Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1902-02-20
CHATTER L
JACK, FROM BOHEMIA.

JACK, FhOM BOHEMlA.
Famous old Big Ben had doomed
out the hour of one afternoon in
May. when Jack Overton. who had
recently shaken off the dust Of the Bo-
hemian Latin quarter in Paris. de-
bouched from one OF the numerous
courts branching out from the Strand
Z London. and strolled along this great
thoroughfare.
Overton was man OF possibly
twenty-five. His form was well built
and athletic, his countenance, while
not wholly handsome. worthy of deep
study-an expert at physiognomy
would have gloried in reading the po-
teDtial features so plainly marked
and his verdict must have been that
while the young man had not yet
awakened to the resistless and domi-
nant power that slumbered within his
grasp. the force OF circumstances
would sooner or later bring 1t to the
fore.
For some time he had drifted along
In his studles--a faint CLEAN of sue
cess had begun to brighten the eastern
: skies-there was a promise Of his lat
: est picture being accepted for the
Salon, when his future could be look
ed upon as assured.
It was at this critical juncture In
his affairs when little more resolute
work would have landed him well on
the road to success. that fortune. and
"a woman. brought about a crisis
| which threatened his bark with dis
uster.
This accounted for the eagerness
with which he scrutinized the inmates
Of the various vehicles moving hither
and thither along the Strand. Final
ly his kindling gaze was glued upon a
dashing equipage. evidently headed
toward Rotten Row. and particularly
upon the beautiful woman who sat
there nonchalantly holding lace
trimmed parasol above her dainty
head, and occasionally addressing
some word to her elderly gentleman
companion. whose bronzed face and
air of distinction marked him as a
traveller or man Of note In Her Ma
1estyS colonial empire.
Jack held his breath and gritted his
teeth as he looked. He loved. aye,
worshiped this radiant creature. He,
a poor. unknown artist, dared to
raise his eyes to such a beautiful bird
OF fashion.
Why not--who had right one-half
so strong? Time was when he knew
Fedora as a modest little English
girl with a passionate desire to study
art, when he had given innumerable
opportunities to stand between her
and insult. to soften the rough places
for her dainty feet. to assist her in
the work she had chosen while his
own lay neglected in his garnet studio.
- Yes, they had become such great
friends In Bohemia that 1t ripened
into love, though on Jacks part he
fairly adored the girl from the hour
they first met.
Thus vows were exchanged. and for
months they drifted along ia a FOOLS
paradise. Then Jack. poor fellow, in
sisted on endeavoring to open COM
munications between Fedora and the
Trim old English grandfather who
ad exiled his daughter for marrying
,gainst his august will
The negotiations succeeded all too
well, and one day there came dolor-
Gus scene when Jack and his betrothed
separated. she to go to her new
English home. he to work feverishly
on the great-picture that was to make
such a sensation in the Salon-the
face of Fedora. created by a hand in
spired by the divine passion-and
bring him the fame and fortune which
he longed TO lay at her feet
At last 1t was finished, all but a
few touches. He had for some time
been on the verge OF distraction.
Stray rumors. that Fedora had forgot
ten him. He, faithful to death him.
self, believed steadfastly In the wo-
man he loved. and Indignantly chased
all satanic doubts headlong from his
mind. Still. they crept back In spite
OF him. and when existence finally be-
came uncomfortable away from the at
mosphere she breathed, he had
oEOu6ut MS bSasutct eduNdS W LUZ
don.
Never had he suspected the full ex-
tent of her radiant beauty and her
Queenly manner until the moment his
eyes fell upon her in the vehicle that
rolled toward Rotton Row. Could
such prize be for him?
Then came a revulsion OF feeling,
She belonged to him-she had again
and again vowed no power on earth
but death could take her from him.
More than that, did he not owe her
his life? There had been a fire, and
Jack, overcome in his sleep by smoke,
might have persisted but that some
girl dared death to run In and drag
him to the open air. They told him
It was Fedora. and although she had
always in her modesty. appeared con-
fused when he spoke Of the subject,
yet he never doubted.
At this day Overton had not learned
what mighty influence Moloch had
upon the average human heart, nor
the winning power OF God. The time
was coming when he would discover
these things through bitter experience
that would warp his nature and
change his DISPOSITION