Show BOTTOM OF LAUDER n by AUGUSTUS GOODRICH GHER CHIE R WIN stio she is very pretty 4 everybody says bays that and ad rich which la Is the main magnet I 1 ns sumo sume from what I 1 know of tho the present state of your finances you hit the nail on tho the head exactly acknowledged duke bellow but there will be no lack ot of capitalizing your end of the proposition it if you aro are willing to sell me the uso use ot of your brains until I 1 make my imbres slon blon you put it brutally plain re responded roy borden with a slightly bitter snarl however I 1 need the cash and I 1 accept the commission minus any wayside stray ings in the direction ot of the barroom remember rem 0 warned bellow coarsely coara oly roy borden flushed and mentally ro re sontee the insinuation it was a just jat challenge however he be had to admit that borden was a man of genius ile ho had dragged his abilities into the mud however long since ats bs old litcy crary brillian brilliancy had bad become oll dimmed ile iio was now a r mere penny a v 6 liner and that with little reliable work to do you see ceo proceeded bellow ive got in with the Tre tresham sharn set they are social leaders and really ot of a high up sort among them Is mrs ama harn ham and alid her daughter ellan the girl Is 3 heiress to on an independent fortune she is smart bright and cultured art science literature those are her fads fade there is a struggling young artist named alden aiden hope who has interested her that was my cue im going to pose as author and poet see you are to furnish the goods I 1 the money here la is a first inseal mont ment roy bordon borden went to his poor room with a u sneer upon his lips it was one ona of contempt for himself once cinco ho he had known the thrill of honorable am bation lilt lon how he had retrograded st strong ro ng drink and indolence had landed him sheer at the bottom ot at the ladder A momentary impulse swayed him to do the work lust assigned him save tho the money received give up tho the drink and start afresh in some now new community within twenty four hours however the old temptation overcame him borden began one of his long bouts of dissipation and hired cheaply cl how he had retrograded an unscrupulous scribble to do the work he be had bad engaged to do duke bellew schemer and adventurer proceeded on his campaign he was a polished man in appearance a tasteful dresser and bad the attractive c smattering of the knowledge of a shrewd man ol of the world ile he made large claims of valuable western investments and alluded often to his literary income naturally bellow bellew made an impression particularly on alidas mother he ele was a specious rogue and within a week had captivated quite a coterie at t fashionable friends ile ho met alden lope elope at social functions and was friendly towards him in a politic way w ay the latter however saw the trend of 0 affairs he was poor all his bis artistic efforts were in their incipiency plency he tied had painted a picture of which ellda was a model it was called sympathy 11 and was indeed a tribu tribute te to the warm helpful encourage encouragement men t of mida ellda herself he had great hopes of the picture securing recognition at a coming public art exhibition 1 I rather like mr bellew mrs cresham remarked to her daughter ane evening he is very gentlemanly and con can sl sto lerate said ellda elida but she evi evinced aced no ardor in the reply for all that she was fully interested and quito proud when in one of the local papers an article appeared bearing tho the signature of duke bellew it was a masterly effort covering the art of 0 war in europe in another paper two days later there was published an exquisite little poem by tho the same author everybody was enchanted except aiden hope the increased adulation of at bellow made him feel humble bumble and he had loved ehda E lida from the first moment ho he saw her now he rallied rall zed how bow hopeless was blat at lauine 41 ent nt ile he want so no more to the social functions with a longing pain at t heart he later ister read rad a published poem inscribed U 0 o ryda ra ada by initials bellew was waa lay ing close siege liege to the heart 0 of th the young y g heiress elida missed alden moro more then than she und had fancied tune p d could be the came there was some sentiment naturally harmonious between them despite her admiration mi ration of the literary abilities of bellow there seemed always some I 1 vague barrier between them 1 alden hope never forgot ono wet chill evening when he passed in front ot of the tresham Tre shain homo home hungry at heart yet torturing himself with the ardent longing to catch d a glimpse of the bo be loved face of ellda elida the house was ablaze with light A grand reception was on an english diplomat and litterateur literate ur one norman eccles was to be ba presented by a lo 10 cal society ruler at tho the Tre tresham sharn home borne shielding hla his taco face by drawing down his hat and muffling it in his coat col lar alden gazed the tron iron g gates ates at 0 the garden ile he saw ellda whirling in tho the giddy saw her with bel low and like a forlorn wait waif shut out of paradise he stole away to hta his lowly studio alden was little aware of the grand climax to all tho the hopes of bellew that transpired within tho the following hour A stray remark concerning the writ ings of mr air eccles had bad led to ellda blida referring with some bome appreciation to tc homo home talent we have also a poet and author auchoi within out oui modest circle mr air eccles sho she remarked indeed spoke mr eccles 1 I have a scrap book with his fugitive pieces in the library explained ellda and they strolled thither mr al r eccles gave a great start of sur SUP prise as he bo looked over the dozen at 01 more poems and articles which ellda had proudly preserved she noted his emotion and regarded hini him questioningly but he was toe toc courteous to explain then and there thera ho smiled as aa he said miss tresham may I 1 havo have the pleasure of sending you my own little volume of desultory writings oh surely she replied and the book arrived by messenger next morning at 11 duko duke bellow called to tc inquire after the lady of his choice ile he was not admitted instead the servant handed him the eccles volume and looking it over he realized that his imposture was ended by some strange coincidence the fool of roy borden had copied his literary selections from a volume corn com ively unknown in Ame america ripa word for word they tallied to the original work of t the pe visiting foreigner bellow bellew vanished into obscure obscurity ty there were vero some embarrassed lights of society at the discovery of the imposture then the thoughts of oe ellda elida went back to alden why had bad he not called of late she made some inquiry tes lea it was to learn that he be was lying III with a fever ellda and her mother visited the home of the young artist his married led sister greeted them alden was delirious and could see no one and what joyful news awaits biml boho the sister A letter came today telling that his bis picture of sympathy has won tho the academy prize they showed him the letter two days later when his fever had sub sided ile he was famous now but it was waa as nothing to him when ellda elida camo came into the room with glowing eyes to congratulate him 1 I am so glad s she e saad said her beautiful eyes close to bis awa oh alden get w well eil tor for my sa sake akel and her appreciation of his bis sterling worth and sure affection showed in her blushing face and alden hope know knew that he was loved copyright 1914 by W 0 chabi chapi chapman an |