The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-07-02
BY MERE

BY MERE CHANCE.
With a gesture of annoyance, he flung
his pen upon the table.
1T is useless! / shall never succeed
in describing this scene until I have NO
tually experienced it, he said to him
self.
An ordinary, common or garden writ
er of short stories would never have
taken the matter SO TO heart. But he,
Paulus Frank, the apostle Of realism,
could never allow a story with descrip-
ton in il that was not true to life 60
into the ruthless hands Of the critics.
The plot of his novel was certainly
simple enough. Two Jealous, spiteful
women had entered into o plot against
the noble, innocent heroine of the tale.
By every possible means they sought
to destroy her position in the eyes or
her husband and those of the world.
They finally agreed upon the plan Of
sending an anonymous letter to her hns-
band, wherein they accused the wifesof
faithlessness.
Paulus Frank cultivated close rela-
tions with o man whom he had selected
as the model for this hero and often IN
vited him for that reason 70 his house.
He had just reached the point where
he had to describe how this man, who
was naturally cold blooded, stands be-
fore his wife with a deadly pallor on
his face and confronts her with the let
ter, threatening to shoot her unless she
makes q frank confession of the whole
transaction.
And it was just this scene that Paulus
Frank felt himself powerless to describe.
Would the wife defend herself with
vigor and spirit against such an attack,
or would she merely allow herself d
contemptuous little laugh when brought
face to face with the calumny?
Would her insulted and ihnocefrt
heart rise in indignant protest against
such gross accusation, or would she
merely let the matter drift on and make
no further explanation than q quiet
denial?
What expression would her face wear?
Would. she turn deadly pale or wear the
flush of shame? Would her hands pluck
nervously at her little lace handkerchief,
on would she stand motionless and erect
before him as if turned into stone under
his very eyes?
And the answer to all these questions
he did not find readily in his mind. In
spiration had left him in the lurch
Twenty times and more he strove to put
ON the paper the powerful scene which
was TO be the climax Of his story.
Bnt it was In. vain, for success did not
shinc upon him, and he became more
and more certain that he would only be
able to portray the scene with justice
and power when he had actually been
through it himself and felt every phase
OF emotion recorded i'm lines OF fire on
HE heart.
Once this peculiar thought had taken
possession OF him he was unable to rest
until he saw it realized.
Tt came to him one morning with
such force that he let his fist fall upon
the table with a bang that almost shat
tered the glasses.
Have you gone crazy?'' cried his
pretty young wife, raising her clear blue
eye TO his face. What's the matter?
Ever since you began that wretched
novel of yours you seem to be quite q
different man.
And as he only stared at her and made
no answer she went on to reproach him
soundly for his conduct.
1T cannot continue like this, " she
concluded. ''It must stop before long,
and then buried herself again In her
work.
At the same moment the servant APP
peared ON the scene with the announce
ment that the apothecary was at the
door. #
A young man entered and greeted the
husband and wife with the familiarity
Of an old acquaintance. Frank returned
his greeting, then looked vacantly be-
fore him and appeared to interest him
self deeply in the pattern Of the table,
cloth.
The young man looked at him inquir-
ingly for q few minutes, and then, APP
preaching the young wife. pressed her
hand and asked her in o low voice what
| was 80 occupying her husbands mind.
ZACH. how do I know?', she replied.
with q gesture Of impatience. II only
know that for y whole week he has not
been sc to live with.
"a deep drawn breath, a shrug OF her
shoulders and Mrs Frank went with
her gnest ON the veranda to look out
into the street
Meanwhile Frank had gone TO his
study with pleasure written all over his
face. At length he seemed TO have
found q way out Of his difficulty. He
wayered, however. undecided fof . liz.
tie while. But why not? What harm
was there?
Besides Il was not possible in any
other way. He would be obliged 70
write D plain, ~accusatory letter 20 his
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