing.
You see, my dear fellow" Delatole
continued. Il know that you are fresh
from a religious environment-thaty You
are young; therefore l don't accept your
views seriously. Perhaps they are but
natural. l won't label you .prig' and
give You up. I'll only give you time.
Here comes my man with some brandy
and soda. Perhaps Your saintship won't
have any"
''Of course l will. You don't suppose
l meant to draw such fine distinctions.
Surely You understand" said Tom ear
nesty, and be looked away into the leap
ing golden heart of the fire. Last
night'sevents gave a blow to my precon-
Ceived ideas of life. mean to hold to
them, you see
Rubbish. y little laxity only makes
mans nature wholesomely expand.
Now. look here. Murray" and Delatole
spoke impressively as he stroked his
pointed beard, I'm going to transplant
you, and 10 soil where you'll grow
mentally. If you don't astound us with
a play even more unforgettable than
Tho Worlds Way because more ma
ture, it won't be my fault"
y question darkened Toms eyes, and
he leaned eagerly forward.
You made wonderfully good guess
al life's flavor i'll The Worlds WAY
But lin going to make You taste it in
truth, the brackiSh and the sweet. In
short, I'm going to ask you to pitch in
your fortunes with mine and share these
rooms with ne. Since Glendenning dis
appointed me l have preferred to live
and dream alone. But-frankly-I like
you. The suite is large. We would
not clash. Besides, just across the hall
is an atelier left vacant since De Courcey
ran away only recently to escape his
debts. You'll probably find the drapery
of Il departed model still upon the plat
form. You could furnish it as You
please and have it as Your own particu-
lar dem"
He watched Toms eyes travel half
wistfully around the odd, artistic place.
Charming" he said Mt length and
added slowly. but impossible You
see, I'm going to marry very soon
Delatcle stared ut him as if incapable
of grasping the statement.
Yes" said Tom. and now blunt
tenderness rang in his voice. Il am 60
ing TO marry Virginia Kent"
Arc You mad?' and the words were =
slow exclamation.
Delatole rose as hc spoke, lifted one of
the fragile glasses on the table and con-
temptuously flung it from him. 1t lay
upon the hearth, mass of opaline spiin-
ters.
"In another year you will be as arts
tically ruined as that glass"
Not dreaming of the selfish motive
prompting this violent objection and
listening to words that were passion
less prophecy. Tom could not resist the
shudder that ominously passed over him.
"One would think talked of commit
ting a crime" And the words were
breathless.
And SO you are. Isn't it crime to
throw away Your chance? Life doesn't
offer too many of them. Let me tell
you, too, my dear fellow, that you do
not strike me as one who would cult
waite the virtues of patience and humility
NAANNA AAAO otANSS VI lStAlulC UAlAl poverty.
Marry now. when you have Just crossed
the line, before your strength has had a
fair test, and you'll not only fail, but
probably break Your wife's heart in a
year. You remember what l said to
you last night. l did not dream then
that you We're thinking of the madness
of an early marriage; that YOU stood on
the verge of the abyss strewn with the
ruins of good beginnings"
As Tom listened his face grew stern,
his eyes searching.
why should l fail because keep my
word TO Il woman. better, truer, Il hun
dred times, than am-not n woman to
retard any mans progress? She has
been my inspiration. You don't know
Virginia. She Is more to me than any
thing in the world. l need not fail. 1
will not fail"
He looked very stalwart, very deter
mined, as he lowered above Delatole, his
blue eyes flashing in his intense face.
What interest can l have but for
your good:'' asked his new friend, and
the silken voice held a soothing gentle
ness after Toms hot, strained tones.
Let us look at this matter dispassion-
| ately. You are young. You have writ
ten one play of startling strength and
charm. 1t will bring you so much mon
ey. Alone, independent, you would have
a good income, be able TO mix with the
world, travel little and feed Your brain
until it teemed with digested impressions
gathered from boudoir and barroom.
The same money will not support a
home and wife except in a cramped,
obscure way. Your love for her will be
another drawback to earnest work The
treadmin of your dull, loving, respecta-
BILE existence day in and day out in some
| little flat will a ffnrl M favnrisl, irnnatlis