Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-07-13
NEW CHAMBERLAIN

only he dun {. lie S1Iteu HE through
a big mesh. All the nOnessentials-
the trivialities-fell through. An act
with Bodsky was a volitiOn, measured,
weighed. and then hurled. That's why
If you knew him you knew that in his
hands a crime was not a crime. That's
why l know that he is dead. He new
er used a stale cartridge-his gun new
er missed fire"
AIix unused. 81 can't see him-I
can't quite see him. A man who can
accomplish anything and doesn't seems
wrOng-a waste"
"You don't see," said COllingeford,
because you are facing my point OF
view. You must turn around. Bod
sky used to say that all humanity had
q soul, but it took a tragedy to make
a man His tragedy was that life cut
him out from the herd. He wasn't
creator, he was a creation. Genera
tiOns, races, cons, created BOdsky and
left him standing like a SCARED crag.
He had but one missiOn-to see and
understand. Have you ever sat in the
desert on q mOOnlit night and looked
at the Sphinx? 1t holds yOu-it holds
yours eyes in a vice. You wonder
why. I'll tell you. 1t knows. That's
the way it was with BOdsky. He only
tOWered-kneW-un If that
is nothing, BOdsky was nothing"
They were silent. Presently Col
Hngeford helped her out and together
they passed through the rich foyer, thS
latticed palm room, and up the steps
into the latest cry in dining rooms. A
little table III the far corner had been
the crowded room hush fell over the
tables. Some looked and were silent
because AliX was beautiful and dain-
tily gOwned and Collingeford all that 8
man should be, but those who knew
looked because AliX was AliX and Col
lingeford was COllingefOrd. These soon
fell to whispering, predicting a match.
Alix bowed abstractedly here and
there as she followed the head waiter
to her seat
They sat down, each half facing the
room. AliX caught her breath. "Whif-
fing the old air?" asked Collingeford.
NO." answered Alix. "Only sigh
ing. I feel, so out of it and that al
ways makes one sigh whether one
wants to be in it or not"
Alix paused. go on" said CoIlinge-
ford.
There are only few men in the
room, but almost all of these women
have husbands. The husbands are in
two tenses-past and future. There
must be a present but it is nebulOus
didn't know before but | know now
that in time these women will go back
or forward to their husbands. Some
day they will get dizzy and fall and
the shock will wake them up"
You see, you understand, you are
prophetic" said ColiingefOrd, smiling
But l do not tower like your Bod
sky" said AliX and then bit her tongue
at the slip.
A shadow seemed to fall on them.
The rooms high, delicate paneling and
the painted oval of the ceiling seemed
to hover over a suddenly darkened
emptiness. The hum and chatter of
the thrOng became little and far away.
COllfngefOrd and AliX felt as though
they sat alone and yeA not alone Col
ltngefOrd nodded as though Alix had
spoken. YES" he said, "Bodsky has
come back to us. Don't regret it. I
don't know how it is with you but I
feel that we two are alone with him
and that it's worth while. He's come
on us like a cloud
But l like Clouds" he continued,
big black clouds. If it were not for
them you couldn't see the lightning or
hear the thunder. They make light
ming and thunder-the arm and the
voice of the gods.
''BOdsky was elemental. He was an
element. He could not produce but he
could make fertile the lives of lesser
men. I've sat at his feet ever since
the first time he spoke to me. | didn't
know l was doing it bat | can see it
now. And the result II this: Bodsky
couldn't go home. But l can and I'm
going home before I've seen the whole
world. Only-only | wish l could take
you with me-"
There, there" said AIix, playfully,
but her eyes We're soft. I'VE must go
now or you will miss your ship