The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-09-13
The CeniuSes.

whom any young wife might justly be
proud. And, strange to say, it seemed
to be his marriage that had evolved his
genius. Up to that time his marvellous
gifts seemed all to lie in the future; he
was brilliantly clever and would aston
ish the musical world one day. But 1
must confess that his reputation had
depended chiefly on what people said
and the applauding favor of women.
But with his marriage came a subtle
and increasing change. All his de-
clared, incipient genius seemed to eX-
pand and blossom forth. AS yet he did
not seek to fly high, fearing the
strength of his now wings, but the
dainty caprices, sonatas, and above all.
songs that flowed with such amazing
swiftness and delicacy from his facile
pen. put his name in the mouth of all
London.
| OF course his world professed no as
tonishment 1t was only what they had
propheced all along. And more than
ever now did they pity him for his un-
fortunate mesalliance.
l reminded them mildly that he did
not seem to consider it in the same
light, but evoked an indignant chorus
instantly.
"Of course he pretended to be quite
content and in love, and all that. but
everyone could see plainly that it was
only pretense."
"a woman like that" summed up old
Lady Fairleigh emphatically but there.
Lady Fairleigh is vulgar old woman.
Moreover, she possesses six unmarried
daughters without soul or idea be-
yond babies and dinners!'
| 1 happened to know. at first hand,
that Mrs. Varley, though certainly no
pianist herself, was yet wrapped heart
and soul in music and reveled in
Franks genius.
Since that first meeting I had come
across her continually at Mrs. Kings
| tons. Mrs. Kingston had, in the Ian
| guage of the day. taken her up. And it
| was amazing, the transformation she
| had effected in the too unvain young
woman. The pretty, untidy hair was
waved loosely back from the low brow
and coiled becomingly at the nape of
her neck; the shyness and awkward
ness had almost entirely disappeared,
and with them the unbecoming. nerv-
Gus stoop of the shoulders; while as
| for her dress 1t was as tasteful and
a la mode as Mrs. Kingston's own.
Could mere man say more?
Frank himself had altered a good deal
since his marriage-grown quieter and
graver-older it seemed; his boysh
spirits were not quite so indefatigable
| as they had been, and he summed him.
| self less often, and with less satisfac-
| tion, in the eulogies and batteries of his
admiring circle. Sometimes. too, I
| caught look of trouble in his sunny
| blue eyes, strangely at variance with
his brilliant circumstances.
Young Mrs. Varley fell i'll. 1t was
quite sudden; only cold at first, but
1t settled on her chest and turned to
pneumonia, and her life was in danger.
With this trouble Franks genius coll
lapsed like a pricked bubble. He never 1,
touched pen or paper from the first mo- |
ment OF her illness. In week he was |
white and haggard ghost.
For three weeks she was desperately !
i'll.
Then the bulletin went out that hope |
was abandoned and Mrs. Varleys hours |
on this earth numbered.
That night, to everyones amazement, |
Frank appeared at the club.
How is-your wife," someone ques- |
toned with an effort.
Dying" Frank replied briefly.
He stood up and faced them with his !
young, drawn face.
'"rhere is something--I wanted to say |
to YOU" he announced, forcing his |
words. They stared at him in silence. |
He drew a great breath and passed his |
shaking hand across his eyes. lam |
a liar and coward am hypocritic- |
al cad!" His face went gray. II have |
been meaning to confess for long |
time. ! am not what you think me. |
All this year l have been living and |
acting lie. will tell you. 1t was so |
hard and so fatally easy" He choked |
and gritted his teeth hard; his eyes
We're pitiful. Everyone had always |
thought me so brilliant and predicted |
such a glorious future, and ! had al
ways accepted the predictions as a mat
ter of course until year or two back.
Then for the first time began to doubt,
and the doubt was awful.
las far as technicalities went knew
all that art could teach me, but II be-
gan to dawn upon me that despite my
passion for music l possessed little |
originality. composed, but my compo-
sitions were In no ways brilliant or
wonderful, and an awful terror of my
own crushing failure began to grow in
me. You could never understand what |
that thought was to me. Then the
temptation came. married" He lift
ed his steadfast, white face. Before
God, l married solely and wholly for
love, with not the slightest idea then"
He paused for moment and then went
on rapidly "One day l heard Molly
singing to herself, and the tune was so
,t,,t 81 t,ly
what II was