The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-06-29
The Man
Who Dreamed.

MS pdSel On lI1c lonely SnOTe III
Il Penclth. putting the finishing
touches to n small picture. He
was a man of about 81. his hair Just
tinged with gray, yet not old in APP
pearance.
He laid down his brush. and pulling
out his pipe, proceeded to fill 1t leis-
urely.
Presently he was reused from his re-
Elections by the sound of a light foot
| step, and looking around, saw a young
girl approaching him.
mot lea time yet. Joan?" he cried.
She smiingly shook her head. She
was a pretty girl of 81, with shady
giay eyes. and a complexion as clear
as the Cornish air itself. Sitting down
on the ledge of rock beside him, she
gravely criticised the canvas.
what say you, q child of the sea
| and wnds?" he asked with glance
at the bright young face.
She turned to him enthusiastically.
a flush on her cheeks.
"1 think It's splendid" she cried.
'"rhe best you've done since you've
| been with u.s."
"Only fair to medium, I fancy. I've
| never got beyond that, YOU know" he
! added thoughtfully.
| The girl glanced at him, and saw
| that he was gazing seaward in vacant
| fashion. Instnctively she knew the
| bend of his thoughts.
"a failure couldn't have done this'"
she said gently, her eyes on the pic
| ture.
He gave a slight start and laughed
softly.
THANK you, little girl" he cried
1t ~x,k
doesn't alter the one great undeniabe
fact"
What was the life you mapped
out?" she asked quietly.
A momentary gleam kindled in his
eyes.
my dreams? Oh, the usual ones Of
the young man who does not know
ttat the thing that has been given
him is not genius, but only tiny
| spark of 1t. I was to be big artist
paint wonderful pictures that would
bring me lasting fame and position.
was t. lead a dazzling life, see the
world mix with it's masters, explore
| its treasures"
| His voice came to a stop. The girl
| watched him with beating heart; he
was staring into space, q far-away
look in his eyes.
II had another little later" he
went on in low tone. "T was still to
do all these things, but not for my own
sake alone--to win woman"
He paused and noticed his pipe had
gone out. Mechanically his fingers felt
for another match.
Yes. I loved that woman, joan" he
continued. 81 assured her confidently
that I would work like slave to
achieve success. that in short time
I would accomplish this, and be able
to marry her"
FIc gave a little low laugh.
"Fortunately for herself, she knew
better. and foresaw my future with
admirable clcarnesss. She settled the
point by marrying an extremely veal
thy man."
The girl raised her head. She was a
trifle white, but he did not motto.
1t.
And you never dreamed again."
she asked slowly.
NO, as the years drifted on, a calm
philosophy fell on me. until now you
see me as I am, my very small private
income and the proceeds of selling
my pictures to the dealers just en-
abling me to lead a life in a quiet,
cut -the-way place like Penelth."
His eyes rested for moment on the
clear roofs of the tiny town, then he
turned round quickly to her with a
| smile.
you see I am reconcilod now" he
said. "'The months I have spent here,
living in the house with YOU and your
aunt, have heen the best thing in my
life. We've had a jolly time together,
haven't we?"
Joan rose to her feet. She was smil
ing new. and the color in her cheeks
Rad deepened slightly.
Yes, we've got on Welt" she said.
"I must run on now to see about tea
mind you are not more than a quarter
of an hour" she added in laughing
tone of command as she hurried away.
She walked swiftly alone the road
to the town, her head bent in thought.
The daughter of a Cornish clergyman,
Joan Hesketh had on his death found
herself practically penniless.
She had gone to living at Penelth
with her aunt, who, owing to a stroke
of i'll fortune. was obliged to let a por-
tion of her little house. Thus it was
that Wargrave. the artist, had come
to live with them some IS months ago.
What his presence now meant to the
girl, she herself only knew.
She brushed a tear from her eye as
she entered the house.
He only dreams of the past" she
murmured, half sob in her voice. "He
will never know"
A few minutes later WargraVe was
IoddinE lesurely along the road, his
easel under his arm. Looking ahead,
he noticed AN open carriage sweep
round the curve. and as it came nearer
he saw there was only one occupant,
lady. Catching sight of her face, he
gave a start of surpis.e and came to
an abrupt halt.
She had seen him, too, and had give
an order to the coachman, The next
moment the carriage had drawn up in
front of him, and. with white face, he
was staring at the woman who 50
smilingly held out hand to him. She
was about 30, remarkably handsome,
and dressed in the latest fashion,
Not due to Fate" she said laugh
ing at his surprise, II saw one of
your pictures in a London shop, in
CURED the address, and came down
specially to this remote spot to find
you" She opened the carriage door
II have TO return to London tonight.
want you, for the sake of old times,
to come TO the hotel and have tea with
me. VIII you?'
lie got i'm beside her and the carriage
turned In n few minutes they We're
sitting alone in the long dining room
of the hotel He had not tasted the
tea she had handed to him. hut was
locking at her intently, his eyes taxi
ing in all the details of hcr appearance.
S-t. hn,, I,,,,