Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1893-10-26
STORM SHADOWS.

Last June and July had been TAX
ing too much out of myself. Beside
theordinary drudgery at the museum
] wasin hurry to get my novel fin
ished. l don't know how it is with
men who spin their brains habitual-
ly, but after a hard days work the
effort of creation (save the mark,
though it is pleasant at the time and
does not seem to cost me anything,
leaves all my nerves jarTing.
In July we went down to the cot
tage on the river, and / wrote harder
than ever till got into morbidly
irritable and unreasonable state.
was always nursing some grievance
expecting Lucy to divine wishes
never really felt, and deliberately ST.
lent on things wanted done, that l
might fancy grudge because they
were not seen to without my asking.
She, poor soul, was wonderfully pa
tient, but naturally it depressed her,
and now and then she broke down.
That always brought me to my
senses, and there would be redinte-
CRATIC amoris. Still it was strained,
unhappy sort of time.
On Sunday, July 20, l had been
writing all the morning. and not to
my satisfaction, SO that / was very
respondent about things in general.
In the afternoon Lucy suggested that
we should go to service at st. Peters
school, which is near us, and where
they have a reputation for their sing
ing. The day had been sultry and
lowering, and at o'clock when we
went in a thunderstorm was obvious
ly coming up. l remember well a
curious, heavy effect of sunshine on
the blue mass of vapor.
Lucy went up into the gallery, and
l was put into the stalls on the north
side. Next to me was one of the
masters. His face struck me as ne
walked up the aisle. never saw SC
fine human being. Very tall-two
or three inches, probably, over the
six feet, and with that look of sup
pie strength that a man gets from
constant athletic games. But the
head was the thing-a long oval fact
with olive tint, long, straight hair a
soft as a woman's and silky blacl
mustache. He might have walked
out of LEONARDO picture, if Lionard'
had ever painted Hippolytus, TO
this young man looked as If nothing
had ever occurred to disturb the su
premacy of cricket and football il
his mind.
But l was in that overstrung TEN
per when one cannot command one
thoughts, and mine few off in sci
criticism. I had staked all my hope
on succeeding with this novel, AM
the more reflected the more wa
convinced of my own futility. I'm
potent ambition that recognizes 1t
own impotence is very pretty pun
gatory, and to indulge in unpleasan
meditations in not church on su
try July afternoon, with no prospeC
of liberation for an hour, is an lndu
gence commend to no one.
The storm was coming up fast, an
the day had grown fearfully darl
while the air, heavily charged wit
electricity, became more and MOI
oppressive. The thunder was gro"
ing away in the Thames valley, con
ing nearer with every roll. Opposi'
me was a row of stained glass WI
dows. remember their stupid sas
greens and thin reds and blues
we'll. But they were open at top
catch a breath of air, and locke
out on to the leaden sky.
was in that nervous, twitchii
frame of mind that makes you he'
steps in a house by night, and Il
the first time in my life | began
speculate on the possibilities OF da
ger. Suddenly there came real
awful flash and burst just above
Il saw the reader start as ne W.
walking up the aisle to begin u
lesson. Lucy is timid about thunde
and looked up toward the gahel
TO see that she was not faintng'
raised my eyes there came anotn
fash across the open window, 80
tense and forked and wickedly qm
ering that it dazed me and prlnu
itself en- the eyeball that saw not
ing Csc
Suddenly - quicker than l cou
say it-came the thought that ! p"
blinded. put my head ON my ma
TO ease the pain in the eye-we we
sitting Of course while the iess
went on-and cold fear took nc
of me. l supposed that the thernol
eter was at 400, bat / shivered WI
chill running down my spine a
the sweat on my forehead was &C
70 my hand Before 4 ventures
q y 4 tkaA uIUnN w