The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-16
THREE SCENES: POSTSCRIPT.

I'VE has 1du IL QdSs III Ailt hASk IA"CNl
l don't think that's the way TO portray
life
And yet it is the common supposition
OF a misguided public that that is the
unveils precise mission, - 1 suggested, with
out enthusiasm, for the subject did not eX-
cite me-.
"The common supposition is a ready-made
article not always to be taken without in
vestigation," returned Hilliard cheerfully.
81 hold that the short story is to literature
what the snap shot is to photography.
Either at the hands of a man with a see
ing eye, gives a glimpse of something def-
mite, strategic, living; something that I'M
presses you by it's vividness and by the
force of its actually"
'Impressiveness and force are good
enough in their way" L conceded, leaning
back comfortably, and taking in with a
satisfied glance the effect of harmon and
baauty for which billiards. rooms are
noted, even in a house Astounding in ele-
SAINT and luxurious apartments; but there
aee other considerations sometimes, you
know. Character drawing and the narra-
ton of incident, for example, We are not
quite willing TO part with in our fiction
billiard laughed. Il must be very unforr
tunate in my endeavor to explain myself
dc said good temperedly; these are ex-
actly the things that L claim can be done
best through the medium of the short
sketch. Throwing aside the extended in
tricacy of plot that rarely belongs to life
as we see it, where can you find in the
world Of fact or fancy d life that can't be
adequately presented in two or three
scenes? Look at your own existence; in a
sweeping glance doubtless almost all its
nultitudinous incidents and events recede
into hazy if not obscure background, and
you have a distinct impression of but two
or three more or less vivid hours, standing
o1t from all the rest. To tell those would
be to tell all that is of artistic value in
your history; If they were told well, your
individuality, .your personality, at the differ
emit chosen points of development, ought to
bu forcefully evident. They are the noun
tain peaks; they should cast their own
shadows, unaided. AS for the reader, if he
isn't able to fill in the details of the valley
line of growth between these different
levels, he isn't the kind to be catered to.
But for that matter, who is really inter
ested in the intervals? What all men care
about is life, living, the evolution of that
most mysterious and potent force in the
universe, the human soul; and a word be-
yond what is absolutely essential is a lit
We'll" / said. rising, for I felt that my
friend might as well be headed off at this
yin - at any ONAAN - ~
a novelist myself; SO if you should acct
dentally convince me of anything in this
line it wouldn't make a radical change in
the worlds history. /, for my part, prefer
the short tale for the same reason, I'm in
clined to think, the other fellow does the
kodak-because it is less trouble than set
ting up the time-eXposure tripod. But, to
agree with an eminent authority on all mat
ters of discussion, doubtless there's Il good
deal to be said on both sides"
Il wish" said Hilliard, paying as usual
no attention to my instructive remarks,
Int nnfn n 70 h nPAaR haCK "a nd nj
ling out a pile of freshly written manu-
script, that you'd take this home and
glance it through when you have time; l
wrote it in Illustration of what I've BEEN
saying to you. Not long ago there came
into my possession an unusually full and
complete record of the events of a certain
life. 1t was a life that appealed to me
strongly, and none of the matter of the rec
ord is on the order of trash. But it seemed
TO me that in three slight scenes the whole
life and the main personal characteristics
might be sufficiently suggested. l have in
dicated this minimum amount here-my
part has been only that of selection, you
understand, and of course the supplying
after you've read it, whether | am right;
whether you get any sort of completed
whole from these three briefly told Incl
dents"
Il confess to a greater readiness to read
it, since you assure me it is short, than |
should feel were it the novel you decry,
thus far corroborating your opinion, L.
said, smiling.
And by the way added my friend,
again with only a passing half-smile in ac-
acknowledgement of this compliment, as he
turned absently to his desk and scrubbed
q few words on a scrap of paper, which
ne then handed to me:
"Icu might just as well read this slip
afterylards-after you've seen the article,
YOU know. 1t really doesn't concern the
literature of the thing, but 1t will do no
harm. 1t simply answers a question which
may occur to you. possibly
At my own rooms, a few evenings later,
I casually took up billiards. manuscript
and read it, bearing his thought in mind.
SCENE l.
They were three light-hearted comrades
sitting out of doors III the June sunshine,
the two girls in a hammock, and the boy on
a bench opposite them. They were young;
at that time before twenty when people
think; a fact which they invariably fail to
remember in later days when dealing with
young persons of the next generation.
Il envy that fellow his chance" the boy
was saying. 1T doesn't come to every one,
the opportunity of giving ones life up for
another, like that, and proving ones met
tie"
Indeed it was glorious assented one of
the girls; but. you know, Theodore, that
one can prove ones self heroic quite as
wei by the little, daily acts of ones
life"
Il have often wondered" interrupted Syl-
via Wayne, with her chin propped upon her
hand, ignoring the preceding remarks, how
I'd act If Sucn a cnance ever came to me-
like the one you were telling us about,
Teddy, Of the fire at sea. I'm not a bit sure
! should give my place in the lifeboat TO
some one else.
why. Silvia!' came from both listeners
In remonstrance; and Emily added: You
would be the very first one TO stand aside
and be generous
The girl shook her head slowly, and seri-
ously studied the distant landscape.
mo, I'm not speaking to be contradicted,"
she went on; Il think it is a thing one can
never know until the crucial time comes.
Naturally we al admire the one who is
noble and self-sacrif1cinS, and we all feel
that OF course we should meet any crisis
like heroes, but when l think of it-of this
case of a Tre at sea, for inStance-of the
first fright, then the real terror, the de-
spair, the look of the water, the knowledge
That in the lifeboat is possible safety, and
out of 1t is everything that Is ~repugnant
and TERRIBLE wonder and wonder whether
Id meet my moment nobly or ignomini-
ously.'
But death, Sylvia, what is it? Not a
thing to fear so much; so tritiing when
weighed against honor and heroism and
greatness
Well" replied Sylvia, smiling, death
1he fact that it takes you away from this
world of sunshine and winds and birds ana
friends and-and just living, make ii a
very serious thought, to my mind; for l
love all this!' she said, with a vigorous,
sweeping motion of the arm, which in
that isn't my point, she added; Il suppose
| could reason myself into choosing death
instead of life. or doing the hard thing in
stead of the easy, If it We're just a matter
of intellectual decision: but, you see, when
the great moments come, there's all the
sa11 Fl.rGfaal a n nd nprAr. nn1 70