Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1893-10-26

80 LIS taooeaA I'LL CcC1 NC0 way .
just to watch the slow movements Of
his istless hands held an enig1natical
fascination. He felt strong desire to
emulate his ease and sagacity, but un-
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 q
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 religious environment-tha you
are young; therefore don't accept your
views seriously. Perhaps they are but
natural. l won't label you sprig' 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 anyY'
"Of course will. You don't suppose
1 meant to draw such fine distinctions.
Surely you understand" said Tom ear
nestly, and he looked away into the leap
ing golden heart Of the fire. "Last
night'sevents gave blow to my precon-
ceived ideas of life. I mean to hold to
them, you see."
''Rubbishl A little laxity only makes
a 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 to soil where you'll grow
mentally. If you don't astound us with
a play even more unforgettable than
The Worlds Way because more ma
ture, it won't be my fault"
A question darkened Toms eyes, and
he leaned eagerly forward
"You made wonderfully good guess
at life's flavor in The Worlds Way
But I'm 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 me- Since Glendenning dis
appointed me | 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 a departed model still upon the plat
form. You could furnish it as you
please and have it as your own particu-
lar den."
He watched Toms eyes travel half
wistfully around the odd, artistic place.
Charming" he said at length and
added slowly, but impossible You
see, I'm going to marry very soon."
Delatole stared at him as if incapable
Of grasping the statement.
eyes" said Tom, and now a blunt
tenderness rang in his voice, "I am go
ing to marry Virginia Kent
care you nadF' and the words were a
slow exclal on.
\ Delatulei rs he spoke, lifted one Of
the ...e scs on the table and CON
tenlptuously i-ang it from him. It lay
upon the hearth, a MACS of opaline splir-
tore
'.In another year you will Le US artis-
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.
'sOne 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
vate the virtues of patience and humility
under the stress of failure and 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 q
year. You remember what l said to
you last night. I did not dream then
that you were 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.
'fWhy should 1 fail because keep my
word to a woman, better, truer, q hun
dred times, than | am--not 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. need not fail. I
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 I have but for
your good?p 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
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 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 fat will afford no feverish impetus
to your imagination. You will never
write a 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
justone moment the gray picture Delatole
stretched rose before him, and an acute,
unmeasured despair took hold of him.
He beat it back fercely. 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 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-
mian. 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 adj
mission. Itwould fly open to you. For
myself hate the stiff set, but it is al
ways well for an artist to become