The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1898-06-11

eagerly pressed forward 20 It's DflLh, the
old tale running through the woof
and warp Of life, and which made up
is receptions and tragedies.
Van stYver had completed his prelirn'
mary work. had received his first pay
ment. had eagerly dispatched it home
when stricken down
Two months Of constant fever in a
hospital, however sldIlfnl the nursing,
even Il man comes out alive. leaves
him a pretty sad wreck Of his former
self
Add the shabbiness inevitable to gar
mcnts worn unremittingly summer and
winter, which, however carefully tend
ed, must get dilapidated, worn and
threadbares the broken and patched
shoes, and weather=beatenh hat, and the
disguise is quite complete between a
man in easy circumstances, TO whom
success comes naturally, and poor
devil on whom the world looks askanee,
and shows neither mercy nor favor.
Going TO ascertain, Van styver found
his place taken on the newspaper, and
the mural decorations of the white mar
bic house all completed, not with the
art and grace he could have put into
them, but the owner was anxious to oe-
cupy his dwelling. 50 how could he
wait on the convenience Of GONZALES
sent artist any more than the manage
ment Of big daily eould7
To get into the cold air outside was
bracing, and John felt strength and en-
ergy coming back to usurp the langor
and depression of Illness.
A windfall, IN tie way of some Illus
trating to be done hurriedly, gave him
the check he inserted in the letter he
dropped in the post office box before
going to see If there was nothing to be
had in the way of extra work at the Of
fice of the Herald.
There was nothing that day. and he
went slowly back to the shabby dark
ballroom, in a shabby and poor board
ing house. where he had a cot to sleep
in and a chair to sit on, and few photo
graphs placed where the poor light
could get at them, to cheer him.
One was of beautiful young woman.
whose eyes were the color OF violets.
whose hair was wavy and nutbrowu,
and whose wistful face and tender
mouth were a constant entreaty to Van
Styver to come back to the home under
the glorious California sky. The other.
adimpied. laughing, rosy child, brought
cheer to his heart, for there was no sign
Of suffering there.
Aletter had been brought by the post
man during his absence. and was thrust
under the door
Tearing it open, Van Styver read an
agitated entreaty that he come back as
fast az steam could take him. Their
rosebud and joy lay HILL unto death,
and her one cry was for him.
"Oh. John, John, dearest. come If you
would save her! Come, come. eomel or
she will dieI Her life Is waning, and
she means for youi"
The paper was hlistered with tears.
and Van styver groaned aloud as he
staggered to a chair and buried his face
In his folded arms on the table.
One hour sooner, and he could have
used the money for his passage back to
his dying child
The manager of one of the depart
ments of an enormous trunk line, road
having ramifieations all over the union,
sat in his Office in a dissatisfied brown
study.
Palmer Davidson had great RESPONSE
bilities resting on him. which his big
salary could not cover.
Few outsiders dream of the immense
amount OF advertising done by the
great railroad companies of this coun-
try, nor Of its value, variety and scope
Conducted by an extensive and thor
cughly equipped bureau, to them and
TO their efforts and methods IS due a
vast development of whole sections oil
country which would otherwise remain
wilds, forest or jungle lands, and to
TIE untiring and sagacious supervision
OF men of marked ability may be traced
the influx Of trade and commerce which
ensues on the springing up Of villages,
lumber mills and factories whose To-
cation has been the result of their
showing advantages and opportunities
which otherwise would have remained
undiscovered.
Davidson was at the head of such de-
psrtment.
On the wide desk before which he sa.
lay a confusion of sketches, showing in
more or less elaborate form and hack
neyed style the route OF the main line,
from east TO west, TO be used as adver-
Using cards by the road
Some were ornate. some simple. They
were of all sizes, shapes and forms.
hut none suited the fancy of the man,
who, looking with critical intentness
on each in turn. had thrown them down
with an air of complete and annoyed
disappointment.
Here, Dick, chuck these things in the
fire, will you? They are not worth the
pasteboard they are drawn on. Not one
OF 'em will do, said Davidson, instant
ly turning to young clerk who was
checking up some books across the
room.
1T seems id queer that there's
not a single artist in this town who can
catch my idea. Why, I explained what
I wanted fully to at least 80 of them,
and not one seems to have caught the
faintest glimmer of what 7 want. II
could draw I'd do the thing myself
just look at that" Davidson held uT
a labored and stilted drawing, then
twirled it of on the floor in complete
disgust.
why, that amt bad" said The young
clerk.
Il think mott" said Davidson. pushing