Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-12-08
my Alex! Isn't he splendid! Look at

my Alex! Isn't he splendid! Look al
the strength of him. Did you ever see
such blue eyes? And his hair ISM
red-its warm brown. He is so fine
and able. and yet such fun! Oh, you
don't know! He looks sad and stern
tonight, but that's-watch him now
when I speak to him!"
She went to meet him, but she had
to say his name before he was aware
of her. Then the whole street might
have seen that he started; but the
greeting that followed seemed to deny
"Oh. hello, Chloe!' 1t was the
friendly cousin of all her life who
spoke, not the lover she had been
building UP. Chloe had no time to
see how badly she was hurt. She was
too busy being even more cousinly
than he
Hello. Alex. was waiting for you.
have something to tell you, some
thing perfectly great. Come down
here where it is quieter."
They turned into a side street and
Chloe, very blithe and blooming, told
of Mrs. Cartaret's splendid act and of
the family glory to come when poor
old Rawly, at last, got his chance. The
tale demanded enthusiasm, but Alex
heard it with lowered eyes and a grim
mouth.
duction." she insisted, and piled it up
for him, but could get no response.
You might at least be little glad
for Ralston, Alex" she reproached
him. Then there was an explosion:
Lord God, what that man won't
take!"
Chloe recoiled, her face paling.
1 why shouldn't he take
why shouldn't he hold up wom-
an who has no one to-" Alex broke
off, to go on more gently, though all
his physical being was still angrily
! stiffened. Look here, Chloe, we've
got to have this thing out. I've dodg-
ed as long as I can. Now I'm going
to say everything feel, once for ALL"
! They had turned away from home
into street Of dingy warehouses, al
ready suffered for the night In the
! sudden stiffness. the gaunt walls clos
ed about them like some dreadful
court room where sentence was to be
pronounced. Chloe tried to fight of
+, the oppression.
You always object to everything"
she flung at him: but l thought even
you would be pleased at this. Why
can't Mrs. Cartaret do what she likes
with her own money!"
He ignored her tone I'll tell you
why. Helena Cartaret is without
question lovely lady; the only thing
she lacks is brains. She is no more
capable of judging the value of play
than Billy is. To let her back it with
out some cool, outside, endorsement
is plain highway robbery. Ralston
may be the greatest genius of the age,
but he hasn't given any convincing
sign of it yet and he has had no stage
experience. And she isn't very rich
woman. Twenty or thirty thousand
dollars will matter to her. How are
you going to feel if it is fiat failure?'
The ground seemed to be dropping
I! away under Chloe's feet; but she
chung to her anger. Suppose she
wanted to back your dynamo thing
wouldn't you let herr"
MOI He almost shouted it. mot If
she knew the whole subject and could
judge it's value for herself. A woman
In her position hasn't any way to re-
| place her money. The man who gam
bles with it CANDLES with her whole
life's freedom. How any one with a
spark of decency can take it"
| Nearly every successful artist
has! Look at Wagner"
| "Oh. look at Wagner! Every year
some lovely lady looks at Wagner and
as result some good-for-nothing fell
low with half talent is dawdling and
drinking in Paris at her expense.
Look at Wagner!' That's the war cry
of every gifted loafer who doesn't feel
i like earning his own chance"
But Ralston couldn't earn his own
chance-do be fair. Alex" she cried.
You don't understand what he is. An
Office would be death for him.
Yes: he'd be bored to death. l
mean it, literally" he insisted at her
angry start. HE has decided from
! the first that he was to sing for his
supper; to have to drudge for it. now,
like other men-he would fall i'll and
! die Of sheer evaporation. Well, he
will never have TO- There will always
be some woman to carry him on
! They had reached the end of the
block and turned slowly back But
you are putting money above every.
thing else!" Chloe spoke the word
money with young contempt. but
! he answered patiently:
"Ah. Chloe. wait till you have had
to earn living-iust living for one
person: pile it up day by day, get a
little ahead, then have an illness or
an accident. pay it all out and begin
over again. and ali the time know that
the day will come when you can't
! work--try that, and then you will say
money in a different tone That's the
common lot. Toto, for the average man
!; or woman who doesn't live on some
/, one else. Oh. ii isn't that ! don't see
the bigness of art compared to mon.
ey. And real talei,; has often got 20
be helped--I1l grant that,S What !