The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1896-12-19
here's ten francs in advance to inspire

DIG SetS IL: que luluhS ID COiA'
monplace sort of fellow. III make
her think there's more to NC than ap.
pears on the surface. Good night,
Mr.. Poet; il you do your work we'll
I'll give you steady employment.
&c bowed himself out, leaving a ten
franc piece on the table, and Claude
heard him stumbling downstairs with
many an imprecation concerning the
darkness and steepness OF the stairway.
Claude called the land!ady's daughter
and soon there was set before him an
appetizing meal. such as he had not
tasted for months. He also INDUCED
in the extravaganza Of another candle.
He felt itch, indeed. Ten francs q
day? Enough to keep the wolf away.
Enough to keep body and soul to-
scther. Enough SO that he would eat
three times day instead Of once in
three days. Ills spirits arose as the
nourishins dishes disappeared. He
lighted q cigar.
Julie" ho repeated softly. Glow
her face comes back! Tho little coun.
tess! Happy days? Yes; it is to her,
my love, my lost love, | will speak.
Oh, Time, what o royengtful old fcl'
low thou art. Who could have i'm
ngined bankruptcy wouli have ruined
u noble house end that I who had
plenty in tho heyday OF life, an now
but scurvy scribbler in IN attic
chamber, addressing madrigals to m.
others charmer lat SO many sous
per rhyme! Yes, between the past
and the present is q yawning chasm,
but I, standing on tho brink, may look
across and see my old love who has
forgotten, who remembers no more
the happy days of childhood.
: CHOW, away with such faucies! Let
the poet assert himself; not the lover.
Yet to this ideal I must ever appeal. !"
His pen sputtered and the words
ran trippingly across the paper. He
gazcd thoushtfully at the Wall where
the plastering had fallen and again the
pen tripped across the paper, back
again and then across once more. He
eyed the broken window pane with
towel picturesquely thrust into the
aperture and the pen fairly flew mer-
riIy to and fro. He glanced ct the
place in the ealing where the rain had
dr;pped through and then he saily
punctuated the verses. He read them
over and something like q teor ap'
pcarcd in his eye. He passed his
hcnd across his brow. "This is melan-
choly work playing with the shadows
Of the past, he said, as 10 blew out
his candle and went to bed.
The next morning his visitor reap
peared and Claude handed him the
poem. Flo read it carefully.
every good" he said; lit must be
good; 1 don't understand it. That
last turn is especially fine. To-day
will be a day Of surprises for her. I
vii! send it with flowers by my ser.
want. Good day. Remember, to-
morrow morning at ten o'clock I will
call for the goods-1 mean the poem,
and expect to find it ready"
For several days the poet pursued
this occupation. One morning his
patron called, in high slee, waving q
letter.
''Seo what diplomacy may accom-
plish, Mr.. Poet" he said. Just read
that. Am ! gong to win her? Well,
think am. I'll double your salary,
that's what III do. There's nothing
small about me, and on the wedding
day I'll write you out check. Bat
| look at this" And he pointed to a
| passage in letter. "Your words have
| touched me very much. never gave
! you credit for such depth Of feeling.
How we are apt to misjudge! Your
words touch . secret chord in my NJ.
ture, dear friend, shall / confess it?
When ! see you, alas, it is different
Have little patience with me-"
"There, what do you think of that %
shouted the lover. 'Flsn't she already
won? Keep right on. These roman.
tic girls can't fool me. Grind out the
poetry. I'll provide the wherewithal. "
But as Claude worked his heart be.
came dark and clouded. 1t oppressed
him constantly to be bringing up on
image from the past. He struggled
manfully but determined to break his
contract with the lover as soon as
possible. He had the JOY Of learning
that his romantic play would soon be
produced and he trusted it might be
successful so that he could devote
himself solely to his dramatic work.
BE had been 80 filed with old mem
cries that he incorporated them in
the poems, disguised it is true. He
resorted to such fantastic devices as
concealing his name and that of Julie,
his old love, in these edusions. Sub
rosa there were many tender messages
to his ideal which his patron
could not observe. He brought up
many childhood incident in which
the Countess Juhe and he figured.
Once when Lis patron expressed some
doubt regarding one OF these vagaries,
! G}ou1a c;lapoa,l him imnario,1s1v with