The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-02-01
MADDEN CRAY.
Icopyrisht. 1902. by Daily Story Pub. Col

by Bluebeard and Jack the Giant-killer.".
 Still I wondered What has changed. him so? What can have changed him SOY" but dared not ask him. Never was there a man more impersonal He told you none of his experiences. imposed none of his conclusions upon you. He was always suggestive, stimulating. never
 However. the play oyer. I was gratified m.s at SoBs ss on o snnaay e ea departed much eiated at the right and privilege" to which had attained Of be- coming more intimately acquainted with this man whom I so intensely admired.
 The next Sunday afternoon saw me toyfully vending my way to the address he had given. anticipating sight of some fine old editions, meeting brainy ''Yes, with his exquisite taste. his pie lures will be worth seeing. l am sure. To all these joys there was dim back ground of thick carpets. book-lined walls. busts of all the old Greeks. and So on. l was getting near the place now. and as vision of a courteous footman with silver salver in hand, arose before my mental vision. began to look whether I had card about me. It was perfectly natural. I think. that these appropriate surroundings to such a man should thus arise in my mind
 met some brainy people. and spent one of the pleasantest afternoons of my life, but I didn't see any rare editions. for he hadn't any-the exquisite pictures were there, but they were cheap copies Of Breton and Millet- Such .nlain little house! Now I understood in part at least, why the professor had shriveled and faded. There was the same shadow over nearly every one of the company: All seemed to have exceptional gifts of one sort or another which would probably never be brought to perfection, because culture of that sort costs. They were all the broader, perhaps. on that very ac- count and all were bright, with bright ness that I could not understand till caught the explanation in disqutsition ton and Millet.
 with the originals in the Walters gallery close at hand. one can do very well with these copies. Indeed. I grow more in love with my industrious little 'Shepherdess' every day. See. John. Is she not far more beautiful than the little Goodness and industry and content are such beautiful things. These girls of Breton's. coming home from the fields is 1t not worth while to be poor; to be unbroken slumbers? These Christian peas- ants, so homely, vet so elevated. have nothing, yet possess-all things. See In the The work of these artists is the apothe- osis of madden gray and there Is no end to the depths of beauty to be found in It. It Is timely work too. for the WOTlQ was ldSI lDSJDB tHe otu-IdSHioHcu idea of the blessedness of poverty
 Thus he spoke. and much more. I re- member. toe young vocalist who sang Forever With the Lord" the perfect lyric of Montgomery set to the noble mu- sic of Gounod.
 "will you sing tbat at my funeral?" said the professor
 His funeral came sooner than we thought. III health was part of what had changed the professor. Returning from my summer outing I found that he had been in bed for several weeks Coming into his room one day in the earliest fall. he calmly announced, in re- ply to my inquiries that he was dying "Is 1t not a perfect day. John,'' he said 'Balmy exactly describes it. One could not suffer on this day though he had lost his all. What does Nature say to you today?'
 I replied that did not know. that I had been trying to express 1t to myself but could not.
 Natures god says today to every suf- fering soul; You have nst lost all. you are not utterly desolate. Behold. to you, as to. the year, there remains a happy death, and that is the greatest happi- ness And more. 1t says more" He stopped. The professor always knew what 1t is mot lawful to speak,"
 This world would be an utter failure if what I knew of this man here were all that I should ever know.