Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1894-05-05

am afraid of you. Yes, you
know of whom I'm thinking"
rs slight blush mounted TO the young
fellows forehead. "Look here now,
understand me, / don't want you to
marry"
The Chcvalier, for some reason best
known to himself, was evidently very
much in earn st. for he brought his
fist on the table with O vehemence
which made the glasses rattle. He
went on with increasing excitement,
while Cavaradossi listened to him in
half amusement and half amazement,
and Karl Roswein with more or less
annoyance.
"No, repeat" he continued, ~
don't want you to marry! Marry.
Great Heavens! Don't you know that
marriage Ii one of those ferocious
laws of nature which absorb the indi.
vidual TO preserve the species?"
"But, my dear Chevalier, have not
announced any intention Of marry
ing"
you day after day these last fifteen
years without knowing your thoughts.
Words are not needed TO tell them to
me. And say to you that forbid
you TO snuff your genius out under
this disgraceful extinguisher called
marriage"
! "Will you have the kindness TO tell
me why Won call marriage an extin-
puisher, Chevalier?' asked Cavaradossi,
rs De Carnellcs paused for breath.
"Why? because opium makes one
sleep, because water extinguishes fire,
because It is fatal. An artist married
Ia an artist ruined. He Is husband,
q father, citizen. all that, II You like,
but the poet Is dead! Love all the
women you choose, but-marry no
one!"
"Is that your morality" asked Karl,
half bitterly. at is not mine"
"Oh. 70 TO the devil with your NOR
atty. How long is it since morality
has been one of the muses.? Heavens!
how detest that sickeniDg way they
have now Of exalting marriage in
verse, prose and music. How they an.
nov me with their matrimonial lyrics!
And as to you, what have you in COM
mon with morality, you? You doubt
everything, the Madonna and the
Saints. you infamous miscresnt, you.
You are an artist, a poet, q heathen!
Your morality Is art, your deity Is art,
and art 10 the devil. Your element Is
fire; II IL burn you, so much the worse
TOR you; but you will perish II you de-
part from it."
Roswe.n face had become very SER
ious NJ the Chevalier discoursed. He
knew that he mean what he said; he
understood the motive OF his argumc Mt,
and he owed him too much and
was too genuinely fond Of him to
90 contrary to his wishes with ut good
reason. At the 81 rue time the memory
of q sweet young q, a pair of can
did blue eyes, flashed before his vision
with an acuteness that was almost
pain.
"a am afraid shall depart from II, "
he said. sturdily. ~ have told you be-
fore, Chevalier. that have too weak
or too delicate nature for this whirl-
pool Of an artists life. suffer in It "
"But, Great Heavens!" cried the
Chevalier passionately. "It Is this
very excess Of sensibility that lifts you
above lie common herd. That s your
talent, that Is the bread Of your life.
Look, II art is in decadence to-day, do
YOU know why 1t Is? Because you
artists, luxurious do~. that you are,
are not half unhappy enoughl Be-
cause You don't die Of hunger In gar
ret, 40 formerly in the golden age Of
the arts: be-. use you are paid too
much and live too we'll"
l.. II krtnr
should put us in cage" he said. land
blind our eyes. That would be the
best way"
At this De Carnelles laughed little
too. and laying his hand half caress.
ingly on Karl's shoulder, he said in o
calmer tone than he had used hereto
fore:
Snow, look here, Karl; look here,
old fellow. have been little quick,
I acknowledge IL: but this frightful
idea of your marriage has put me be.
aide myself; but you know I love you
as my own child, rs the very apple OF
nv eye-I understand you; you are
worn out with work and anxiety; you
are In ono of those states that make
MS long for the country the day after
q big debauch. Now. Karl, my dear
Karl, take my calm, unbiased advice.
Don't prepare for yourself bitter re
grets. Don't cast yourself in the flower
of your age into Hymen's chill EN-.
brace. Don't shut up in dolls boz
the imagination Of poet You speah
of the miseries Of an artists
life. What do you know Of an srtist'f
life? You have scarcely tried II Wait
before Judging Il, till Il has given the
gifts Il promises TO . genius like yours
then, when you shall have a. much
gold rs . jew, As many love affairs ~
Lothario, a. much glory a. Cesar.
then, I will permit you TO marry the
eleven the usand virgins, II You have Q
mind TO. But l am garrulous tonight
! Revenons q nos moutons Tell Ms
about your opera How comes on
The Siege of GranadaT"
ION the whole. ! think ! shall be
satisfied The orchestra n superb. ]
don't conduct, you know. The tenor
q CHAR; you know him, Chevalier.
There are some things he does not do
badly; the song Of Boabdil ut the end
of the first act, for example. The BARI
tone 10 Q Ounce; he knows about a.
much about music rs an Englishman.
but he IN willing 10 follow instruc-
tions."
"But La Tosca?"
Ga Tosca?" said Mario Cavaradossi,
who was dresmily watching the move
ment of the crowd In the square be-
low, and only half listening 70 the
animated conversation Of the cheva-
lisr. "Who IA La Tosca?"
'sWhatr' cried De carnelleA 'sNot
know Floris Tosca, the most beautiful
woman and the greatest artist In q
Itslyl Great heavens, mani where
have you been7 Oh, Iforgot France
and the great David have claimed You
for the last three years. She IL 70
sing the chief role In Karl's opera"
"Ahi La Toscsi" exclaimed Roswein,
Enthusiastically. ''She IL all ! could