New-York tribune., 1901-06-09


ior his eyes stared at ine wildly and his face
Was as pale DEATH"
The Journalist looked nervously at the nor
trait on the mantelpiece and shuddered
lie didn't speak word" went on the Artist:
SO ! said, 'Hullo. old man. what's The
les?" The Journalist was trembling visiblv
Don be fool said the Artist This isn't
a melodrarna. This is serious when I smoke
TO him. ne passed his hand over his ewes and
gave a deep sigh. I asked him again what MAS
@ sns matter but the only answer / got MAS,
Did he swoon?" asked the Journalist breath
NO. certainly not, lie sat down on my mort
Inanteau and looked much better So i asked
liim a third time what he was getting al ana al
last he Condescended to explain. Il had a dream
Ire Said and IA my dream saw YOU lying on
your bed, dead MAS so hOrriiied that 1 awok,,
ana staggsred in here TO see if the dream was
tfue Al hrSt i MAS afraid look AT the bed;
hut when you struck match the sense # re
lief was almost overpowering.' lie WAS silent
Tor minute or two and then he added L Agon-
der what the dream meant?'"
"Meh?" asked the Journalist. did you tell
Al first it didn't occur 10 me lint suasa,,v 7
remembered that dreams go 10y opposites and
the Whole thing, OF course. as plain as pos
slble. 30 told him. then and there. that 1 had
proposed To Enid and that she had accepted me-
Lord said the Journalist slapping las knee
what lovely situation"
III may strike you like that" said the Artist
nut Thought il WAS beastly awkward. Poor
Ola carter Was struck all e a heap. as they say.
He simply got up from the porimanteau stag
Sefec out OF the room. and heard him shut his
own door with a bang. After he had gone 4
tried To get TO sleep again. for 1 was always a
believer you know in letting things shape them
selves as far rs possible But, hard I tri j,
couldn't sieeD another wink 1 kept on thinking
about poor Garter and his dream, and the snor-
ing Old Wine merchant, and all the rest Of IL.
untt my brain was in worse state ~ chaos
than usual Then 1 began % wonder seriously
how Garter Was feeling about my engageIne
know he was morbid sort IF chap ii anything
went wrong w!th him, and also knew that he
fcaUully in love with Enid. II Incurred TO
me that 1 ought 10 go into has room. perhaps.
ana say something by way of apology for having
cut him OUT
The Journalist put his hand over his eyes
The more I thought about il, The more evil
dent il SEEMED that ought Il give him a bit II
bucking-up. so 1 got cat of bed, felt nay Way
along the passage, and was just going TO open
his door when hoard groan"
Excellent" said the Journalist scenting mel
.Exc, ilent be blowed, 1t gave me nasty
turn. | tell you. The place still
death. the night was pitch dark. and ] hadn't
the fantest idea what might find inside that
room However, Il too late 10 draw back
then and IN I went"
''To see the Poet stretched out upon the floor.
a razor il. his hand. cash in his throatanl his
beautiful curis dabbling in pool Of his own
blood"
~ au're the least intelligent man in Flect-st-.'' .
said the Artist, and that's saying something.
AS a matter Of fact. he WAS sitting on the bed.
composing verses 10 his lost love"
''No He waved me away airily, and went
with his composition. Two days later, the
poem Appeared in penny evening paper. IL
rather We'll. II occurred 10 me that Enid would
like 10 know exactly how hfr component pats
were distributed, 50 / took copy over TO show
her However, ] too late. for Carter had
already sent her the cutting by District Mes
senger boy"
'She annoyed Of course
That's what had expected, hut YOU never
know with women she battered
touched, she called it-that she insisted
meeting Carter bid him farewell. The end
Of il that she broke il off with me ana got
engaged 10 him.
Get outi"
Fact. 1 assure you, But now comes the
moral The old said there no money
I'm minor poetry. and made him into the VINE
business He had to agree, and the very day
that ne put frOck coat and Went up To
the city, Leslie Darlington minor poet, died"
"And Mr. Carter"
"Oh, Mr. Carter is a fourishing wine mer-
chant with heaps OF money and a growing
family"
The talk ceased suddenly; the Journalist
struggling with idea After a few moments.
however, he reached over, and shook the Artist
by the hand.
"Old man." he said, Il congratulate you.'