St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-11-21

t4s5s
TWO men ard two women, two ro-
mances and two tragedies
the sequel, that's all.
But stay, perhaps it was four TO
nances and four tragedies. Judge OF
that for yourself from the story. y
IT was MI natural enough the most
natural thing in the world, and very
strange and unconventional. too. TWO
splendid young fellows, two attractive
girls-au comrades from childhood.
One young fellow an artist by nature
and environment, by heredity ana cul-
tiyation: the other a matter-of-fact boy
gifted with an allotment OF common
sense which amounted, II he only nad
known it, to positive genius; and two
girls. one q beauty Of SO rare perfec-
ton that she would fill every asplra-
ton of the most artistic m!nd-form,
features, coloring, expression, all 80
perfect that she would have been an
ideal model for any painter, sculptor
or poet; the. other a peculiar sort OF
girl. with none of the conventional at
tributes OF beauty, irregular-even
homely- of feature and complexion.
and SO far devoid of attractions and
sraces as to repel rather than attract
admirers and friends, except that she
was 1.-the of body and springy OF step
but gifted with fire Of eye and
yivacity Of movement and of manner
that compelled attention and admira-
ton even while the keen analysis and
biting sarcasm of her original mind
repealed it. With the one there was
the attraction of physical perfection,
with the other the more insidious in
fluence Of essential vitality.
OF course. Clarence Cole. artist that
| he was, was enamored of Gracia. with
her soft, correct lines and rich glowing
color. And equally, of course, John
| Bedwell, became the slave OF Alice
Beattie.
And here lies the story.
| For years all four had been chumi
and companions. Clarence and Gracia
had been accepted juvenile sweet.
hearts, as also had John and Alice
So. In the natural order of things there
were two weddings, and the foul
Young people were paired of in matri'
mony as they had been as sweethearts
took q wedding trip together and set
tied down to live happy ever afterwart
after the manner Of heroes and hero
ines in all well-regulated stories.
And now comes the strange part o
It all. ;..a
Odd as It may seem, after these twt
well-paired young couples had beef
married for a twelvemonth and hat
lived most happily, it all began to pal
upon all four of them-in q way.
For the first few months Clarence
lived in a perfect dream Of bliss. Al
Of the perfection of Gracia's physica
perfection sank into his artistic con
seriousness. And Gracia-well. wha
more had she to desire than this hand
some and talented, consort perfect 4
form. manner and devotion and ad
yancing all the time in the estimation
Of the world? @
And yet there was not the most per
feet harmony Of life and impulse wit
these two-sad as It may seem. Clar
ence sought, alas, in vain-beneat
the surface perfection Of Gracia's won
derful beauty the real attributes q
character promised SO abundantly. An
he found them not-alas and alack, b
found them not! He saw all the prom
ises turn to ashes and finally suspecte
that his beautiful wife was but whit
ened sepulcher-from his point {
view. OF course, he asked too mucl
being an artist -
And Gracia? The long month
brought to her also the bitterness {
dead leaves. Her handsome and Ia
ented husband did not yield to her til
alteration and happiness she had 8
warmly craved. She could not CUES
whv. but there was something lackin
something real and essential to he
nature. AS the months went by he Al
peared more and more to her as
promise than q reality. She was NJ
at m an idealist; she wanted. to y
ana feel-not dream.