The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-07-28


needed my weekly salary. Then there
was the probability that all my labor
would go for naught. and would be |
left out in the cold, for you know that |
in newspaperdom 1t is easier to resign |
a position than to get one. for when a
man steps out there are always 30 9th |
ers ready and anxious to take his place. |
many of them just as good and some |
considerably cheaper.
''But the dear little wife, who never |
doubted my success, decided for me.
So I resigned my desk and went to
work with might and main on my play.
the baby fell i'll, and then our small
savings began to fly. No one knows
how money can go until his income is
cut of and his expenses are increased,
and very soon we were brought face to
face with the problem of how to live on
nothing week Still I worked on.
sandwiching In sketches and stories
enough to keep us going between the
acts of my play, until 1t seemed as II
the pen were constantly In my hand
and my brain was In whirL We were
never reduced to actual want, nor even
thanks to the kindness Of our cred
itors-to public humiliation. but for
the first time since my marriage was
| compelled to renew acquaintance with
the pawnbrokers, and my pride was
humbled forever.
Worse still was the constant worry
and care for our little one We could
| not afford to hire q nurse, so the wife
and took turns In standing watch over
her. Baby had just reached the age
when she was learning to lisp our
names, and she clung to us with that
blind confidence. Of childhood which
tugs at human heartstrings stronger
than anything know, on earth. Then
we tasted the bitter anguish Of seeing
! our little darling. whom we had learned
to love so. fade and wither before oul
eyes like tender flower. and we could
not help her.
81 was constantly tormented by the
fear that lack of ready money was de-
priving my child Of some relief or lux
ury that might bring her back to health.
so, when about this time received an
offer Of another position. was on the
point of accepting it But my wife for
bade me. She insisted upon my finish
ing the play which she felt certain
would bring me fame and fortune Un-
hesitatingly she sacrificed her baby upon
the altar Of my ambition. and IL &C.
cepted that awful sacrifice
"Critics say that my play bristles
with wit and epigram; that its humor
is irresistible and Its situations simply
convulsing. Yet often wonder as ]
watch the people laughing at and ap-
plauding the performance how 1t would
affect them if they knew that those
lines were written by the bedside Of my
dying baby, in the STILL solemn hours
of the night. while my dear. devoted
little wife slept the sleep Of the utterly
exhausted. Would they laugh II they
knew that between those laughable lines
often paused to soothe my baby's fe-
vered brow and wet her parched lips
Some of those side splitting scenes were
written with my little one In my arms
and heavier weight than her frail lit
tie form on my heart It would have
J been tragedy had written as felt
"Then in the midst Of rehearsals the
l y,
incident to staging new play, the pic
ture of that pallid little face ON the pill.
low, with the tired. fearful one Of my
wife bending over It. would come be-
tween me and the stage, and thost
, laugh provoking speeches sounded Hkt
ribald mockeries to my ears. How Will
, ingly would have forfeited even tn,
, certainty Of success to bring the glow
of health and happiness back to thos'
two loved faces.
. "On the night Of the first perform
! ance there was no one to respond to tn
+ calls for the author. was sitting b.
{ the bed Of my baby. watching her nttl'
= life flicker and go out even at the hou'
when my fame and fortune were born
: And were they to increase q thousand
4 fold they could never blot ont the bite
: memory of that night. It was part o
the price of success. and it can never b
4 all paid on this earth.
Holden passed. and there were tear
a in his eyes.
: pardon me for paining you. old fel
a low" he resumed, ''but must talk 3
: some one The little wife never refer
n to our lost darling before me II she ca
A help it, for she fears to pain me tn
7 more, and for the same reason I refrai
. from speaking Of it to her. But ca
r. see in her thin. pale face and tear drain
% ed eyes the same thought that Ia con
). stantly torturing me-if fortune ha
v but come little sooner, might II nc
. . have saved our baby's life. for If tbs
20 was in truth the price Of success It we
- all too DEAR Willard Holcomb 1
n Washington Post.
Dress Goods Named For Towns.
le The origin Of the names of textil
e fabrics in common use are little known
n although many Of them with slight PEI