Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-25

lister had retired at two after vain
attempt to rewrtte story which had just come
back to him from yet another magazine. working
half the night for newspaper and rising after IN
sufficient sleep to toll at stories poems. essays,
plays week in and week out, is not a healthful
mode of life for sensitive, high-strung young man
who was brought up to open air and exercises es-
pecialy when the stories. poems, plays are syste-
matically rejected and fatering faith in oneself
has to be Iashed constantly In Hollster the symp-
toms had growing recently, till even he prodi-
gal OF his youth beginning to be alarmed-sleep-
lesness, constant twtching of the muscles worst
of all, pessimism that would not be shaken on.
lie lay in bed on this particular night filed with
unutterable gloom about his own powers, his own
future. and tried to keep the tired fingers of his
right hand from twitching The bedroom was In
suiferaby hot Outside wagons ratified past fat
wheeled cars the avenue a block away sent jar
ring echoes down the side street. distant ferryboat
whistles footed without surcease He could not
seal his ears to these noises. They vexed then
maddened him. After one wagon had ratified past
and the echoes died. he waited. every in his
body quivering till the next one came. He was al
most In hysterical tears when auto horn honked
under his window. Holister gave a cry like
snarl and found himself out OF bed on his feet
He dressed and went out How long he tramped
he did not know. Presently he crossing Mad
ison square and there was strong hint Of dawn IN
the east. in the middle of Fifth Avenue the Flat
iron Building arrested his attention Never had It
seemed like great proud snip towing lower
Broadway northward. In this strange half light.
when its western side was in heavy shadow and its
eastern flushed with morning. Hollister stood
spellbound by its beauty. Tired and -racked
as he was perhaps. as he watched the thing seemed
to stir and move; the great towering Prov to lift
into the air mighty wave and to be poising
for plunge directly at him, pygmy In its path.
AT the same instant auto horn honked sud
den sharp. unexpected warning behind him. With
cry OF terror HolIister sprang across the asphalt,
across Broadway. falling up against pillar Of the
Hoffman House.
He leaned there a moment painting and trying
20 steady his shaking nerves before he observed
that he was not alone. Shrinking into the shadow
behind the column woman. There was no
why he should speak. why he should not
move away. But. from some impulse. he said.
..Im not crazy please" Then he angry for
having spoken.
The woman moved out little into the light. and
they regarded each other. She young and
well dressed in the prevailing fashion of the Rial
TO. hut there paint her cheeks. ghastly
pink now in the dawn light. and her eyes looked
heavy. tired. and full of trouble.
Il thought at first somebody Was chasing you,"
she said "But didn't see anybody"
1T was only the Flatiron Building" said Hollis
of nerves. 1t looked like ship that got an
Illusion it was coming at But wouldn't have
Jumped so II an auto hadn't footed behind me
curse the things"
ut dses look like ship. I'VE noticed that"
said the girl. gancng toward the building.
Somehow her presence a kind of comfort.
and HoIlister still made no to go. regarding
her 'curiously. The girl met his look with half
frightened timidity that contrasted oddly with her
paint and the place.
"rm not what you think / ami" she blurted out
suddenly.
Il was already quite sure that you are not what
you think | think you are." he answered kindly.
lis there anything can do to help you?
Help me?" she laughed grimly. mo. was
merely making up my mind. Nobody can help you
do that!"
y "Ah, but they cant" said he. Perhaps even
could"
why should you want tor" she asked.
Hollister paused. "I don't know, exactly" he
said slowly. It's hard to put 1t into words. But
somehow, I've feeling that both of US have been
ground out beneath the gigantic millstones OF this
town aud have fallen into the sack side by side.
= Life does throw strangers together that way
and makes them friends for the time. Last night
was down miles deep in the blues and my nerves
are fragile. Something's wrong with you Here
are. Isn't that enough?" F
The girl looked at him long moment. and mades
her decision sCome over and sit park
bench she said IS
They watched the rhythmic spasms OF the foun-
tain for time in silence. Did you ever want to
drown yourself?" the girl asked suddenly
Once" said Hollister.
"Why?"
"Becanse had made up my mind to go back on
an dea--no matter what it was"
IAN, but you. didn't! One doesn't--one goes
back on the ideal instead. Did your"
YES" he nodded. And after that learned
that the only way is to live things down. I've al
most forgotten now"
He waited. but the girl did not speak again for
long time. Finally she said. What II you had
had to go back ideal to reach another?"
: That would have all depended on what they
-l