Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1903-05-16
TRAGEDY OF WELBY.

I fellow and most intimate friend Richard
| Welby saw me into the boat at Iilbufy
and his was the last hand | shook LET
an orphan at Is, was bound for Australia
| with capital OF 600, a sound constitution
and, a cheerful disposition. NYelby had at
one time thought OF accompanying me; but
q good degree at his university, followed
up by the offer Of position on the staff Of
one Of the leading London weekly reviews
caused him TO decide on remaining at home
The investment of my money in a west
Australian sheep farm. followed up by all
most unceasing toll, enabled me to prosper
beyond all my anticipations; with the re-
suit that in ten years ! had acquired sufh-
Gent to enable me, had | so wished, to
return to England and live there for the re-
mainder OF my days in comfort. The unex-
pected discovery, however, Of rich gold
deposits on part Of my land greatly increased
my wealth; and at last, 20 years having
elapsed since | babe the old country adieu,
/ found myself once more in London, on the
sunny side Of 40, and with an assured in
come of $1,000 year.
During my first year or two in Australia
/ had heard pretty frequently from Welby,
and had written to him regularly. As time
wore on, however, his letters reached me
at ever-increasing intervals, and finally
ceased altogether.
| had not, however been IL hours in Lon
don before | discovered that, under the
name he had assumed, he had become one
OF the best known writer's of the day, and
that at that very time two of his plays were
being acted simultaneously in the metropo-
lis. ! at once addressed letter to him at
each theater, informing him Of my return,
congratulating him on his success, and ask
ing him to come at the earliest possible OPP
portunty to crack a bottle and talk over
old times | received his answer on the
following day in the form of telegram, TO
the effect that he would be with me at
that night, the time had given as my din
ner hour; and punctual to the moment he
was announced, and we seized each others
hands in a long and affectionate grip.
When, however, the flush of excitement
had faded from his cheek and the light of
greeting from his eve. | perceived that he
was grievously altered In reality only a
year or two older than myself, he had all
the appearance Of man Of so. His cheeks
and brow were heavily lined, his skin was
habby, and his hair fhickly sprinkled with
silver. | also perceived that his long hands
were thin-almost to the point of transpar-
painfully. / presently, however forgot all
these disquieting symptoms in the joy OF
seeing him again and the delight of listening
to his conversation, and finally carried away
no less with admiration and gratitude for an
intellectual treat than with personal affec-
ton for himself, raised my glass, and
cried:
"A double health, old friendi Yours and
4
am | rich beyond my needs, and you as fa-
nous as the prime minister himself And
both of us happy! So, here's to our
bealths!' And I drained my glass to its
last dropl Welby's only response, how
ever. was sudden silence.
'My dear fellow" he said at last, "I
drink your health with pleasure. God bless
you'll" With these words he too emptied
his glass. "But don't congratulate me on
my fame until you know the cost at which
it has been bought. And pause before you
call the wretchedest man in all London
happy!"
These words, spoken with great solem-
nifty, distressed me beyond measure. had
not, however, time to speak before he re-
sumed as follows:
'For three years after you left / shaved
as few have done. Consumed with ambition
to achieve something higher than journal
istic hacl work I wrote stories, essays,
sketches, travesties, plays-giving every
hour of my leisure to the work, always writ
ing far into the night, denying myself every
pleasure, and bending all my energies to the
one task of making name. In those years
failure logged me steadily, but in the fourth
came recognition.
''Bus the cost you spoke of, and the UNI
happiness? What of them?"
"When success came the Fiend came with
it. The self-denials | had found necessary
in my struggle to get my head above the
mob being no longer required, ] let myself
20. Only a little at frst-a dallying with
drink, toying with dissipation. But soon
found both not only pleasant but helpful
yes, that was the curse Of it, that was where
the Devil himself stepped into the business
helpful! | gradually found that as my
mind cleared after bout of intemperance
or sensuality my spirits rose, my physical
energy became Titanic, my imagination be-
came creative as it had never been before,
and toll became JOY, rapture! What was
the result? You can guess. The two sins
got hold of me and increased their grip
with every seizure; until now | am utterly
at their mercy
| listened to all this with growing horror
but worse was to come Welby paused for
little while, with knitted brows and COM
pressed lips; then drawing from his breast
pocket a roll of manuscript tied with rib
bon, he laid it with trembling hand on the
table before me.
"I want you to take charge of that" he
said, with shaking voice and tears in his
eyes. at may not be for long, but / shall
know it will be safe with you. 1t is the first
act of play l am commissioned TO write
for -" And he mentioned the name OF
one of the leading actor-managers Of the
day. "The fit is coming on, and in day
or two shall be lost to everyone"
Good heavens, mani What on earth do
you mean?" | cried.
"Only that from time to time the Devil
calls me, and have to follow. Tomorrow
or the day after, / shall go into some filthy
place in the East End-the filthier the bet
ter-and live the life of sot and beast un
iii the fever is burned out Of me again; ther
shall return to you, clothed in my right