Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1893-01-28

are everything in reality, since they
sent forth the authors thought to
the public. as, at the theater, the
three strokes OF the bell before the
curtain rises announce the piece to
the audience: finally, the new and
elegant looking volumes appeared in
the booksellers windows and on the
boulevard.
After few moments MassoPs
office opened and y, the accademi-
clan, came out, accompanied as far
as the door by the lowing publisher
This man was good client, and they
paid him a great deal of attention
Should L ever reach that distinctions
MaSsol, looking very kind and al
most paterna', motioned me to enter.
He begged me to be seated and said,
as he pompouSly sat down in his
leather armchair:
You received our letter."
Eyes, Monsieur Massol."
"A volume OF verses sold out in a
month. Between you and me, can
not understand it at ALL"
This was not very flattering, but /
had been too much astonished myself
not to excuse his astonishment.
what has happened to your book
is very queer" continued he, ''people
buy it, but no one talks about it. 1t
is the first time | ever saw that hap
pen in the book trade. 1t is very
queer, very queer"
Before we separated it was agreed
that 800 new copies Of 1.-THE Swal-
lows" should be printed Immediately,
so as not to miss sale. In fact,
few days after that, | saw my dear
volume majestically displayed by the
booksellers anG ornamented with
that tlattering statement: Second
Edition
Decidedly | was somebody, Never
theless. Massols remark troubled me
little. No one talked of my book,
no one seemed to have read it except
those to whom / had sent copies.
'After ALL" | said to my self, II
am very foolish to. torment myself
/ this way. Since THE Swallows" sells,
someone buys THE Swallows" What
more can / ask? Besides, the book
contains only love verses and verses
of passion, and it must be women
who buy it. Yes, women"
intoxicated by this thought, |
imagined my blue-covered book in the
hands of all great ladies in the noble
faubourg, who read it in their beds at
night and went to sleep dreaming
about it.
Encouraged by this first success, I
went eagerly to work. wrote my
first play "The Grandmother"
which, as you know, had an vppor-
tunity to succeed at the Odeon; then
came the Victims of Marriage" at
the Gymnase, the Two Brothers" at
the Coincide Franchise, then still
Others Twas becoming a full-fledged
author as we say; years passed, and
| thought no more of my Swallows
the timld and forgotten work of my
youth.
IL was at this time that | exper-
fenced one of the greatest griefs Of
my life; l lost my dear grandfather.
He gradually wore out cared for and
loved by us all to his last hour He
had one Of those rare natures in which
egotism finds no place, and whose ac-
tive kindness recoils before no trou-
bic that may bring some jov to loved
ones; one Of those tenderan delicate
souls always forgetting themselves to
think only Of others, considering
themselves amply repaid by a smile.
and finding their happiness in the
pleasures they are able to give.
shall always remember the sad.
ness with which we entered his
rooms, month after the dear mans
death. They had remained just as
they were, the old furniture and ia
miliar objects reminding us of him.
Rays OF sunlight slipping through
the window blinds fell obliquely upon
the Powered carpet, making slender
golden bars in which the dust was
dancing. We walked on tip-toe and
and spoke in low tones. 1t seems as
if he must still be there in the big
bed with drawn curtains, or in the
armchair he had loved, or by the table
where he used to spread his news
paper or make up his accounts, with
that wholesome exactneSs which he
carried into the smallest details Of
life.
A servant recently come into the
house. opened the blinds abruptly
Indifferent to an emotion which he
couldinot understand. Suddenly the
whole room was filled with light from
outside and with it came a flood OF
fresh air, bringing the roar OF the
street Death was allowing life TO
enter; and, with life, cruel necessi-
/ ties.
The dear mans rooms were to be
rented, the furniture must be re-
moved, the wardrobes emptied, and
all made clean for the stranger who
was coming 10 take his place. The
dead 20 quickly, especially in large
cities those immense hives In per-
petual activity. Scarcely ia a cell
emptied OF its humming life when
another lite lnstalls itself there,
I ignOuut alike ~ that which has me.