The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1904-01-14

ways Opeu-tO stop luluklng ABOUT tue
subject or to ask a direct question.
Yelled inquiry despise. So when we
sat down | said:
IF it's not an impertinence what are
you SO blue about!'
He answered me with perfect
frankness that made me ashamed Of
having inwardly accused him of af
fectation.
Il must begin new life tomorrow,
he said, "Or. to be more exact, | must
resume an old life, very much better
and higher life, and l don't feel equal
to it. That's the trouble. 1t doesn't
seem to be in me, blast me"'
The last words were spoken with a
painful sincerity.
I've promised" he continued-''I've
promised that l will 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-
plished something already" said l;
that you must have won success.
Pardon my mentioning it, but you have
very prosperous air, and my friends
told me that you were in hard luck
''I'OOr:' lie uueried. Yes, | believe
50, but l don't remember anything
about it. Can't understand it either.
Why should anybody be poor? Good
Lord, it's easy enough to make mon
ey!'
You don't remember the time when
it wasn't, eh!' said l, with a laugh,
for my own recollection of such a time
was very clear. and, moreover, 1 re-
called many amusing stories Of Ladd's
struggle for existence.
Il ought to explain that statement at
the start said he Il was struck by
lightning in Switzerland last July. 1t
knocked Inc senseless, painted me blue
from head to foot, burned off my hair
and eyebrows. ripped my clothes into
ribbons and, in addition, performed
strange antics inside my head. When
l woke up didn't know my own name,
didn't know where l was nor how !
came to be there. And upon the last
point, by the way. | have never been
able to get any information. But it
appears that my memory was better
just before | woke up than it has ever
been since. | talked quite sensibly in
my deliriuM with an English doctor
who happened to get hold of my case.
and so started life anew with a few
facts to guide me-
1T was in NitZnau. beside Lake Lu-
cerne. | was painting on a hill when
the shower swept down from Kigi. I
+,I- 81, +,o
A small finished picture and a fresh
canvas weT~ wrapped in s.iy coat and
lay at the foot of the tree trunk. I and
my easel and stool and empty port
folio We're all up in Il heap when they
found ne. The doctor said he didn't
believe that since the beginning of the
world any man had ever taken so much
electricity and survived it. | am glad
1t hit me and not my little pic"
His voice took Oil a singular tone of
tenderness as he spoke thus of the
picture.
You value it beyond any others?'
said l.
II haven't any other" he replied.
"My stuff must be packed away some
where in Paris, but can't find it. The
fact is and he colored noticeably. 81
was in arrears for rent Of the little stu
do where used to live. and it seems
that l smugG!ed the stuff out without
the concierge'S knowledge. Heaven
knows where l put it. am payn:
half Il dozen detectives to locate it, but
they are all II sea. OF course | Ii Dor
under the difficulty of not being ahl"
to remember WHO Iy friends were. and
then have changed so much that peo-
pie diStruSt ne. they refuse to he.icve
that l am really Warrington Ladd. 1t
seems that used to be bald ard thin
and always in rags
$50 far rs can learn" he continued
Il must have fallen into shame and
desperation about Il year ago. | must
have hidden myself and avoided those
who knew me. Then in the early
spring | Went off on Il walking tour.
found fellow who met ne il Belgium
in May. He says he didn't get Il chance
to talk to me because he was running
for u train. but that l was looking
much better had gained flesh. was de-
Gently dressed aud in general had
CIluISCu Il SOou dtul, lllouSii liOtLiLS
to compare with the present. You see,
the lightning acted as Il hair restorer
on MY head while it Killed my beard
entirely. aHi Of coarse that makes Il
tremendous; di!lerence.
You say that YOU don't remember
your friendS:" said |.
NO" he replied. ''and the queer part
of it is that when do succeed in cudg
cling my Drains until somebody )
/ name drops iHto view its usually the
name of some Gne who SwearS that he
| never knew he. Take this as an in
| stance. " hen began 10 get my wits
| to-ethcr again up there in NitZnau re-
| mrluucrtd Il -Ir!-face. name, every
| thing. | VS. sure that | used to be in
| love wiki L"r. Her address was abso-
| lu;vIy tie Im.y eli" that could recall.
| So N-h,:I /" paralysis get out OF my
! ri-.t Land ana .aliiI | wrote her d let
+ tsI. Describing the circumstances and
] !ut.u..t.u- v,ry telicately that my
| Le;..t w. i'll true to her. Tie reply
! cu!.i~ p"u::.p.!y-a very clever sweet
! iitt,- '".rri II appeared that the young
! lad. lad l>'yer lad the happiness of
! mcctin. VI: I-;lL but that she would
/ not be AYERS. tc d:ing SO when he
should RETURN TO Paris. What do you
| max ct t..;.t:"
Have YOU seen her since you got
! back -
Have seen her.
, He smiled IL nfa IN tine. frank, youth.
! lul faS!iCn
! The da! when | don't see her is a
! d. list" l." continued. and then, more
| gravrly: Size is Miss Lucy Graydon
III Alucric: ii g:rl studying music here
| She rlntpll.,2red ne when l had found
| her after I.v return. She can't recall
whe.r 81 :. < NE any more than can
| recall w.l.r, saw her. Ii must have
| been ,1r u E-.;i.cHt only. but | think il
| W.; lem ,...,.li-!; to seal her fate and