The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-09-12

Setard any mans prc8resbs one mas
been my inspiration. You don't know
Virginia. She is more to me than any
thing in the world. need not fail. !
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 have but for
your goody' asked his new friend, and
the silken voice held 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 "a little and feed your brain
until it teemed with digested impressions
gathered from boudoir and barroom.
The same money will not support O
home and wife except in cramped,
obscure way. Your love for her will be
another drawback to earnest work. The
treadmill of your dull, loving, respecta-
BILE existence day in and day out in some
little fiat will afford no feverish impetus
| to your imagination. You will never
write play worth having typewriter
on the inspiration offered by baby's
fists. All, have not watched the mental
paralysis set in before? Love is bad
enough, but love and poverty"-
Tom turned away and faced the win
dow. He did not seek the park. For
just one moment the gray picture Delatole
stretched rose before him, and an acute,
unmeasured despair took hold Of him.
He heat it back fiercely. He would
not believe. But the resistance was no
longer buoyant; it was forced.
Then there is the other side-freedom
knowing no limit" continued Delatole
in q soliloquizing tone as he walked up
and down smoking, never once glancing
at the silent, erect figure in the window.
Freedom. Only those who have sur
rendered it know the full sweetness Of
that word. Every door would be open
to You. You need not only be Bohe-
milan. A fellow like you, of undoubted
talent, well looking, clever, independent
and with some money would not have
to knock at society's golden door for ad-
mission. It would fly open to you. For
myself hate the stiff set, but it is al
ways well for an artist to become
acquainted with every sort of human.
Under conditions Of this sort your artistic
vein would warm and expand. your ma
ture vibrate to change after change. The
man who enters race fettered is a fool.
When have said this. ] have said all"
There was silence after these words
and then the rustling Of paper. Tom
hastily turned and saw Delatole leaning
against the table, looking scornfully over
each of the pages whereon the criticism
was written that had 80 delighted him.
| A painful premonition made him cold,
but he said nothing.
"Ah, well, wish I had known that
you contemplated this idiocy before
wasted time and ink on you, Murray.
You didn't tell me, of course. No rea.
con why you should. But assure you,
had guessed what manner Of man you
were wouldn't have plunged into such
bewildering prophecy about your fu-
| ture greatness. I'm not usually SO i'm
pulsive," and he rent the sheets half
across before Toms voice made him
pause.
"Is this fair9 If you really liked The
Worlds Way why won't you say sog"
The mysterious violet gray Of twilight
stealing through the high windows be-
hind him touched his young face with
shadows. 1t was pinched, eager, watch
| full.
"Oh, I'll do that, of course. A few
lines, a paragraph, will suffice, but not
this psalm of victory, this heralding of
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"
And he was the incarnation of bland.
impersonal regret as the papers once
more fiuttered in 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--dont," he said. and his voice
was half choked. "Give 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 were bare and beer was
served in mugs.
Better than Delmonico's in 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-
ism, smoke and even socialism"
His friends were scattered through
the long room, and merry greetings were
called ont to him, which he repaid in
kind. The hours passed in sparkling
"reminiscences, jests and laughter. Della
toles levity became ,aston;s, Slg. and in
las lmpudent wag, wnv svon for1ncu
group around himself, there was not
trace of the cynic, the philosopher, the
rerious man of letters. Much that he
taid was coarse, but so audaciously hu-
4 4 ~ n a.