The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-09-28
HIS LIES WORK,

HIS LIES WORK.
Before Il study table. laden with books
Of reference, sat a man busiIy engaged
in writing. Between 33 and 40,
he looked even more, for his hair was
already we'll tinged with gray, and his
forehead heavily lined. 1t was 4 power
tut face, the features large, the jaw prom
incnt and the eyes somewhat Sunk-the
face Of a thinker The room. TOO was
in keeping with the appearance Of the
man. Lined with shelves on which mass
overlooking books were tightly packed.
space covered with portfolios of nlan,l-
script, It was the abode OF man Of
lcHrning--thr den of Il brain worker.
\ shaft Of light from the window fell
on the man bent over his task. He wrote
quickly, now and again pausinG to con-
suit notebook, then Fastening on again.
There was no cessation, no wandering
for 4 single instant OF his thoughts.
Presently there was IL tap at the door,
and Il man servant entered.
Sir Roland Huth. sir,' he announced
The man at the desk gave Il start as
the servants words fell on his ears. The
current Of his thoughts was broken. Be
fore he had time to lay down his pen a
$nart-looking, wcll-dreSscu little man of
about 40 hustled into the room.
Il know I'm intcrrupting-drcad
nu;sance, and all that kind of thing, Goef
frey,' he said, Eriskly, but 1rankly-I
don't care if | am"
\ slight smile crossed Godfrey Muir
rays face, rs he took his friends hand.
"iou certainly have the knark OF dis
ments:" he replied. "What is it now:'
he asked. as Sir Roland settled himself
IN q chair.
Il want to know what the devil YOU
mean by sending a refusal to my invita-
ton for tomorrow?',' said the little man
carefully polishing his eyeglass. /
Gcoffrey Murray made Il little impa-
tlcnt gesture.
MY dear Huth. you know I never go
anywhere now" He glanced at the pa
per-llttercd desk. Il can't spare the
time. But Nora is going-at least [ un-
derstood that she was" he added vague
ly. lie turned and fingered his papers,
as II impatient to get On with the work
again.
But Sir Roland had no intention of
at Murray thoughtfully
i've known you for a good many
is it, or thirty?"
Murray swung around
YOU'RE my oldest friend-of course
you are. But-?' he paused inouiriuy-
"Wcll, | merely want to say you're a
foCl,' replied Sir Roland calmly. land
rather a bad fool, too," he added, rising
from his feet.
you marry a girl some fifteen years
your junior. She was your ward, and
1t saved trouble to become her husband
rather than look after her. Now, what
90 you suppose is her feeling toward
MY dear HUH, she loves me- began
Did love you!' corrected Sir Roland.
Murray gave Il start.
What On earth arc you talking
about?''
''Si1npy that YOU are doing your best
to stamp out every bit of affection Nora
ever had for you. Remember she is a
girl-a bright. pretty girl, and that she
wants love. And what do you give her?
You shut yourself up here, spend every
moment grinding away at your monu
mental book, do and think Of nothing
clsc'
A flash Of enthusiasm lighted up Muir
rays face.
Its my life work. he cried
''Your lifc's work. replied Sir Roland
contcmptuously What is it? \ book
read by few with minds similar to
your own! You should never have mar
rled sweet young girl. if this was to
have been the one object of your exist
ence. TO make her radantly happy, to
give her love, to gain hers in return, that
is your real life's work.
"Shc has her own interSsts-her art"
Her art?' cried Sir Roland. ''She
took it up simply because you neglected
because you took not shred Of interest
in her life. She has put her whole being
into a picture simply because it makes
her fOrgct-stit1cs the pain at her heart"
Murray pulled himself together to
speak. but Sir. Roland was excited and
sil !:n !; him with a gestHre:
her art f'H wen fS' su Efen he g RasiG Re
Nora must have love. 1t is naturaHit
is right. And if you won't give it to her,
some one else will. And I'll be hanged
if YOU, don't deserve it, finished Sir Ro-
land, holly, as he picked up his hat and
gloves and moved to the door.
Murray sat motionless at his desk for
some minutes after his friends Departure.
He wanted to continue his work, but no
could not concentrate his thoughts. Sir
Roiand,s words were ringing in his ears.
Ie flung down the pen and strobe rest
essly up and down the room. Was there
anything in what HUH had said? He set
himself to think tho whole thing out. H.
vent back to the time when they were
hrst married. He remembered he used
to set aside hours to spend with her. He
them recreation. and the sound
If her happy laugh. the ring Of her voice.
was pure JOY TO MIN. And he laughed
90: in those days. Then as time went on
md the great work was started, these
hours grew less and less. He had no
'ecreation. lie abandoned himself, body
md soul, to his task. He only met her
1t meals hardly spoke then, his mind
wrapped up in the work he
1ad left for few minutes. Gradually
hey had drifted apart. She took up art
worked feverishly at it. but he. her hus,
oand, had taken not the slightest inter
'st in it-never spoke of it, had not even
seen a single picture she had painted.
All these things he realized for the first
Time. He flung open the door of his
loom and crossed the passage that led to