The herald., 1894-01-01

R6uluh. WANT you 10 take u LHle sup
ject in all seriousness. Let me do the
boning; you can achieve success in a
leap"
"Or fall in the ditch"
"Or wake some morning, like Byron,
to find yourself famous"
"But the lectures, the examining, the
moot courts. What would Ruth think
should neglect these obligations ?'
What would she think should you
receive your due and bs hailed
as Americas laureate before you
are 20? lis woman truly who clings to
the young knight and entreats him to
stay from the wars; but when he re-
turns glorious, she is the fret to crown
him. Besides, law is so natural to you.
You know that your judgment exceeds
your industry. You can readily make
up the work OF quarter in a fortnight.
But the profession will never be even an
incident to you, believe me. No man
will grub if he can fly"
Oh, rare and beauteous vision that
rose before me- The little cottage with
Ruth in the quiet university town the
delightful toll in the study, with Ruth
by my side as an inspiration the society
of the cultured the praise of the world
Aye, Iwould. I would refine the gold
of my intellect. / tossed Justinian into
a corner behind the lounge, and there
be lay until the dust was as thick as HE
ags might warrant. Thereafter dreamed
and dresmed-until l was aroused.
How careful Frank was of my moods,
for, of course, l became moody. He
taught me that poet must bs a child
of impulse, not man of habit; that
when the spirit moved him he must
drive his thoughts until they tottered
from weariness; but, except when that
mysterious spell settled, he must suffer
them to recruit in apparent idleness.
He led me to believe, oh, so
easily, that l, poor /, indeed, was as one
set apart and chosen, not Rnswerable to
the calls of duty nor accountable for fol-
bles. He would instance Horace and
Dryden and Chatterton and Savage and
Shelley and Byron. Byron especially be
considered my prototype, and was dolt
enough to think so too. Here, you
fellows" he would cry, take Ralph out
of thie rush for hurIah. Pegssue' wings
are dropping" And thelively. generous
hearted lads would oil the downward
grade with sincere adulation.
[ did work. feverishly, unnaturally,
turning night into day and hurning the
candle at both ends. became nervous.
irritable, overwrought but each mani
festation was gseeted as proof OF the
divine affla atus which filed me. | grew
careless OF my appearance. My collar
was rolled back, my hair dieheveled-
oh, what an egregious ass
AS for money, disdained it as dross.
When | had it | flung it broadcast, but
the lack OF it never restrained me. |
had credit which would have been
inexplicable to 8 rational man. but |
accepted it as tribute TO my genius. No
iackdaw ever believed in his borrowed
plumage or etrutted as arrogantly as did
|. posed before the distorted lens OF
conceit and thought it's reflection real.
In one thing alone | was constant.
wrote to Ruth the same con.ented,
CHEEKY daily letters of yore. Oh, how
hard it was Sentence by sentence |
dragged through a task that had formerly
been such delight. Yet succeeded
at leaet | thought | did.
The spring came. After infinite copy
inss and recopyings, Alvarado was TN
ished.
Don't prune." warned Frank, as |
hesitated over passages Of my widest
moments. "Luxuriance is the poets
attribute"
And so 1 bound the mighty pile o.!
manuscript together and sent it conf
IDENTIFY 10 leading publisher. Conf
IDENTIFY, indeed, for my assurance had
achieved brief apotheosis. Then fol-
lowed an intolerable waiting, bringing
doubt, dread and misery. The fever
had passed and left my mind, too weak
for any exertion, prey TO worry. My
gay companions were gay no longer.
In the face of the approaching examin-
tions they were throwing up earthworks
of desperate diligence. Yet when |
tried to dig slsoI found was absolutely
impotent. Where now was my iutui-
tive knowledge OF the law, where that
Judgment 80 accordant with equity2
Alas | comprehended that | had
risked every thing on single caet, and
Idsred not think what this everything
might include.
Then it was that noticed a singular
change in Frank.
Just look at my duns," said to him
one day, anxiously holding up mass Of
bills and letters. sit seems impossible
that could have been so reckless. Why,
I must have been crazy"
"You certainly have bad an agree
able faculty of ignoring such matters"
"But what shall do?"
"Do? You have money, haven't
your"
''Gone; all gone"
"Phewl You have been going it,
haven't you, in spite of precept and ex-
ample. Oh, well. your precious Ava
RADIO will settle everything, l guess" !"
And Frank laughed.
1t waen't pleasant laugh. nor did it
sound liks Frank but was 30 troubled
that I scarce appreciated it then.
"Do you really think 30 ?" questioned
eagerly.
II mean what say. 1t will settle
everything-you included. But doubt
less Ruth will pay" RESN
leaped to my feet in a rage. Frank
confronted me for an instant with cold,
scarcastic eyes, then be shrugged his
shoulders disdainfully and left the
room.
sank in a chair, trembling and gasp
ing. What did it all mean. Was l held
by horrible dream? Such words, ,lsuch
locke, from Frank, my friend, my Py-
ladies', my Mentorl Could it be that he
had changed, that had changed, that
the future was void, that the past was
sham, and that nothing was real ex.
cept the present debt, the approaching
examination, the impending disgrace?
opened my pocket case. read the
note of warning from Ruth, 30 long un.
headad Again I cnuldn't onmnrahond