The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-01-01
s0 years
.fory
BY HOWARD
FIELDING

J 10 my table. You haven't beer served
with anything yet. Wei talk about
, something cheerful and drink some
good wine. Re my guest. won't you?
I'm feeling blue tonight and need com
pany. though. to tell the truth. I was
dining alone ON this fcstal evening be-
cause | didn't have the heart to meet
/ my fellow creatures
There may have been grounds for de-
clining an invitation thus expressed.
but curiosity Il never squeamish. and
mine was thoroughly reused. Here was
n man saddened by prosperity and yet
, he didn't look H. lie had an assured.
almost n commanding. air. yet his words
and tone were those OF gloom. Which
was the sham. which the reality?
lit may be-" thought. that some
one has left this poor fellow a fortune.
and he is trying 10 convince himself
that wealth has been his ruin"
Such affectaiion Is not uncommon In
artistic Bohemia. though l had never
known IL to survive the touch OF pc
cuniary reality. BY my observation II
was always somebody else who bad
been ruined by money. or myself who
| anu
now the victim of golden smile OF
fate.
When one is curious about anothcr's
private affairs. there are two honest
ways open-to stop thinking about the
subject or TO ask direct question.
Yelled inquiry | 'lespise. so wher we
sat down | said:
IF it's not an impertinence. what are
you so blue abouti'
He answered me with perfect
frankness that made me ashamed Of
having inwardiy accused him OF az
fectation.
Il must eegin u new life tomorrow"
he said. "or. 10 be more exact. I must
land higher life. and don't feel equal
TO Ii. That's the trouble. Ii doesn't
lseem to be In me. blast me-
The last words were spoken with a
painful sincerity.
i've promised" he continued-"Tve
lpromised that viii go to work and
accomplish something. This Is the
time of year for high resolves. you
know. and this one shall be kept"
Il judged you must have accom-
Iplished something already" said 1;
that you must have won success.
Pardon my mentioning II. but you have
a very prosperous air. and my friends
told me that you were In hard luck"
"Poor?' he queried. Yes. I believe
so. but don't remember anything
about H. Can't understand II either
Why should anybody be poor? Good
Lord. it's eGsy enough 10 make mon
ley,'
''You don't remember the time when
lit wasn't. chg said |. with laugh.
for my own recollection OF such time
Twas very clear. aud. moreover. I re-
called many amusing stories OF Ladd's
lstruggle for existence.
Il ought 10 explain that statement at
1.-THE start" said he. Il was struck by
. lightning In Switzerland last July. II
! knocked me senseless. painted me blue
from head to foot. burned of my hair
and eyebrows. ripped my clothes into
, ribbons and. I'm addition. performed
lstrange antics inside my head. When
woke up didn't know my own name,
didn't know where l was nor how
lcame to be there And upon the last
1 point. by the way. | have never been
liable TO get any information. But II
- appears that my memory was better
r Just before I woke up than II has ever
' been since. talked quite sensibly In
my delirium with an English doctor
!. who happened to get hold of my case
n and so | started life anew with n few
facts to guide me.
1 ssTr In. Nftynap inside aEa
n cerne. I was painting on a hill wher
the shower swept down from Rigi.
must have taken shelter under a tree
small finished picture and a fresi
canvas were wrapped In my coat ant
7 lay at the foot OF the tree trunk. ant
my easel and stool and empty port
o- folio were all up in a heap when the,
r. found me. The doctor said he didn'
\ believe that since the beginning OF th'
L world any man had ever taken so mucl
q electricity and survived IL. I am glat
it hit me and not my little pic"
His voice took on singular tone o
., tenderness as he spoke thus Of tn
" picture.
- "You value It beyond any othersT
:, said l.
"A II haven't any other" he replied
!. 'NIy stun must be packed away some
!, where In Paris. but can't find IL. Tn
y, fact is and he colored noticeably. "a
was in arrears for rent OF the little stu
-. rio where | used to live. and Il seem
: that | smuggled the stuff out withou
=, the concierge's knowledge. Heave
20 knows where | put II. | am payin
:, half a dozen detectives to locate II. bu
=, they are all at sea. or course I labo
80 under the difficulty OF not being abb
"a to remember who my friends were. an
10 then have changed so much that pee
90 pie distrust me. They refuse to beliey
=, that I am really Warrington Ladd
no seems that I used to be bald and thi
!, and always In rags.
:, $50 far as I can learn" he continues
&c Il must have fallen into shame an
a. desperation about n year ago. I mu
have hidden myself and avoided tho:
-, who knew me. Then In the ear
-, spring | went of on a walking tour
-. found fellow who met me in Belgiul
=, In May. He says he didn't get chan'
-, B. talk TO me because he was runnlr