Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1896-08-15
"Yes. I am glad now. I wonder shall I

are so fond Of using il. They spoil every
romance by trying 10 make IL last forever.
" is a meaningless word. toe. The only
Inference between a caprice and q lifelong
passion Is that the caprice lasts a little
longer"
As they entered the studio, Dorian Gray
put his hand upon Lord Henry's arm. ''In
hat case, let our friendship be a caprice"
he murmured, blushing at his own holiness,
then stepped mp on the platform and re-
,umed his pose.
Lord Henry flung himself into a large
wicker armchair, and watched him. The
sweep and dash OF the brush on the canva
MADE the only sound that broke the still.
ness, except when Hallward stepped back
now and then 10 look at his work from a
distance. In the slanting beams that
'treamed through the open doorway the
lust danced and was golden. The heavy
scent OF the roses seemed 10 brood over
everything.
After about a quarter Of an hour. Hall
ward stopped painting, looked for a long
time at Dorian Gray, and then for n long
time at the picture, biting the end Of one of
his huge brushes, and smiling. at Is quite
finished" he cried. az last, and STOPPING
1880 F'gNN Ah' obh' ~ WIN NtIDAllllOI
letters on the left-hand corner Of the can
vas.
Lord Henry came over and examined the
picture. II was certainly a wonderful
work Of art, and a wonderful likeness as
well.
MY dear fellow, I congratulate you most
warmly, he said. Mr.. Gray, come and
look at Yourself
The fal -4.r@.J 90 .-zuzl x
: dream. as it really fnishedi" he muir.
INJURED, stepping down from the platform.
Quite finished" said Hallward. And
you have sat splendidly today. I am aw.
fully obliged 10 you"
THAT il entirely due TO me, broke in Lord
Henry. isn't IL, Mr.. Grayf"
Dorian made no answer, out passed list
lessly in front Of his picture and turned
toward II. When he saw IL he drew back,
and his cheeks flushed for a moment with
pleasure. A look Of Joy came into his eyes.
IA IL he recognized himself for the first time.
He stood there motionless. and in wonder,
dimly conscious that Hallward was speak
Ing TO him. but not catching tho meaning Of
his words. Thu sense of his own beauty
came on him like a revelation. He had
never felt il before. Basil Hallward's COM
pliments had seemed 10 him To be merely
the charming ~exaggerations Of friendship.
He had listened 20 them, laughed at them,
forgotten them. They had not Influenced
his nature. Then had come Lord Henry,
with his strange panegyric on youth, his
terrible warning OF its brevity. That had
stirred him at the time, and now, a. he stood
gazing at the shadow Of his own loneliness,
tho full reality Of the description flashed
across him. Yes, there would be a day
when his face would be wrinkled and wien,
his eyes dim and cOlorless, the grace of his
figure broken and deformed. The scarlet
would pass from his lips, and the gold steal
from his hair. The life that was TO make
his soul would mar his body. He would be-
come ignoble, hideous, and uncouth.
AS he thought OF il, a sharp pang Of pain
struck like a knife across him, and made
each delicate fiber of his nature culver. His
eyes %deepened into amethyst, and a mist OF
tears came across them. He felt as IL q
hand Of ice had been laid upon his heart.
Don't you like III" cried Hallward at
last, stung a little by the lads silence, and
not understanding what it meant.
'Of course he likes it, said Lord Henry.
"Who wouldn't like iti II IL one OF the
greatest things in modern art. l will Civ
you anything you like to ask for IL. / must
have it,"
1T is not my property, Harry"
Whose property is III"
'Dorian's, of course"
"He is a very lucky fellow"
How sad it is I" murmured Dorian Gray,
I with his eyes still fixed upon his own por
l trait. "How sad IL isl l shall grow old,
and horrid, and dreadful. But this picture
will remain always young. 1t will never be
older than this particular day of June. IL II
was only the other way& III it was / who
were 10 be always young. and the picture
that were 10 grow old For this-for this
l would give everythingl Yes, there Il
nothing in the world / would not givel'
You would hardly care for that arrange
ment, Basil, /" cried Lord Henry laughing.
at would oe rather hard lines on you"
II should object very strongly, Harry"
Dorian Gray turned and looked at him,
II believe you would, Basil. You like your
art better than your friends. / am no more
than a green bronze figure. Hardly as much,
l dare say"
Hallward stared in amazement. 1t was sc
unlike Dorian TO speak like that. What had
happenedi He seemed almost angry. His
face was flushed and his cheeks burning.
Yes" he continued, II am less TO you
than your ivory Hermes or your silver Faun.
You will like them always. How long will
you like mel Till Ihave my first wrinkle, |
suppose. l know now, that when one loses
ones good looks, whatever they may be, one
loses everything. Your picture has taught
me that. Lord Henry is perfectly right.
| Youth l. tho nplu thfpr tunrfh having
When | find that | am growing old, l will
kill myself"
Hallward turned pale. and caught his
hand. Dorian Dorian !" he cried, don't
talk like that. / nave never had such o
friend as you, and / shall never have such
another. You are not jealous Of material
things, are youi"
II am jealous Of everything whose beauty
does not die, | Am jealous Of the portrait you
nave painted of me. Why should IL keep
what l must losel Every moment that
passes takes something from me, and gives
something to it. Oh, if it was only the other
way II the picture could change, and ]
could be always what / an now! Why did
you paint it, 1t will mock me some day
mock me horribly" The hot tears welled
INTO his eyes he tore his hand away, and
Ringing himself ou the divun, no buried mis-
face in the cushions, as il he was praying.
This is your doing, Harry" said Hall.
ward, bitterly.
my doingi"
"Yes, yours. and you know it,
Lord Henry shrugged his shoulders. "It
Is the real Dorian Gray-that is all" he an
swered.
at Is not"
'If it is not what nave I to do with iti-
"You should have gone away VIXEN I asked
you"
~ stayed when you asked me-"
Harry, 1 can't quarrel with my two best
friends at once, but between you both you
have made me hate the finest piece Of work
have ever done, aud I will destroy II.
What is it but canvas and colori l will not
let IL come across our three lives and mai
them
Dorian Gray lifted his golden head from
the pillow, and looked at him with pallid
face n tear-stained eyes, IS he walked
over 10 the deal painting table that was SET
! beneath che large curtained window. What
was he doing therel His fingers were stray
Ing about among tho litter of tin tubes and
dry brushes, seeking for something. Yes,
II was the long p0ette- knife. with its thin
blade Of 1.-the steel. He had found IL at last