The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-01-13

| leI HHoSe IRON pencil painted Language
on lips of stone, and whose crudest
works in clay might well outlive the
marble monuments of modern art" He
glanced from one to another with q
grace and ease that not only betokened
true mastery of the language, but an
lnexhaustible fund of information: nor
was 1t long ere my "stock in hand
mad dwindled down to the insignificant
yes and of course verbosity that is
not worth the giving away. He dwelt
with particular fondness upon ntera-
ture; frequently asking me what works
l most admired. and pointing out the
beauties and excellence of old authors
Shakespeare, Milton, Pope, Dryden,
and host Of others long dead and
gone. whose works live on eternally.
All these, as they were successfully re-
viewed, he quoted in a manner that
evinced thorough knowledge of their
worth.
At last, after no little artifice and
strategy, I drew him to his own his
tory, which grew Enthusiastically inter-
esting as he proceeded. His father,
passing rich, had educated him for the
ministry; but the profession did not
suit him-or, rather, he did not suit
the profession; for to be frank he was
rather inclined in his young days to be
"graceless dog" and so, when it be-
came evident that he must shift for
himself, more at the instigation of lit
erary friends than from any ambition
or choice, he entered the field of Jour-
nalism, beginning at the bottom of the
ladder-the bottom-and gradually ris-
ing from the compositor's case to the
very rung of editorial success-when
there came a crash,-a flaw in the
grain-and that flaw Well, no mat
ter! The noblest minds had toppled
from the height, and crumbled to the
merest debris Of pauper intellect
Sand do you writer" I broke in alb
ruptly.
Il used to write," he answered, as |
though loath to make the acknowl-
edgment-"that is, I sometimes rode
Pegasus as a groom might ride his
masters horse-but my flights were
lever high-never highw
was growing deeply interested in
he strange character before me, and
although the faces of the group smiled
It me significantly, was not to be be-
'uiled from my new acquaintance.
'There is question:" said ], Il
you'd like to ask you, since from ac-
ual experience you are doubtless well
Informed upon 1t II have often heard
argued that the best production Of
uthors-poets in particular-are writ
en- under the influence Of what they
re please to term inspiration Can
on enlighten me as to the truth of
nat assertion?"
II can say in reply" said the old
ian, with his unwavering eyes fixed
pom mine-I can say In reply that
le best productions Of authors-poets
particular-are written under the
fiuence of what they are pleased to
rm inspiration I have seen it
'oved." III
"How provedT' I asked.
Listen. Take, for example, an In
ance / will cite: A man worn and
lfeebled by age, whose eyes are
mined almost to sightlessness; whose
Ind, once clear and vivid as the light
day, is now wavering and tickle as
e wind: and yet at times this In
fence comes upon him like an ava
lche, and as irresistible voice cries, Il
rite! write! writer nor does he
ow, when he has obeyed that sum-
,ns, what hts trembling hand has II
itten. Further proof that this is Y
zine inspiration is that his fragmen-
" productions viii oftentimes be in
= exact manner and diction Of writ "
J long since passed away; and I am W
tisfed they are produced at the d. IL
It dictatfon Of the departed. I &c
ow this!"
You astonish me-" said I, In I'M
gned wonder; "you say you know
show do you know it?''
Because I am the man. ~
Although the assertion, in my mind,
$ simply preposterous, there was a
tain majesty In the utterance that |
ID me half in awe. I looked upon
a as one might look upon some Gu hi
us being from an unknown world. re
was moving now-pacing grotesque- hi
up and down little space of half a di
zen steps, and wheeling, at the linn ia
Of his walk, as nimbly as the harle- si
n in the pantomfme, and repeating. pf
though to himself, 81 am the man; W
n the man. In
Well, sir" said I, forcing myself Oh
o an air of indifference did not feel lib
well, sir, not for a moment ques- M
ming your own belief as to this no
ange influence which may possess
! at times, you win pardon me for By
pressing the vaguest skepticism,
&c I have never been so fortunate | as
to witness an actual 1emonstra- hs
n" He was about to interrupt me,
continued coolly. 'By what cir 80
Instance is this influence introduced | ra
n how produced-is IT."
lie broke in on me with keen little ed
1g Of laugh that almost made me pa