The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-09-17
THE MZSDENZEANORS OF NANCY
1904, Doubleday, Page s. Co.

men and women SO frankly and absorb
Bohemians. It's delightful to see such
simplicity of motive. / should think
Bohemia wouldn It be complex enough
for the problem novelist; but I suppose
he goes, not for copy, but for chance
to talk about his, copy
"We seem to have lost the poet
prompted the man who came often.
corner alone, his eye in fine frenzy roll
ing--toward me. He wrote the sonnet
on the back of an envelope addressed |
to him in a feminine hand), and: sent
day. He sat up late the night before
to write the first one. This second |
one was most depressing. 1t seemed
there WASH t even a faint auroral CLEAN
all. I was la belle dame sans merci,
and he suffered cruelty.
"Later he recited some Of his poems.
1t 8 way they have up there, Latin
9 %nfns1 rd imHpGr;tati0n and part of the
R sad bo aica w. sF ID thy 9 gst
"oh, they jast talk about their pic
lures. The things the poet recited were
rather warm for July evening, Bob;
by. He went on until the stoutest held
his breath, for fear that he .wouldn t
burr burne Would have hide hidden his diminished
age plant if he could have heard my
poet. Everybody drew long breaths
when he had finished. Mrs. Wallace
was tremuloqs with rapture. What
temperament! she gasped:
afs was So qV Wese He ca ae o1 h
to our table and apologized for being
silent. The urge Of song is master
full thing. he says, and leaves man
limp
Bobby grunted discourteously.
II don't like your being in it," he
said, with certain decisive set Of his
"But I've come back to the fold,
Bobby. I wandered after strange, gods,
but now I Cwe- II tn tents OF the
wears rubbers, and the people, only do
disreputable things. They draw the
line at singing about them.
"There was another poet at that table
d 'hote.. He recited, too, but he WASH It
lurid. His wife said his poetry had a
wan, moonlight mystery. He told me
that he and few others had found the
secret. Bless you, I don't know what
secret. 'Mallarme was nearer than l, !
be said humb,ly., Your true great man
smiled and shook her head. It was all
she knew his worth. She begged the
problem novelist to help, wrap her poet
up, They tucked mutfler around him,
and put him into cape, that made him
can It know what responsibility it is
to have the care Of such a soul,'- she
said to be in italics. Then she took
4 him home.'
"Well, at any rate, they were mar
E r! 81 I thought that was out of fashion
ooh, no, Bobby. You re all wrong
Most Of them are married, but they are
dreadfully ashamed of it, especially If
they are happily married. 1t isn't SO
edy or has spoiled a life, Or
there are some other extenuating cir
anS b dv who has e
sibility Of caring for such a soul assure
every one that they married under pro-
test. They thought it a. degradation
OF soul union, but the poet s publish
ers would have it. They said it was
hard enough at best to 9at his bGGhs
stand for an American poet who per.
sonally and openly outraged deceney.'
"They, do these things better in
, France.'
81 did meet some Bohemian couples
who took a pose of transeendent matrl-
inal and unearthly. We went to a
: studio supper one night, and the wife
stopped us in the vestibule. She drew
: the curtains behind her and put her
finger on her lips. She didn't: say
= 'Hist!' but she looked it: It chilled
$ our blood: We were on the verge of
3 a stampede when she whispered:
E "' Hush! He is speaking of his art.
eve hushed.
!. "Wasn,t it lovely9"
t "Wasn' It there any salt in Bohemia
Naney?" :,
7 lows, who We're poor as church mice
+ but pegging away cheerfully at maya
h zine stories and Illustration and that
g sort Of thing. They were usually mar
ried and proud Of it; and they talked
|, shop, but they didn It believe they were
s the cream Of literature and art. But
they aren't real Bohemians. They
9 the cheap dinners.'
j. ''Wait till they arrive" prophesied
= fsIf they arrive, they'll shake the
: dust Of Bohemia from their feet, AND
: if they don't .arrive,r they won't think
have a sense of humor. That's why
l. they dom pose as Bohemians. You,
;, Bohemian, so-called, hash It really 8
: sense of humor. If he were presented
u u with one, it would be another case OF
;. Undine and soul. He d flicker anc
go out at once
"But about that poets He seems tt
+ be wandering MINSTREL
a "Oh, yes, the poet. He lasted fou1
! weeks. I went out to dinner with hin
I often, and we met in the park
= l thought you never squirmed, Bobby.
a "It was trife hard to get away
y from AIRY and 'Arriet in the at
ternoon, but a glimpse Of prinlitiv,
,. methods only accumulated the charm o.
a esateric Irritation: IS
+ ooh, Bobby, Bobby, why don It 20,
/. talk to me about star-cool chances an(
l. shadow irdled brows and stirring
: ghosts Of dead dreams?' "#s,
}. "Rot!' exclaimed Bobby.
IS "Did you ever notice an aureol.
I woven, fower-ike, in my hair?"
n Bobby eyed the fluffy hair anxiously
Ell >'sI'm afraid you arn't> observing
Bobby. That aureole has been seen.o
l. "What became Of hima' III
'FHe went away s. -.
+ One summer day." #s-
Isl Nancy chanted. cit was in August
2 That was the only graceful Bohemian
y thing to do. He couldn It go on, be
IL Gauss he was a trife afraid Of me, an.
| 10, ~, hoo