The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-03
| PECULIAR EXPERIENCE


did not notice him at first-indeed,
thought the Artistic Pioneers smok-
ing room completely deserted when l
entered for an after dinner cigar; but,
as l glanced around indifferently
through the blue clouds OF my Muria.
l realized was not alone, and, fur
thermore, that the attitude, as we'll as
the half averted face of the other occu-
pant was vaguely familiar; then l
recognized him in a flash.
"Hullo, Ravensworthi, cried impul-
sively; for at the moment 1 was glad to
meet the man again, though my for
tunes had changed considerably since
| the days when we dwelt in the land of
Bohemia and collaborated novelties
fer the perambulator propelling section
of the reading public; why, where
have you been in hiding all these years
cut literature and taken to a quiet
life, eh?"
He looked UP slowly, with an enig-
NAUTICAL smile which was characteristic,
and then nodded in answer to my greet
| ing.
well, yes, Pennyfeather,' he replied,
drawing little, as of yore, Il have
had rather a quiet time of it latterly.
Been doing much yourself at the bellies
lettres- working the old claim? It
fairly sickened me- so I dropped it
long ago."
"Oh, the usual thing" answered
airily; cant complain. Have a CT
gar?"
He shook his head, as if the subject
were distasteful. II don't smoke" he
said; and then, glancing at my gold
mounted case. he added: Seems to
pan out better than formerly?"
| I laughed. I felt a shade awkward;
such reminders are not pleasant.
YES" I replied deprecatingly; cts
about time, isn't it?"
He lifted his eyebrows in silent as
sent, and then, apparently dismissing
the subject, began quite a. desultory
conversation. AS he talked he put one
knee over the other, and I saw that
the toe cap on one of his rather shah
by boots was perilously insecure. This
led me to look more closely at his at
tire; it was as of old-shabby genteel
the sort of costume one rarely meets
further west than the British Museum
land 1 wondered how he managed to
evade the imposing functionary who
upheld the dignity of the Artistic
Pioneers in the vestibule below. Evi-
IDENTIFY he had gained nothing by his
detection from liberation.
Now, although / am not malevolent
man, I felt distinctly pleased at this
latter circumstance, for my mind was
reverting to a play of mine then run
ming at the New Departure Theater,
and I knew it would be difficult to ex-
plain satisfactorily-Ra be-
ing always slow of Experimentation
I had borrowed an idea of his which
he had developed one evening as we
were walking home together l had
warmly approved of it at the time, it's
capability for dramatic treatment
striking me forcibly, and Ravensworth
had on subsequent occasions returned
to the subject, altering and simplifying
according to his custom, intending to
let it grow until this priced idea should
become the nucleus of an epoch-mak-
ing novel, which, I need hardly say,
had never been written.
We had drifted apart long before
thought of it again, at a moment when
I sorely needed framework on which
to hang some brilliant dialogues of my
own: and rejecting that Ravensworth
would in all probability never be the
worse or the wiser, 1 had straightway
utilized the idea as the plot of my
drama, with the most gratifying re-
suits, for the thing caught on immedi-
ately. It was named "a Moral Di-
lemma," and, critics told me, belonged
to the Scandinavian school 1 am in
deed proud to say it's first representa-
ton created much interest in literary
circles, Larripur of the Daily Tiger
stating the performance numerically,
and suggesting that the play had an
the elements of a Chinese puzzle, ex-
cept the intellectual recompense of a
solution, while Cantwell editor of ''The
Sky Pilot" hailed it enthusiastically as
the brand new gospel of some special
form of religious mania then exercising
| thoughtful minds throughout the length
and breadth of the English speaking
world.
My position. therefore, was now a.
critical one. did not know how much
Ravensworth knew of all this, and I
was not SO pronounced a success that
I could brazen the matter out. should
lc piONc lIOuU1cSOIIle, ny Qtcldr1nS the
identity of my plays plot and his idea
to be yet another literary coincidence"
And this was the reason why I expert
enced positive thrill of relief when
noted my companions shabby habili-
ments, feeling that Ravensworth pros
porous and indignant would be far less
amenable to reason than Ravensworth
in his normal condition of Indulgence.
AS we conversed, however, I rapidly
matured plan which 1 hoped would
extricate me if judiciously worked, and
as preliminary I decided on treating
my friend to some of the club vintage.
and then sounding him by dexterous
questions as he approached the requis-
lite stage of Nirvana If he proved
tractable, l could probably smooth mat
tiers with solatium; but if not, might
at least expect to elicit his intentions
and take defensive measures.
Accordingly, I proposed that we
should have dinner, ignoring my own
meal, but, to my surprise, he declined
the invitation, refusing afterward to
join me in the fresh brandy and soda
happened to be ordering.
Some other men coming in at this
juncture and talking rather boisterous-
~, our conversation became disiointed.
and, as l did not want any one to bring
my play on the tapis until l had set
tied what Ravensworth's attitude
would be, 1 proposed we should stroll
on