Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1908-01-30
THE CoNsuL's STORY.
BY Harriet Monroe.
pyright. 1902. by w. r. Hcarst.)

V(OpyrlSHt. lV-, Dy w. y. titaiSt
There are certain carefully guarded
treasures in the great museum of Ma
ples-treasures inaccessible to the tour
ist. So being bent upon seeing them.
I must needs appeal TO no less u power
than the government of the United
States.
The American consulate has Il pleas
ant suite of rooms overlooking the blue
bay and the smoke-tipped slope of
Vesuvius. l remembered Howell'S ear
~ days in Venice-his enjoyment of
the office, his love of the place and
the people-all its enrichment of his
young manhood.
What Il fine thing it must be-" / re-
Elected. for Il writer or an artist TO he
4 consul in one of these beautiful old
towns!" And l almost regretted that
woman's sphere was not yet large
enough to include the diplomatic
service.
But the consul interrupted my medi-
tations with inquiries, and after in
structing his clerk to draw up the pa
per l asked for invited me TO wait in
his private office. He was a tall, thin
man, with a slight stoop and restless,
wandering eyes; a man with too many
nerves. l inwardly decided, who must
pe new to his place, not yet able to
adjust himself to soft and sleepy Italy.
Did he bring that look of disappoint-
ment across the sea with im-for
surely he could not AVE acquired it
here.
You are from Chicago" he began.
and l thought l noted Il tone of visit
fulness in his voice. "Chicago-''
and after Il pause he asked, abruptly:
ga you tell me what chance there
would be for Il painter out there"
We'll. it's not the most hospitable
place in the world for artists" had to
admit; but a good painter can always
get on. | know a lumber"
You see. I'd like to break away from
all this and go back to my own coun-
try-my own career" he said, looking
tiful bay and beyond. But it's diff
cult for a man with Il family to make
the start" He paused again.
you are a painter, then" l prompted
him.
"Ye-es," he hesitated. "I came over
here thirteen years ago to study art.
and was glad to get this consulate to
help me along" He drummed on the
desk and once more looked wistfully
out of the window. AT last, when 1 was
wondering how to meet his explosive
confidence, he exclaimed.
II must get out of it all soon. or !
never shall!"
We'll. why don't you?" 1 asked
Make the plunge and fight inc fight
for life like other men. I suppose
there's only n way, and that is to
do it,"
We'll, but it isn't so easy" he
sighed. I've got out of touch with
things over there-I don't know where
to go. how to begin. And then-I
have ties here. You see-I married an
Italian
Sha ever forget his way of say
Ing thistle yelled droop of the eyes.
the tone of resignation which was al
most despair. The slight physical coll
lapse-al the melancholy little signals
of distress by which j read the story
of that marriage! There was nothing
to say. Obi" was all / said.
Her friends are here. you see.' he
continued after a minute. land nat
urally she doesn't var to leave. And
we have two children. and there is the
question of income Perhaps people
sure l don't like the ultramodern
French kind of thing which is so much
the fashion now"
But, as you say, 1t is now or never"
1 said. trying to give the little push
he wanted. The problem won't grow
easier"
Yes, and who knows how long 7
can keep the consulate? All of n sud-
den. by and by. 1 may rave nothing
neither my art nor my office"
A wav of deep emotion swept over
me. Verify. how odd Il thing was life!
Here was Il stranger giving me the
whole of his history. showing me, Il;
stranger. the open gulf of his despair.
l rave him sympathy in return. but
what could | say? Who can help an
other?
l aid the obvious little things-tried
to give him courage. But l knew it
was of no use-there was the Italian
wife-he would stay.
And he is still there-only, perhaps.
the place is not Naples. but another
of those beautiful Italian posts. 1t is
never wise to tell the whole truth, so l
will not tell where he is hiding his
.unfultilled career and fearing that the
next administration will tire of his
services.
A diver is working indefatigably in
from Is to "a feet of water. putting
in a new underpinning for Winchester