Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1902-10-09
THE DESERTION OF
BRADY AND HARRIS
BY HUGH s. FULLERTON.

As residuary legatee, having
n charge of the goods and chat
tells of Brady and Harris, now con-
tanned in suite %. the Rengaard
apartment building, l purpose re-
lating the circumstances which led
to the conditions now prevailing in
suite % and the story of the deser-
ton of Brady and Harris.
We three lived-that is, slept and
kep$ our beIongings-in suite % for
more than two years. We dwelt to-
gether in comparatively peace and
almost absolute freedom. Twice
each year we had an accounting, and
Strengthened out our bewilderingly
involved finances by the simple
process of canceling all claims on
each other. We criticised each other
after the manner of brothers-frank-
ly, and as frankly disregarded the
criticisms.
Brady was a poet, and what was
more important from utillarian
standpoint, he could cook. Harris
was an artist, and | was (and in
deed still am) a newspaper man
We three elled out an existence more
or less pleasurable by toiling on
daily papers, and gratified our high
er ambition (as far as our finances
permitted outside of business hours.
This qualification of higher ambi-
tions led to a voluminous if not lu-
cratiye correspondence with maga-
zine publishers.
There was fourth partner)Jones,
copy reader-but Jones was not
of kindred spirit, and departed,
leaving unpaid bills. We three, Bra
dy, the tall, angular poet Harris. the
diminutive artist; and |, were the
charter members of the cammune
which existed in suite %.
In the beginning we three met at
n small French hotel presided over
by Verjon. Brady, whom I knew by
name because he had published an
ode to her hair or her eyes or some
thing when / was reading copy down
in New York, was then editing a
children's page, and Harris was
drawing ''news pictures" on a fran.
tic afternoon publication. Harris
work consisted principally of draw
ing blood spots on floors. scenes OF
atrocious murders and the knives
with which the murders were com
mitted. His spare time was spent il
outlining lingerie for the "fashior
column of the supplement. He had
wonderful ideas of lingerie, but he
had aspirations to paint-to "get
into legitimate art" as he said.
We three were drawn together
from the first. attracted because we
were opposite in almost everything
and, before long, we began to aspire
to an establishment of our own
We planned each TO save a portion
of his weekly wage, to deposit TIL,
sums in my tobacco jar, and wher
the sums aggregated $500 to pur
chase furniture, and move into ar
apartment. Then commenced the
search for an apartment. Brady
wanted to live in the suburbs where
the birds and trees and sunlight
would give him "'inspiration" He
remained firm in his desire, although
we pointed out the woes of walking
many miles after midnight, and ar
gued that he always wrote his po
ems in the middle of the night. Har
ris wanted early light" and hinted
at the desirability of having a sky
light in the apartment, not knowing
s,lylights always leak. / was dele
gated to find the apartment, and
shirked assignments many after.
moons in search of an ideal place.
desired to please both Brady and
Harris, but searched on in localities
where restaurant and green gro
Ger We're within easy walking dis
tance. Eventually 1 discovered
suite 90.
The advertisement read:
''To rent-Elegant steam heated apart.
ment. Electric light. gas range. tile bath
refrigerator. fire view of park. Janitor or
premises"
Then a new difficulty arose. The
tobacco jar was not half full. and
Brady confessed he had appropriat.
ed money to buy books. Brady was
a Bibliomaniac. After we read the
books and stole some of them we
pardoued him.
Then Harris sneeded new dress
coat to attend his sisters wedding
and the treasury was again depleted
and finally / went on vacation and
egened up the score by appropriat
ing enough money to keep me at 8
Summer resort for an eptiro ,,.ool-
We were by turns fearful lest
snme one should discover the won
derful attractions of suite % and Sc
cure it. Every Sunday we read the
advertisements. and whooped with
icy when we found suite % un
rented.
Late that fall, after many financia
disappointments, we purchased fur
niture on the installment plan anc
took up our abode in suite %.
There were five rooms. bath ant
kitchen. / accepted the dark, snug
inside room with one window open
ing on a quiet court l made the
choice not so much because / was
unsetfish as that l worked at night
and slept during the day. Ever
now, since Brady and Harris have
deserted, sleep there. 1t is plair
little room. with its walls covered
with deep red burlap. alway.
hated figured papers because whel
sleep viii not come the figures TAKE
on strange shapes. and the spectacle