River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-07-24
Kittrell., lie pointed with the amber

things in the next three days, we're
lost, that's all; we might as we'll face
1t. Tomorrow we make an important
revelation concerning the character of
Clayton, and we want to follow it up
the morning after by cartoon that
Will be a sumner, a clincher. We have
discussed it here among ourselves,
and this is our idea"
Benson drew a crude, bald outline.
indicating the cartoon they wished
Kittreu to draw. The idea was so
coarse, so brutal, so revolving, that
Kittrell stood aghast, and, as he stood,
he was aware of Salton's little eyes
fixed on him. Benson waited; they all
waited.
"Well,' said Benson. what do you
think of it?"
Kittren paused an instant, and then
said:
Il won't draw it; that's what think
of it."
Benson flushed angrily and looked
up at him.
1--WE are paying you a very large sal
airy, Mr.. Kittrell, and your work, ii
you will pardon me, has not been up
to what we were led to expect"
you are quite right, Mr.. Benson,
but 1 can't draw that cartoon"
We'll, great Cod" yelled Burns,
what have we got here-a gold
brick?" He rose with vivid sheer
on his red face, plunged his hands in
his pockets and took two or three
nervous strides across the room. Kit
trell looked at him, and slowly his
eyes blazed out of a face that had
gone white on the instant.
What did you say, sir?" he de-
handed
Burns thrust his red face, with its
prognathic jaw, menacingly toward
Kittrell.
81 said that in you we'd got gold
brick"
Your" said Kittrell. What have
you to do with it? 1 don't work for
you
"You don't? Well, 1 guess it's us
that puts up"
Gentlemen! Gentlemen" said
Glenn, waving a white, paciticatory
hand.
Eyes, let me deal with this, if you
please" said Benson, looking hard at
Burns. The street car man sneered
again, then, in ostentatious contempt,
looked out the window. And in the
stiffness Benson continued:
MIR. KittreIl, think minute. Is
your decision final?"
1T is final, Mr.. Benson said Kit
trell. And as for you, Burns" he
glared angrily at the man, Il wouldn't
draw that cartoon for all the dirty
money that all the bribing street car
companies in the world could put into
Mr.. Glenn's bank here. Good evening,
gentlemen"
1t was not until he stood again In
his own home that KittrelI felt the
physical effects which the spiritual
squalor of such a scene was certain
to produce in nature like his.
Neil! What is the matter?" Edith
fiuttered toward him in alarm.
He sank into a chair, and for mo-
ment he looked as ii he would faint,
but he looked wanly up at her and
said:
Nothing; I'm all right; just a little
weak. I've gone through a sickening,
horrible scene"
DEAREST"
And I'm off the Telegraph-and
man once more!"
He bent over, with his elbows on his
knees, his head in his hands, and when
Edith put her calm, caressing hand
on his brow, she found that it was
moist from nervousness. Presently he
was able to tell her the whole story.
'It was after all, Edith, fitting
conclusion to my experience on the
Telegraph. 1 suppose, though, that
to people who are used to ten thou
sand a year such scenes are nothing
at ALL" She saw in this trace OF his
old humor that he was himself again,
and she Rugged his head to her
bosom.
"Oh, dearest" she said, I'm proud
of you-and happy again"
They were, indeed, both happy, hap
pier than they had been for weeks.
The next morning after breakfast,
she saw by his manner, by the humor-
Gus, almost comical expression about
his eyes, that he had an idea. In this
mood of satisfaction-this mood that
comes too seldom in the artists life
she knew it was wise to let him alone.
And he lighted his pipe and went to
hi
singing or whistling or humming; she
scented his pipe, then cigarettes;
then, at last, after two hours, he called
in a loud, triumphant tone:
ooh, Edith"
She was at the door in an instant,
and, waving his hand grandly at the
drawing board, he turned to her with
that expression which connotes the
greatest joy gods or mortals can
know-the joy of beholding ones own
work and finding it good. He had, as
she saw, returned to the cartoon OF
Clayton hA had laid aside when the
tempter came; and now it was fin
ished. It's simple lines revealed Clay
toms character, as the sufficient an
swer to all the charges the Telegraph
might make against him. Edith
leaned against the door and looked
long and critically.
1T was fine before she said pres
emily; its better now. Before it was
a portrait of the man; this shows his
SOUL"
We'll, it's how he looks to me-"
said Neil, after a month in which to