The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-08-09
CHAPTER l.

y
and sky-scraping buildings-was it
yesterday or the day before? -there
was dingy little cafe in the news
paper quarter which was we'll beloved
OF journalism, notably of that wing of
the force whose hours begin late and
end early
"Chaudiere's," it was called, though
l know not if that were the name of
that wien little Gascon who took toll
at the desk; and it was particulariZed
for its gumbos. its stuffed crabs and
nor very dear. For the rest. it had 4
clean, sanded floor, handicapped
tables for two. and an old-world air of
recreative comfort which is rarer now,
even in New Orleans. than it was yes
terday or the day before.
1t was at Chaudierc's that Griswold.
late of New York and the coasts of
bohemia, had eaten his first breakfast
in the Crescent city and it was at Chau-
diere's again that he shared Il farewell
supper with cambridge of the "Louisi-
and that; forty odd days of discour-
agement and failure superadded upon
other like days and weeks and
months. The breakfast. he remem-
bered. had been garn>hed with certain
green sprigs of hope: but at the supper
table he ate like a barbarian i'm arrears
to his appetite, rocking not that he was
another mans guest.
cambridge had just been billetcd
for RIM down "a ('nDtr.1 4 n
coast to write up the banana trade for
his paper. lie was boyishly jubilant
over the assignment, which promised
to be neither more nor less than n
pleasure trip; and, CHANGING upon
Griswold. in the first flush of his Ella
ton. had dragged him around to the
cafe to play second knife and fork at a
small parting feast. Not that it had re-
quired much persuasion. Griswold
had tasted for twcnty-four hours and
he would have broken bread thank
fully with an enemy, to say nothing of
cambridge. who. if he were not Il full
tledged friend was at least a friendly
acquaintance.
Now, hungry man is but poor com
pany at best; but cambridge, the elat-
ed, contrived to talk for two until he
had relieved his mind upon the subject
of his windfall
Then it occurred to him that Girls
void was rather more than usually UNI
responsive-a fault not to be condoned
under the circumstances. Wherefore
he protested.
"What's the matter with you to-
night. Kenneth? You're more than
commonly grumpy-and that's saying
good deal"
Griswold took the last roll from the
plate and buttered it methodicnlly.
"Am l? was more than commonly
hungry. But go on; I'm listening"
"That's comforting as far as ii goes,
but should think you might say some
thing more or less appropriate. You
don't have a chance to congratula tie
lucky people every day"
Griswod looked up with a scowl that
was almost ill-natured. and quoted
cynically: ""Unto everyone that hath
shall be given: and from him that hath
not. even that he hath shall be taken
away from him."
Bainbrir'ge lamg. ed tolerantly. "By
Jove, Kenneth. a man up Il tree would
say you envied me-
81 do" rejoined Griswold. gravely.
ct envy any man who can earn enough
/, to keep the bnn-dog of hunger from
4 biting him."
"Pshaw! anybody can do that" said
Bainbridge, with the air of one to
whom the struggle for existence is as
IS yet a mere phrase.
81 know tina, is your theory but the
v facts disprove it. ! can't, for one"
"Nes. you could, if you'd sidc-tracl
4 some of your own theories and come
down To saving wood like the rest OF
us. But you won't do that"
Griswold was Il fair man, with Il Skin
that was quick aud sensitive like tina
of a woman. and n red flush of nnge1
swept over his face.
''That is not true. and you know it
Bainbridge," he cont rndictcd, speak
ing slowly. lest his temper shonl'
break bounds. SIS il my fault that
can do nothing but write books fo
which can't find publisher" Or tina
the work of IL hack writer is quite Il
impossible To me as mine is to HING"
cambridge laughed, but he wa
ready enough to make amends when h
saw that. Griswnld was moved.
81 take il all back" said he. 81 sur
pose the book is home again, and a re
turned manuscript excuses anything
But. seriously. Kenneth, you ought t
get down to hard facts. Nobody but
phenomenon can find publisher 70
i his first book, nowadays, unless Il
4 has had some sort of an introductio
1 in the magazines or the newspaper
vou haven't had that; and, so far as
Il know, you haven't tried to get it,
ooh, yes, have--and failed. 1t ism
in me, and there isn't an editor in tt
country who doesn't know it by tn
time. l came down here, as you kno,
to write up the sugar situation fc
M Horton. 1t WAS a humiliating failur
s like everything else of the kind ha,
ever set myself to do"
"Did you send in anything?"
Eyes; and it was rejected. Hortc
said to try it on some of the reviews
that it might go with them, but WI
no good for newspaper. It's no II!
q talking, cambridge; the condition
are all wrong when man with me
sage to his kind can't get to deliver
to the people who want to hear it,"
cambridge ordered the demi-tass
and lighted cigar. "rhat's abo,