The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1901-06-07
BY M. G.. Seymour.

past, present and future. lie
was so cheerfully persistent
(even in the thickest Of his trouDles)
that there was "a good time coming
that we. who were his friends ana
comrades, used TO declare that those
few words were the resume OF his be-
lief-his credo.
And vet Jacks path was about as
rough as II could be. He came OF
good old family; but 1t was one OF
those families which, from pure rate
and no other known cause, meets with
misfortune at every turn and goes
financially-down In the world
To retrieve the losses Of his ances-
tors, Jacks father went in for busi-
ness of which he understood nothing;
also for speculation, Of which he knew
even less.
AS necessary consequence he made
fiasco; and the worry ana disap-
pointment killed him, though the doc
tors certificate gave influenza as the
cause of death.
No one believed more firmly than
Jack, that Alexander Sinclair would
have pulled through the malady well
enough If his hope and courage had
not failed him. The wish and willing
ness TO have done with life, is all on
the side of the undertaken and grave
digger.
So Jack Sinclair became a clerk in
merchants office instead Of coun-
try gentleman who sits at home at
ease and acquires local influence by
getting j. T. tackled OH to his name.
And in place of the old home, which
he sold, he had to take board resi-
dence with a family living in com
monplace London suburb-a home
away from home" il was represented
by advertisement, but singuariy un-
like any methods of existence with
which Jack had been previously ac-
quainted
He did not seem so downhearted as
might have / en- feared. He felt that
what others had borne ana others had
done, he also could bear and could do;
and at two and twenty the best of life
stretched before him. So his Credo-
the good time coming'-was his in
variable reply TO any coincidence which
was offered him
Jack did not expect to arrive at n
competence 10y means of Il clCrkship
The pay he received from the Office
was not SO bad hut that it might have
been worse; still it could only be a
means of frugal daily eXistence-just
TO "faire marcher le pOt-au-feu," as
the French say in such case.
But he had talent Some of us
thought it amounted to genius, but that
need not here be insisted on Let us
say that he had n fine tenor voice and
he hoped-when his reverses of for
tune came-that he would succeed in
making money by it, Why not, when,
as every one knows, the thing has
often been done and caE be done
again?
AS a smallish boy his singing in n
church choir had been compared, 10y
impressionable ladies, to that Of an
angel Possibly what was angelic"
had deepencd into the tones of man
hood, but Sinclair's singing was not
what one may hear any and every
day.
If he could have given up his time
to it aud made it his profession, fame
would have been his. | believe
But so long as boots and bread and
butter are stern and inevitable neces
saries, there must be money TO pay
for them; and Jack, having no rela
tives or friends able TO back him up
must take TO the office work to gain
living. However, if his days wer,
thus filed, he was his own master
after six p. m, and his evenings wer,
given to music.
one of the daughters of the famil.
with whom lie boarded considere,
herself a budding prima donna. Jacl
WINGED under the metallic shrillnes
of her tones. but he was grateful {
her for the use of her piano. and ais,
when she could play his accompani
ments.
After good many disappointments
he got hearing at n charity concer
and made his mark. There was II
fee; but Jack was none the less rad
ant, and certain. OF course. that ava
In the distance there was goo
time coming
He talked Of little else than singln
and singers-the Murios and Gardon
who were before his time, but who's
first difficulties and subsequent ha
vests he had got the story OF 10y hear
20 say nothing Of the stories Of MOI
modern vocalists And in the thougl
of n bright future, the toll and the pr
walton of his actual existence bccam
endurable / suppose, for he new,
spoke of IT,
But Jack Sinclair was not of q
stun which makes the wealthy ma
lac WAS so fond Of giving. When
began 20 sing in one or two drawn
rooms-a song for a couple of guinei
IL was-he was certain to come aero
some one In desperate need OF fe
shllings. or TO hear of pitiable ca
of want which would have kept hi
awake all night IL he had not dol
something 20 help.
II was only afterwards-after the
was no dear Jack among us-that "
his comrades. knew how many kin
~ deed he had managed to do at q
cost OF a sacrifice. and yet so gladly.
After that charity concert and Il