Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-09-30

stuoleS determined TO master the law. FOR
weeks Frank and / worked steadily side by
side, weeks Of contentment for me, for /
felt that l was doing my duty and pleasing
Ruth. The little note didn't disturb me.
never referred to it in my daily letters My
present course seemed it's best answer.
After while. though, came interruptions.
our merry friends of the first evening be-
gan to drop into our rooms. I believed that
most OF them were not prudent companions
and I told Frank So
You're right" he replied. 'Still, they're
such dear, good fellows. A little reckless,
perhaps. but it's mere froth, and beneath is
mustn't be Pharsaical, Ralph We owe
duty to our old comrades, don't you think?'
did think, and with shame. How open
and manly Frank was in every way! So,
ering in our rooms. No one would be so
jolly, so full of suggestions of sport as
Frank. until suddenly he would clutch his
hair with mock gravity and shout: Now
Ralph can go with you. He takes to the
law like duck to water. But I am the
plowman who must plod his weary way"
And OF we'd go. at heart quite sorry for
Frank
One day he said to me. noticing that I
was yawning over my books as l had
yawned much Of late:
How's the epic, Ralph?'
There's no need of ridiculing it," / re-
piled rather sharply "You know very we'll
what hope some day to do The Adven-
lures of Alvarado' in heroic verse. Doubt
less it will never see light. but respect its
prenatal condition"
MY dear boy, don't be so touchy. You
wrong me. You know what faith have In
your genius. 1 want you to take up this
subject in all seriousness. Let me do the
boning; you can achieve success in a leap"
'Or fall in the ditch
"Or wake some morning like Byron to
find yourself famous"
"But the lectures. the examining. the
not hty.lr otrNIp1d
I neglect these obligations?"
What would she think should you re-
ceive your due and be hailed as Americas
laureate before you are twenty-five? IT'S
woman truly who clings to the young
knight and entreats him to stay from the
wars: but when he returns glorious, she Is
the first to crown him. Besides. law is 80
natural to you. You know that your judg
ment exceeds your industry. You can read
lily make up the work Of a quarter in
fortnight. But the profession will never be
even an incident to you, believe me. No
man will grub If he can fly"
Oh. rare and beauteous vision that rose
before me! The little cottage with Ruth In
the quiet university town; the delightful
toll in the study, with Ruth by my side as
an inspiration: the society of the cultured;
the praise Of the worthy!
Surprise her" suggested Frank.
Aye, would. would refine the gold of
my intellect. 1 tossed Justinian into a cor
ner behind the lounge, and there he lay I'M
til the dust was as thick as his age might
warrant. Thereafter I dreamed and
dreamed-until l was aroused.
How careful Frank was of my moods, for.
OF course, l became moody. He taught me
that a poet must be child of impulse. not
man of habit; that when the spirit moved
him he must drive his thoughts until they
tottered from WEAKNESS; but, except when
that mysterious spell settled, he must suf
fer them to recruit in apparent idleness. He
led me to believe. oh. so easily. that /, poor
l. indeed! was as one set apart and chosen.
not answerable to the calls of duty nor ac-
countable for foibles. He would instance
Horace and Dryden and Chatterton and
Savage and Shelley and Byron. Byron es-
pecially he considered my prototype; and
was dolt enough to think so. too. Here.
you fellows!' he would cry, take Ralph
out of this rush for hurrah. Pegasus
wings are dropping" And the lively, gen.
erous-hearted lads would oil the downward
grade with sincere adulation.
1 did work, feverishly, unnaturally turn
ing night into day, and burning the candle
at both ends. l became nervous, irritable,
overwrought; but each manifestation was
greeted as a proof of the divine afflatus
which filled me. 1 grew careless Of my ap-
pearance. My collar was rolled back, my
hair disheveled-oh. what an egregious asst
As for money, 1 disdained 1t as dross
When l had ii flung it broadcast, but the
lack Of 1t never restrained me. l had
credit which would have been inexplicable
to rational man, but I accepted 1t as
tribute to my genius. No jackdaw ever be-
as arrogantly as did l. 1 posed before the
distorted lens of Conceit and thought its
reflection real. In one thing alone l was
constant. I wrote to Ruth the same con-
tented, CHEEKY daily letters as of yore Oh,
how hard 1t was! Sentence by sentence
dragged through task that had formerly
been such delight. Yet l succeeded-at
least l thought did.
The spring came. After infinite copyings
and recopyings "Alvarado" was finished.
Don't prune." warned Frank, as l hest
tated over passages of my widest moments.
"Luxuriance is the poets attribute
And so l bound the mighty pile of manu-
script together and sent it confidently to a
leading publisher Confidently. indeed, for
my assurance had achieved brief apoth-
costs. Then followed an intolerable wait
ing. bringing doubt, dread and misery. The
fever had passed and left my mind, too
weak for any eXertion, a prey to worry.
My gay companions were gay no longer In
the face of the approaching examinations
they were throwing up earthworks of des-
perate diligence. Yet when l tried to dig
also 1 found l was absolutely impotent.
Where now was my intuitive knowledge of
the law. where that Judgment SO accordant
with equity? Alas! 1 comprehended that
had risked everything on a single cast, and
1 dared not think what this everything
might include.
Then it that l noticed singular
change in Frank.
Just look at my duns," / said to him
one day anxiously. holding up a mass of
bills and letters. 1T seems impossible that
l could have been SO reckless. Why, must
have been crazy"
You certainly have had an agreeable fac
ulty of ignoring such little Matters
But what shall l dor
DO? You have money, haven't your"
Gone, all gone"
"Phew! You have been going 1t, haven't
you. in spite of precept and example. Oh,
WELL your precious 'Aivarado' will settle
everything, l guess" and Frank laughed.
1t wasn't a pleasant laugh, nor did 1t
sound like Frank; but 1 was SO troubled
that l scarce appreciated it then.
do you really think SOP l questioned,
eagerly.
Il mean what / say. 1t will settle every
thing-you included. But doubtless Ruth
will pay"
l leaped to my feet in a rage Frank con-
fronted me for an instant with cold, sarcas-
tic eyes, then he shrugged his shoulders dis
painfully and left the room.
/ sank in a chair, trembling and gasping
What did it all mean? Was l held by a
horrible dream? Such words, such looks
from Frank, my friend my Pylades, my
Mentori Could it be that he had changed.
that l had changed, that the future was
void, that the past was a sham, and that
nothing was real except the present debt,
the approaching examination the impend-
ing disgrace?
l opened my pocket case 1 read ,ne note
of warning from Ruth, so long unheeded
Again l couldn't comprehend it, but 1 did
thoroughly realize that whatever she said
should have been Obeyed with a true lovers
fealty.
For hours I sat pressing my throbbing
head within my hands, trying to shut out