The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-04-08
FAME AND FAILURE.
BY ESTHER WOOD.


night, talking art and poetry with all
the fervor of impecunious youth, the
more fervently for our bitter knowledge
that each morrow must bring its des-
qicable round of pOt-boiling, its dreary
prostitution of brush and pen to the
stern eNigencies OF a livelihood.
For myself l did not care much. But
for Teddy Brownlow, with his fresh
young life so rich in talent and power,
his head full of high ideals and his heart
bounding with enthusiasm, | cared a
great deal. | took jealous pride in the
possibilities of his future. and rebelled
against their continual subservience to
present need.
SO l jumped up, delighted, when the
cid quick step came on the stairs, and
the old firm hand-grip sought my own,
and Teddy's slim figure was flung into
his favorite armchair.
"Nou've got three nights to account
for. Let's have it, old man." said l.
i've been up the river" he replied.
"That's true" remarked concessive-
ly, as | looked at him. you've certain
ly been up the river, or down to the sea,
with that complexion" His fair, deli
rate skin was ruddy and tanned as a
haymaker's under his curly brown
hair. And who is the latest mash?"
Teddy's sensitive mouth twitched a
little, and l began watching it intently
TO see if the corners would 90 up or
down. They went down. | knew that
weather-vane well.
It's not a mash, " he said; its COM
plicatiOn."
l drew my chair up, tossed the match
IS to him and looked away, understand
ing his mood. Teddy filled his pipe
thoughtfully and looked back, resting
his head against the old oak cupboard
door 50 that his tineiy-cut profile shone
out clearly in the Iamplight when l
glanced at him again, and his deep blue
eyes gazed wistfuIly before him, per-
picked and sad.
Presently, and with few words from
me, he began to talk.
you know the Harrison girls? Well,
they're all right. It's that cousin of
theirs, Mrs. RoXburgh'
what! That limp little widow we
met at the Earlham party?"
Yes; she's a very interesting woman,
and has had experiences. She was kid
mapped in India as a baby and brought
up in a convent. and married very young
to some old rake, who divorced her at
the end of two years. She's sort of
fiaXen and fluffy type, you know; not
pretty, but lights up we'll when she's
talking; looks 40 in the morning and 20
at night. OF course, when l first went
to see the girls | didn't mean to particu-
larize. We were al! very jolly together,
and, in fact. | felt rather safe with Mrs.
RoXburgh, because | thought she would
prevent my being paired off by mamma
with Kitty or May. But then she began
to take a great interest in my work,
and made me tell her all about my diff
fculties and ideas and plans for the flu
ture. And at last one day she said the
only thing she cared for in life now was
TO see me develop my art, and fulfill my
destiny, and all that sort of thing. and
she wanted to be my friend and help me
to do so. Only, unluckily. she didn't
name her price just then, and | didn'
tumble to it,
I'm glad you didn't said l.
"She has got little money of her
own" he went on, "and jolly little
place up the river at Templecombe.
where I've been staying this weekend
with her. And she's very anxious for
me to go and settle down there. OF
course, | should come up to town once
or twice a week, but it would be fine to
live in the country; I could do such
good work there-that valley scenery
appeals to me so strongly, and then it
would be such a relief not to have to
worry any more about money! hate it
So"
And this generous friend proposes
TO take all such petty details off your
hands-how kind of her!" | cried, an
grily, as the remembrance of fair and
doll-like creature with pink frills and
white laces rose in my mind, and
before me shone the fresh, honest face
OF Teddy-our glorious Teddy-whom
we all loved, and for whom we cherished
dreams and ambitions perhaps even
higher than his own. Glow kind of
her" l repeated, almost fiercely. ''To
save your art from its struggle with the
commercial world-O, and that's hard
enough. l knOw!-she offers to buy YOU
out and out, body and soul together, and
endow you for life to paint what she will
inspire, and what she will sell again in
her own markets, and shut YOU up in
world of baser commerce than ours.
where you would have to sell your hon
or, your ideals, even your personal lib
erty and judgment, to a wealthy mis-
tress who cares less than nothing for
them. DO you mean to tell me that if
she did care she would make the offer
in the way you suggest it has been
made"
My harsh tones Jared upon Teddy.
for | saw him vince and shrink, as it
were, into himself.
Dear old boy" said, don't think
me unsympathetic, but really the thing
is so preposterous and cruel. 1t lust
comes to this: Is the woman honestly
in love with you for your own sake, and
are you in love with her?"