Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-03-21
r Gaptious Critic.

L All uoI d great albeit Z
fairly popular one. 1t is far better
to be popular than great, and makes
all the difference to ones materia.
comfort. A great author is rarely ap-
preclated, at least until he is dead
whereas the popular one winters in
the Riviera, and has portraits of his
drawing-rOOm furniture in the Stand.
ard Magazine. Anyway, my work is
IN good demand; commissions are
plentiful, Sc plentiful last summer that
| rather overdid the thing, the natural
consequence being nervous irritability,
and a tendency to lie awake O. nights;
and, as a greater writer thar myself
says, That way madness lies"
What yOn want" remarked my doc
tor-Who is one of these charming
practitioners WHO always prescribe
what the patient most longs for-''iS
a thorough change. Give up work al
together for a month; 20 ID some quiet.
live out of doors"
| had no difficulty in summOning up
enough will power to follow out this
request. Solitude has not terrors for
me. | packed up my bag and took the
first train to BarnStaple, whence |
drifted to a place called MCrthOe, and
there | pitched my tent-if the express
sion may be aIlowed-in a comfortable
farm house, where the welcome was
all that could possibly be expected for
the money.
| did not tell anyone what my pro-
feSsion was, and consequently | passed
for an ordinary individual. After 4
time | naturally made acquaintance
the parSon and the squire. and that
kind of thing. There was nobody with
whom to talk shop, which was a draw
back. But eve that comes in time. |
found my fidus achates one morning,
on the sands, where | had gone in
search of a bath. He was a tall.
rather melancholy looking man with a
restless eye. Being anything but a
bold swimmer, and the coast benz
dangerous, l was naturally indisposed
10 try the briny deep. and my new ac-
quaintance obligingly pointed out a
perfect natural bath wherein | could
disport myself.
almost as it were made on pur-
pose" he remarked. 4 always come
here myself. I've got a house behind
the sand hills there. | shall be pleased
TO see YOU any evening that you care
TO drop in"
| banked the speaker, and for the
TIME being we parted. Subsequent
inquiry elected the fact That my
friends name was Walter Wanless.
II that he was n stranger. who had
taken 4 furnished house there for a
year. Usually. | was informed. he
preserved a reserved attitude. He was
inclined to be eccentric; and all his
homework. cooking. etc. was done for
him by a solitary mar servant. who.
SO the gossips limited, was employed
more in the capacity of a keeper than
anything else.
As a novelist this suggestion merely
served to pique my curiosity. A writer
looks unconsciously for COPY. even in
moments of leisure. But | am bound
to confess that saw nothing peculiar
III the behavior of WanleSS when one
day lunched with him. The sole
was done to the turn; a subsequent
dish of curry left nothing to be de-
sired; the sherry was really dry. Tot
merely acid, ard the lusty Servitor
waited in a manner which would have
done credit to a professional. Yet at
the same time could not help seeing
chat WanleSs was very much afraid
of his man Rellamy. For instance.
when he attempted to help himself to
a third glass of sherry. Bellamy calmly
removed the glass and placed the de-
ca1ter at my end of the table. The
thing was done so coolly that l could
hardly restrain my establishment.
For a moment l saw a lurid light
flash into the peculiar eyes of my host.
his hand clenched. then he laughed
pleasantly. "Bellamy presumes, as all
old servants do" Wanless said. "Rut
he is right, all the same; l am a
wretched drinker."
Bellamy said nothing; he did not
even smile. He handed round a box
of cigars, from which Wanless selected
one, and then he locked up the box
VIM puI thC htS i II Ills POCKET.
You don't want to sit here all day.
sir he said respectfully, but firmly.
You had better go for a walk. l
shink."
Wanless rose obediently, and l fol-
lowed. AS we passed through the hall
l caught a glimpse of a small but
complete looking library, which was
lined with books. With the fascination
that volumes of any kind posses for
me, | was about to enter, when Bel
lamy closed the door and locked it..
Sir he said to his employer, you
are wasting the afternoon"
Well. it wasn't for me to interfere.
If Wanless was disposed to put up with
that kind Of thing. We had a very
pleasant afternoon upon the sands,
when l found my friend to be a Won
derfully entertaining companion, eS-
~ceedingly we'll read. but shy. I
thought. on speaking of modern writers
of fiction. We parted. at length, with
mutual regret.
I shall not see you for the next day
or two" Wanless remarked. graspine
my hand heartily. "as business calls
me away. but l shall be delighted if
YOU Will dine with me on Thursday.
beHamy will not be present, as he has
a day off. and 1 shall order dinner to
De sent IN from the hotel. And now.
GOOD afternoon nv loo, T:I-.-,