The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1897-05-08
FAME AND FAILURE.
BY rsrHER wooD.


up to my rooms since Sunday for hi
usual evening chat. For three month
TOW we had sketched, scrubbed an,
smoked together, often far into tn
night, talking art and poetry with al
the fervor of impecunious youth, tn
more fervently for our bitter knowledg
that each morrow must bring its des
picable round of pot-boiling, it's drear,
prostitution of brush and pen to tn,
stern exigencies of livelihood.
For myself / did not care much. Blu
for Teddy Brownlow, with his fresf
young life 50 rich in talent and power
his head full of high ideals and his hear
bounding with enthusiasm, cared q
great deal. l took a jealous pride in the
possibilities of his future, and rebelled
against their continual subservience to
present need.
So / jumped up, delighted, wheli the
old 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.
You've got three nights to account
for. Let's have it, old man." said 1.
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
cate skin was ruddy and tanned as q
haymaker's under his curly brown
hair. "And who is the latest mashr'
Teddy's sensitive mouth twitched a
little, and began watching it intently
to see il the corners would go up or
down. They went down. I knew that
weather-vane well.
IT'S not mash" he said; sits COM
plication." q
Idrew my chair up, tossed fhe match
es 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 SO that his finely-cut profile shone
out clearly in the lamplight when 1
glanced at him again, and his deep blue
eyes gazed wistfully 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. Roxbwgh."
WHAT That limp little widow we
met at the Earlham party?"
Yes; she's very interesting woman,
and has had experiences. She was kid
mapped in India as baby and brought
up in convent, and married very young
to some old rake, who divorced her at
the end OF two years. She's sort of
taken and fluffy type, you know; not
pretty, but lights up well when she's
talking; looks 40 in the morning and 20 |
at night. OF course, when first went |
to see the girls didn't mean to particu-
larize. We were all very jolly together,
and, in fact, felt rather safe with Mrs.
because thought she would
prevent my being paired off by mamma
with Kitty or May. But then she began
to take great interest in my work,
ind made me tell her all about nv Diff
ficulties and ideas and plans for the fu-
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
70 do SO. Only, unluckily, she didn't
name her price just then, and l didn't
tumble to It,"
I'm glad you didn't" said I.
"She has got little money of her
'wn,' he went on, "and a jolly little
place up the river at Templecombe,
where I've been staying this weekend .
With her. And she's very anxious for
ne to go and settle down there. OF ,
curse, l should come up to town once
II twice a week, but it would be fine to :
i've IN the country; could do such
ood work there-that valley scenery
ppeais to me 80 strongly, and then It g
you'd be such relief not to have to
worry any more about money! hate it :
And this generous friend proposes !
take all such petty details off YOUR =
ands-how kind of her!" cried, an :,
riiy, as the remembrance of fair and :
olI-ilke creature with pink frills and :,
'hite laces rose in my mind, and !,
efore me shone the fresh, honest face y
Ieddy-our glorious Teddy-whom Z,
e all loved, and for whom we cherished Il
reams and ambitions perhaps even y
'gher than his own. slow kind of :,
er,' | repeated, almost fiercely. ITO ?
we your art from its struggle with the
numerical world-O, and that's hard :,
Rough, know!-she offers to buy YOU -
It and out, body and soul together, and ~
'dow you for life to paint what she win "a
spire, and what she will sell again In .e
II own markets, and shut you up in a =, ~
orld OF baser commerce than ours ~
here you would have to sell your hon
your ideals, even your personal lib I'M
" and Judgment, to wealthy mis- ag
ess who cares less than nothing for I'd
EN-. do Won mean IN toll x,,.> ~. >. wa