The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-04-07


and i can't understaQd il either
You are better WORKMAN than lam,
more industrious, more-Well, il does
seem hard. Whv. your Dying Glad.
iator beat my Hero iuto fits, and
yet you only sold il for mere tri.e
10 dealer, and heard no more OF it,
And here"
Here" cont nued Maiden, seeing
that his friend hesitated, your
Hero will be exhibited. oh, it'll be
accepted right enough. Directly it's
finished, even, a blessed marquis
turns up who is ready and willing 10
pay you handsomely for il, and will
give IL a place in his hall, where il
will be seen by hundreds OF snobs OF
high degree, and il IL isn't the means
OF bringing you in shoals OF orders,
never trust my word again"
well, it does seem little hard
on you, ALI, old man"
"Oh, we'll, you needn't keep on
Growing over fellow" interrupted
Maiden, testify.
why" said Bob looking gr evi.
ously shocked, II was never dream.
ing OF doing such a thing. was
only going TO say / may be able TO
find opportunities OF introducing you
10 people who will recognize your
worth, and
"Ha, ha." laughed Maiden, dis
mally. ''lts very good OF you TO say
so now, but Bob Bannister, Esquire,
sculptor in ordinary TO his High
NJ ghtiness the most noble Marquis
OF Finchington. basking in the pat
ronage of other moneyed and titled
gentry, will be much too great a per-
son TO remember poor, luckless,
threadbare ALI Maiden"
"Alf, cried Bannister, earnestly,
''you can't think am such mean
humbug as that IL / am 70 be for
tunatc at the expense Of losing the
oldest--the only friend l have-hang
IL | hope never may be fortunate
at all"
You say so now, old boy. It's
good Of you TO say So" said Bob, de-
iectedly. But change Of circum-
stances alters ones opinions wonder
fully. In any case, how do you sup
pose /, your senor in years, who have
been working longer and harder than
you could subm TO the humiliation
OF being patronized by you, even
though you are my friend 1t is hu-
initiation enough TO be beaten by one
whose work is, | know. no better
than my own. But | couldn't"
Don't say any more" cried Bob,
,N1n t,1 A a1 hn go
CLING we have had together, to think
that any success could carry me be
yond your reach! I've been selfish
full OF my own good fortune. 1t
never struck me till now, but-do
you think that / would do ANYTHING
TO humiliate you. / can't bear the
thought OF it. Why. I'd sooner
never have done the Hero at al /
can't tell you how it grieses me, old
fellow. After all these years to
think that 1 should do a lything TO
estrange Ls from each other"
There was a suspicious moisture In
his eyes and slight tremor in his
voice as he suddenly seized his
friends hand and left the sentence
unfinished.
"Well, never mind Can't be
helped" said Maiden, getting up,
with IN uneasy laugh, Its late.
We shall both think differently in
the morning, perhaps. Let's be OIL
home"
They went down stairs together in
silence, shook hands in the street,
and rarted, each on his own way
home
For some time Maiden hurried
along deep in dull and desponding re-
nectiOns. So long as they were both
regarded as men Of equal mediocrity
he did not care, although all the
while he was conscious OF his own
superior merit. And TO think that
one single piece Of work mad made all
the difference, All that had been
done might in moment be undone
If any enemy OF Bob's-suppOsing
him to have an enemy-could yet
into the studio and maliciously shat.
ter the "Hero" with a few blows OF a
mallet