Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1907-06-06

CHAR dCteT, dlDelI al the expense of
that transcending quality, idealism.
His was not a sufficiently practical
nature to accept a situation as one of
the inevitable DEGREES of fate and adj
just itself accordingly. On the con-
trary, up to this time he had never
really taken serious account Of fact
but had dwelt in the rarefied atmo-
sphere OF theory. And now the order
of his existence had been reversed.
He was brought to earth with a Jolt.
To the troubled in spirit there ia
one avenue of escape-work-and this
Farnsworth seized with avidity and in
it found sanctuary. From the literary
dilettanteism that had served him as
pastime before, he now gave himself
to really serious work He was writ
ing play begun with no other object
than to occupy his thoughts. but
which was destined ere long to absorb
his entire being. 1t is often lust such
an occurrence-the sudden upheayel
of cherished ideal, the tragedy of a
bitter disillusionment-that raises it's
victim like the phoenix bird out of the
ashes of sorrow to soar far away into
the unexplOred regions of highest
achievement But the pinions that
carry him in the fight upwards are
work, relentless untiring work.
And so 1t was with Farnsworth
He began by merely working against
time. not to forget his love but to for.
get the pain of it Then, when the
love OF the doing began to take pos
session of him, he gave himself to it
with such zeal that he surprised even
himself. His friends seldom found
him at the clubs and his brother
artists missed him at the theaters.
On the few occasions when he did 20
out among people he invariably re-
turned filled with a score of regrets
because he had gone, for it invariably
CHANGED that he heard something
about her. Her sojourn with friends
in London was one of unsurpassed
social success. In Paris she had been
dined and wined. and the last floating
rumor was that she had joined a mo-
tor party through France to the Re-
Viera. She was the guest of the Math-
ew Henderson's and, cruel tongues
added, young Henderson had fallen
madly in love with her.
Farnsworth did not speculate fur
Their, but the sting of the pain re-
NAMED. 1t was there always, in the
morning when he arose and at nigh
when he went to bed, always that dull,
aching pain. 1t is hard to work when
an unseen viper is slowly eating out
the very core of ones heart, but
Farnsworth clutched his play with
grip of steel and wrote on feverishly.
Into it he put all the Joy of his love.
all the bitterness of his sorrow, and
his theme was the immutability of
love. He was Just writing the closing
speech.
"Lovel 1t is the browning boon of
God, it is God, the infinite, the quintes-
sence Of perfection. 1t has no begin
ming and no end. Glory be to love
eternal!"
The writer pushed back his chair
and stared blankly into space. Then
he drew a small vellum from his desk
and turned to the allegory, The
Ashes of Love-" A wan smile over
spread his weary features.
An hour or two later there was a
tap at the door of Farnsworth's apart
ments. but there was no answer from
within. The tap was repeated; then
the door was pushed open gently from
without.
A young girl IN travelling costume
entered shyly, looking cautiously
about her. Her glance took in the de-
serted studio and swept down the
shadowy vista through the rooms be-
yond. There seemed to be no occu
pant Reassured, she crossed over to
the desk. She would leave a note and
slip out. A strange 1uttering of the
heart seized her when she found
heap Of tumbled sheets of a manu-
script written in his hand Something
irresistible held her gaze. Before she
was aware of 1t, she was reading the
closing lines. Her heart within her
almost ceased to beat. Then her eyes
fell on the little volume lying care
lessly among the leaves. 1t opened at
The Ashes of Love-" and in the mar
gin she read his note-"base sacri-
lege." All the wildness of pent emo
ton mastered her. She kissed the
WOIuS uOJiy.
There was a sudden stirring in the
farther corner of the room. The girl
turned and, to her unspeakable amaze
ment, found a figure stretched out on
a couch, the face buried in the pill
lows. Softly she tiptoed to the pros
trate man, bending over him until her
hot breath famed his hair He stirred
again and, unable to control herself
longer, she took his head between her
hands, smothering hot kisses upon his
hair. his cheek, his mouth. He open
ed his eyes unseeingly. 'Pauline!" he
cried, Pauline. don't gol"
mo, won't go, darling. I've come
back to look for you. l came as soon
as l found out. 1t was one morning
In the cathedral of Notre Dame when
the great organ was crying out to
touch the souls of men! 1t was then
that 1 felt the divine revelation. |
knew what it was to love-" A great
dry sob rose in her throat, but she
added with a trembling voice, "the
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