Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-09-24

the theater, Virginia, felt almost as u
I had conquered. When l came out, !
walked the streets blind. ] was con-
sclous of nothing but an awful ache and
coIdness."
A shade born OF intense feeling
passed over Virginia's face. Dare sic
utter the truth that burned her? 1t
might seem cruel to him now, but In
the end it would be merciful.
She moved so that the last bars OF
daylight fell upon her face. Her eyes
met his.
"And do yon despair so easily?" she
asked clearly. lyon are holding out
Won hands to fame, and because she
does not push her treasures into your
blind grasp for your first asking you
rail at her GOODNESS. Success is worth
more than that, Tom, or It's worth
nothing"
"For my first asking?" he stammered
holly. "Is this my first play?"
'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 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
watchword of the new school"
You didn't say this before. You let
me plan and build like the concelted
dolt / was"
Tom turned away IN blind. unreason-
ing rage. His kindest critic had gone
over TO the enemy. II he had come to
her suffering from a physical wound
and she had struck him ia the face, 1t
could not have seemed more awful than
this wanton tearing down Of his faith
in himself.
"Would 1t have been better, won
der? Well, perhaps. But as you read
me the play l saw how you loved IT,
One discouraging sentence spoken then
Just when you were Ssinking OF leaV-
ing the college would have panied you
too much. l couldn't say it, Tom. l
couldn't hurt you so. Besides l doubted
nv Judgment and waited"
She paused and threw back her head
How fearless, how loVal she looked, as
her eyes flashed and her lips smiled!
"Now it has failed as l feared. But
what of that? 1 know you well-have
we been friends so long for nothing?-
har bau fnng
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. l know 1T. l believe In you,
Tom"
He could not see her face now, but
the sense OF her nearness touched him
with swift, evanescent feeling OF de-
light. Something in her voice ais
turbed his heart again to a dawninS
hope and 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
sistibly touching.
He was striking figure. His small
pink and white face and delicate fea-
lures told nothing Of the insensate ex-
cesses iu which fortune had been
souandered. Sixty years Of life had
whitened the hair falling like floss from
a bald crown, but ne did not cry quarter
to Time. Age had come and found him
rebelious. He kept his chin up and
never confessed that fierce premonitory
tremors passed at unlocked for moments
over his frame.
His clothes were youthful and I'M
usual. A cream colored coat, worn at
the seams, but stainless, fitted tightly,
foppishly at the waist and fell in a
clerical frock to the knees. A long
brown cape was folded across his breast
after the manner OF shawl. He be-
longed to the past quite as much as the
house he lived in. As be swayed uncer-
tainly In the doorway he seemed to
have stepped from forgotten canvas
to be for single moment 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. Eh, Virginia?
Why don't you smile and say yes? II
we are poor, my girl, we know what
hospitality means. We know that a
crust may be divided among friends and
taste the sweeter for it, As sure-as
sure's my names Rufus Kent I'd
rather-I'd rather, by heaven, sit down
with a friend-mind, with a friend.
that's the point-to q dinner OF herbs
than in solitary magnifcence before a
stalled OK. My sentiments, young man.
As Touchstone says, "A poor thing, but
nv own"