FIELDS OF FAIR RENOWN.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVX, Issue 3094, 3 April 1897, Page 1 (Supplement)

FIELDS OF FAIR RENOWN.

By Joseph Hockko.] All Right* Remm#*"*' /4*—fir CHAPTER' IX. ooWjebiko "LOHJjM*- .. Theorist-mowwfe ,3fe% J&tofcf tol(1 Merlin a good deal of her experience, mformed him as to - the number of her children and of the state of her liver. Indeed, Merlin found before a week was over -that, subjects .which Mrs Blindy most delightfed' in were her prospects in life before.. wur converted and went ,»-slpmmin’ fur the A winy," of, iier liver, the latter being in'reserve when the other *as : Cxhaußfb£:(fj/fe•lra'I 1 *? hei confidence,. however .iand'aftei.fcelling him that 'tfyh'jbf to Awray officers, and that, ffio yppage>wnd best hookin’ 1,1 '‘wash’ -ft-sultPd nyitv-iteho a-bein’ ißo.pprtikier,'” j pef'tcd that' 'Merlin. should-, i return nher J’nbjtLat little-'ffisap-pointid that,tie young man ripi, gn|pfy her "curiosity, 'tihe 1 cpihforted herself, Z Bbe . had won his confidence “.he’d be .glmi of a mothar,” and so temper. After a breakfast .Abroad and rancid butter, the young man took a parcel of MSS. under his aria,'and- went out to interview publishers axj<J.;pdits>\s. x I will notify; ‘to '•detailvhis ,Bxperiepp9P,.,,.His atari h& h’eßri'ibldoiime dt is people whomt-’ha twent to" pea^«mt«ey. ° f them thought'.ffitoorablj-.of: his ■ tdpj; ’ftHPttlj' 7-'*». W'mt i«di i "Merlin soon found*xiWhftfc€*e^«aitor his staff, whose namesiwprci *. guarantee public. I. •“ editor must find exceptional-merit-iti'an uhknowii hia contributions. .». . til t -•■

During t%'6 ! mdntWM ',Ms hisisiaoecssj was;.iMndly of _tha. WPPPt ed > howOvter; dh Mb’ tixt iflomwaUj-and Made his acted wisely icc.leaYing homo-* «oj> At,. the opd.-p|,, “P“^riv^Ci'? ad scarcely-advanoed had .vanished.., X think he gone - horna JwWs® d the. ’’ w&erewith’cftj* pay faiarraiflway'fare ;. but hq , t 0 writ© j tolling? <>hi3vihicni3&?-: that ha t /had failed. For. ( 'HacT' not Bathef HiP'tried; to impretsupowdiorahe fact that.h?;,^i<pl^d|' r?" the ladder of wpiddi. if both patipi>t,,clin)l},to.-the.top. v ~ ■Helen wrote assuring „,hifa,.,tlijatQ 1 sji<£;/ijs| ( , |* flunking aboid 'hrm,7J3oriatflaitly.(‘praydng for Mm, jher peitH n WS a grettfr'diopet tsali sjiccefidsfepypnd «*» •»«*»! His money icanie middle' of "«JMy, ..audn-ttoare aeewredff no prohahilitfr "BP hS« e; scrimped ,in>rhis ,yvi^ ro §i /^e-( £sQu|4'i ‘he had brpad and butter for breakfnsdt a fouii6TOy^pii^a^ ( 'f^%^«^^^ an restaurant for dinner, and breads and Im&ef .{cfr'tea. vpfied-on.Mrs tj®}|ice of tO‘f6Bt4sMUingsi »pO «W -men up'li (rpo.•'■ Xhuin g the ,wcarydays,ofv<iisappoiritmeiif ’ 1 M’?liad > ’ 1 l&A gjow oliapmts f vmdiibega»,to.J , shioon,.,his fat J ei’’ ’’ He ihlnisßlf such; nnjbitipus . f ppjtionsr the toiid ‘Of siidhi Jasi^Hjßlenriandn-atM'be

of -.t& h

Bliady one«mdmirrg'; ‘ your’ rcnl 'lViUs'^liio^yosterday'Svtjcli, Mr Bosevear. I shall be glad ov it at once, if away his week’s money, which is very ’awd fur me, who a lidyi-'and who ain’t a-go(i IJO s^^athy,with-W?h .s£“B9 as slummin’.., Ov course, ’Arry ain’t like' the common SalvaJjicg},Ee!sfJa.^_but n p I sea, it’s very ’’awd— on mo, ■ who was brought up a lidy."^lo* ’ 1 Mrs Blindy r | - vwHf ■ penny is gone. : X-Hope s to”gct'Sbiiic^i’riore • ‘ Then. -Mr Bosevear,iyoii hadihetter go afoinceV’"' ljk£o&3fcs& but I a * tendin’ you for nothink. 1 I've out down your reWto 'Mf there’s, a Awmy 'eaptuig asjl **ft, glad to IncWjeffi® v4-ain*<.».panT to be ! 3rß»6* ,J j^BW«** *>• 81l noi‘^n r avlg?i r! lEoS:'Ih(? d&ra^renh*’' l ' "&*' mc.rj- to ,aH3- ar/ I When W# down la despair. ■■ What pould i fnqntbs ‘ fcg^eSn‘^ eirhed. only > tpilee •hev’had .'trledi t qi hbfaittrinoheynbjp ■ manual ftffT strong^ a limp, Hahds'were white andothin?ahi®4lab®.was haggard and carewon*?*’^”*^^y^>*? |tf’’^as,ers--dhd ; ' food .IWw*: fereij'/iUA. ha 4. pfacßS-'afid -hadv-asoertained-'hpw.'-.aavastt number of people in thejiearf-tip the city. But nol'maSe’ up his -miad itoudo-’ as* they -had’done. What a blow it woulcUbe to Helen Gran-' gfUe to know that-ber.lover occupied gtjicli . pbtitv'o.b ‘as thhf of selling penny ,wqndo?s' jhijrihe' streets 1 ’ That he felt that he would do anytblds hi,,prdgr to earn' enough to buy pay-tor his lodgings. . -nil

He put'his on and'went into ifid' Strand. A man passed by him who was burdened with a lie' inight ; be ; able to okHi“sfspdnc6 "fey parrying' it.' Pjo opened Jiis to |pe%lci would not comp. the man a s‘ a fanney. homo. This was thfit-flrat person he had seen 'since he cq^e.W^ondon^whb hailed from under ofije^Tcir- - H '.ifamiHw&iaee, a feeling of pain through his fleatt. and ho"humed'tiff iasPas-hb opposite direction. Still,“tfiS Cadent had go’to aSne" of--fh'e sfivtiSnai-^^ few shillings as a porter ?, His pndo Beln him Back,- buf ar'great gnawing at the pit—of his stonl&Ch him iorwai'd. ■walkodctowteds diNer-t pool stroof. ’ Faint afd;hutigryfiS I K'e c waß, he hurried as fast as ha waaable, although he had scarcely nttehgth to enabltfhim to get out of the way of a passing Ludgate Circus. Presently he came up to the square in front of St. Paul’s Cathedral, and was just turning jjp the street pabt simps, when, seeing the dpoys of the cathedral open, he entered, the building and-aafc^owm—A-few peopleknelt by the chairs which were placed close to the- altar? Uthersi satjind listencdi to. th^.rigl^^megjsw,Jones gf while buadings,t{ffl4f? fl Wh)pd r iljfi i^|i^iSSf! ’ Outside- dll oi Vir4s ! |%h , fusion;’ but? here! wad-restt: .Hetjat down and fiUed /thC'gsiai : himself ■%s : (jß®s«rested,.ehee)!6Sc'j TjEb-sit. about ’a 'qnlr&r : o£\ftttiMsr; fSSmggi&J Bow’,and 1 tbW ! ’a ? left ajr • article- vrithrtbo. i editorpsia«nwgSs, gmVVwhbW'-'o^ centre of Avorldr-'Sf sf* that he erpcctediianjihing- i rqar iad ■ left articles in marry an with butTtny-iittie”3aeesttßr\SM*oa4o ri; d why he had'not given npl_. Surely, all-the editors cbuldSnor. he aastaken-;-;it tgnst

bo that he had overestimated his powers ) and lie might as well give up all idea of ‘w’inntffg the position' fof~whicH he"had s"o jfondly hoped. But that mgant so much. That meant giving up Helen Gran-

•ille ; it meant confessing himself to be a

jfailure ; it meant^r— Hcydared not think of all it meanfrf ;>Xo, <^^^- mj|dsptruggle on; °n when starvation stared him in the face, and i|hen that very day, he had been ordered' to leave the roof "that covered

What, oh! what could he do ?

Ho put his hand in his pocket and drew mt Helen’s last letter. It was full of

hopeful words, full of assurance of her continued love. The tears started to his eyes. ‘ God bless her,” he sobbed; ‘ I should never have held up at all but for her.’

In spite of himself his visit to St ’aul’s had done him .good. He did noi

believe much in leligipus services, and had attended no place of worship since ho had eomo'to London, but the atmosphere of that bistorie-bffilding'had-soraohow helped caihenlthe editor with -wh ohi lie iiid .left hfif'ftfS. a’iittlp oat of h£. ;>ay,'Vitx ;igomg'.lo-. Station. f •' ’•* "."■•'J•'!. h The editor of The Tribxine serif word fa him that he was too busy to see him, and had not been able to examine his story. Would Mr Boseveat let it stand over a lay or two longer, when he would comnunicate with Kimaflhe'address written >n the MS ? Merlin had--difficulty in .-keeping backlis tears as he. fame. /Jqjvn the steps vhich led to the editer-’a room. He had $ g|fscf£a •Mfrfakpj. Jin ~jjis ,'pre»eht;Stat6foti-.m!ind ri'Sde’^fe'dearet; ,r- * ** ..ji gotten laclmigsince-tho- day -before, -,l‘His'hbad lecame dizzy; he staggered, laWifailen -Raid not .aXanctupheld- bfm. •■'‘‘’Whiit’s ‘tfiS matfdt ? n^"said f,< a cffii|ory -oioo, with a Scotch .accent,'.! ‘ Never-say_ liff, oldrchap'l-’ - ■ '!■■■ '"‘'f’mmot very wol}*,’., paid; -.with Si effort! “y~ •.> < •-i • p

• You;’lobk. ffiykey.’, ‘ '"qijme ;om ibcfceditor-of mhe./l'vibusie t

; *Y’es:’"'-; • ' y ’’ r r , '’ f.yl I've wen' you ‘ jij, the, Bow , with'-(i parcel-; under >your-a«n-lots if times. “ rkt'afraid you" ha'vc' had no ■access'.’

Merlin looked af the young fellow

piestioningly. vf,.r ,tito>-:op • Oh, I knew all-about it,’ continued 'l', ajid^’^Z'W^ll^P ll ® liter time.BS.€"saw]you,.‘‘-Ti»6re’« another ptf6ii‘ r ;hSgg£tf ' Wh,o Baht'S ’ th live J>y-Wa* phh 1 mS cahhbL’j,,rjjxCJUs4 me* oht. chap, .but ire you hard, up ?. ’ r _— " " „nr * I p see how it is,’ laughed the,other;

it isn’ty ago dorwedays on- a red Jherriu&APdia penny loaf. I’m not rich now*; butr-come into ?Mf

Jinner.’-'Uoi e»«-> ••«. >—w. -v-of ‘ But—but,, you-— -’ stammered* Mpy-,, liri.ll; , T .-U» V ■•(•»,.*..3 <• ‘ Hang it, .old-’ man,xl'm’ atU'embryo sort’; 3&u’d ithanrtoll -anybody.yO'ti iwore hhorf dfTpU yerb ‘bfoyVght up in t'fie' country,' and don’t' hiiow how to'gctpA lilhj'liotadonfefs;'’ twl V.-cww He' M W a tall, 'gahh’t’’'s'oung fellow, with-Xiiigh cheek- hones*,Mfrockled -skin, sffidy-e'ai&urbtrifafff aud .lighthlfie By.no means handsome,-but.he.p.oascsaed i good, honest,face for all that. ■ round, iron topped table, with a plate of ho? meaf bhorcii fir "’.c- *'*rr<s -..r Scotchman,,,* and when you’ve we’ll ikw a talk, if you 'dordtiniiia:’? Both of them did justice to their food,jafter wWdhJ 'Mbrlinfs •' companion began to k^.tHhj|a^^^^lJt , .•He ’ evidently took, thiat-coursq,d no?i i hocause,:.be .wauted.iQt ibfe 7 'the>”3dbjeefr l cif o'the’reDnvexsatton,*' hutn ■'X a WfoA,.J o^nipskp f jfeed’at’ease.’'"":'- «* «■- *w“ > <<■,...•■> y-;t I '&&*. HP^ eT 5s a few nines from .Androi’Bim. -(-.^fy., [stoney affair, from whl(4n,be„fhMlft. a. dflfif c Icvdly s td Way,’ Ciirl^leVSiSreoP?' I ‘ Yes.VreiiiibdiMerliPs.'i.} i» Uvoi.iqd ■ 'My caso is a sort -of -small .edition of |his; T%c lflyssather wanted ne to be a scholar, ifnO? ‘a”mnusler, 'and T got’; an entranbh'into • ’Glasgow University, and kejlrffieife In just the same, way as scorSa* jof other poor Scotch lads. When I’d itaken my degree I got a tutorship, hut jthat I couldn’t stand ; and, having a taste ifor journalism, I wrote to a chap whom I knew, and who edits a paper in London, and asked him to accept an article ’ of. mine. Strange to-say, hohid, whereon I, elated beyond measure, camo’ up here, determined to get in j liyii?|| (ts knight Sii ♦Jle !*!»?» Bvu’ : iisi| ij feim 6 pi?! ftPS i g l! ft§ WS’ b»t I begUl jto see the light,* ! 1 I'm In the wood,’ said Merlin, ‘ and I jcan't see any way oiif.’

j ‘And yet you bbght, You seem a ! cjeardicwied cbaptV What Idbihg? ’ j • ’

I aov yVAH I ‘And you’ve been spending your ’strength onjjiprt tfiSi^Mi^etber^j,. -J,

i t Bii?e you written a fdrignovel yet 9* f •« 'tmtAjDohsq stow A/j, - j * j*iji not sure that isn't-# mistake. I’ll :tell you why. Publishefs’aro glad Jtcg .get jgood stuff, from anybody, it matferS-iiot •who; Editors like 'to get hold biGbig jnames.’ ----- ■ , I ‘I See;but that doesn’t apply,.tebthe {newspapers,’ : ' l" §o; l}ut all ttlfi newspapers.who [pay their cgntributorshaVe Besides, excuse me, hut have you had a newspaper'training in any way' ?’ >iS? v- ♦*«?.•" - • • . —■' - ! ‘Do you write shorthand ?,’. x I ‘No.’ ■ ‘ Have you practised reptile o.f pieetings 9, f y-'+toz '* ,fi '' ’■

j ‘4b i weIV I rqust be going boy.' I’ve an appoint, ment at half,past one. "Son'll let me lend ‘you five hob, won't you ?’ J ‘ Iteally,’ said Merlin, ‘you’ve already, paid for my dinner, and——’, " - ‘ Oh, you’ll pay mo Tho .Scotch side bT "my brain has beefl summing yqu, jjp,, wiipSs the. reihli that. I know I'm making a*dgobd investment. •This is where.l Kang- trat;?"ahff < lie'-gave /Merlin his card,- ‘.iHoh’-tiber afraid tq logic me tjn an-houi ftot spare any ‘time,;. * r ., • rea<irthG-card ;, ‘.Fergus ,MucjFarlane, 82, *Oney - j 'ifour^ndiuejjlind jwbere are'.ydur-diggingß 9- - - - — : ; 'Merlin-tolddiim,'- --i.- t ‘ ■■* Vfery 'shall beioni-yoia. tracks-jSoodrday,;and ■keep your pecker up,’ j ‘ Providence !’exclaimed Merlin, when jho had left.' ‘ H ever a man belied his looks and his natio'uahty it is he.’

| ghcj Hie five shillings made him feel a new man, and Instead of going (towards LlVei-poof street "he wenfßack' to hia lodgings. MacParlane had set him thinking. - During the months he hadbeen in London hja one idea had tcqn to eigm /eady th# hts evidently been the wrong course.- He would wosk| £ndgatß‘ ; Hilt , aad«long;-Fl6et y Etr66t. f j ; ff«%t¥rl'd s fiis lodgings be found jtwo letters arid bne of the letters was from Helen Gram MllfliSsoh«-the,Mwft'li®liad J®d«he4,4t he was crying like a hernobiUly. The letter seenjed to coine like cool, pure, healing air, helping and Strengthening him. ‘ ‘ I am afraid you are not succeeding as youhdped',Merlin, ’ _ 'sEe W6te." ‘Never* mind.; the brighter days are surely oomingi

you will overcome all your difficulties. The groat men of London will soon know ‘that you are their equal, if riot their jsuperior, and then they wili eagerly seek jyou and your work; lam always thinking about you, Merlin, ahyays—making plans for us for you, always loyjng.vjart*' ' r ~y/ r . ‘ PathliPis*rit?ffi'£ffe- r rifeonciled to my choice as ever; but. I cannot help, his anger.*-4ii&efep(sS tawoHaP l- -obscure, lam yours, Merlin. I belive in you, my own.’

1 Yes r I can write -now,’ he cried. 1 1 can write that novel- X see~l see I It’s like light from heaven.’ ( Helen’s letter htffirlongnwslied tp plaeo-bh paper spread out ’lits rich, glowing colours 1

Ho read her lettef'a'gain; he drank in her words of cheer, and then, without looking at his other sommunications, he sat down, and for some minutes wrote rapidly. When he rose from the table he had completed a rough.putline of a novel. The other letter bore the same postmark, but was in“ari unknown handwriting, although-he-thought he detected something familiar about it. On breaking tho seal he discovered, ft,postal order, and a slip of paper'bh whfch’wbfd' written the words, ‘As an encou’ragemeiit to hope,on.’ ’ ‘ This must safely be ffom-either-fatjlier* or mother;’ he'thought, “'and yet It ismot like Jhem., tpsend .money 4« >.this -lyay ; besides-, the parfeel-is fronvthem.-*. fie fomffi expressions of a’ltfioßghtfal mpther’s tender : care —fwp p/h’ 3 a'Jm pf;Cornish jream, ftnd ! -He'faffivil a letft», ; XtOo,■ c Ir&i

‘ Are-you short of leax 21 i hoilsiipi ran:-,”: .‘Jf :yon P kfiow, and I will send- yoti a-fewshiUiligs. C Ea?'e not serif you any Because, j;,.was sure-you, weuldTet me know-iffyou-wtmted liVirig" •€fld’uldd|'e. A is in London, and-mpney may Jia.scarcel-yet, Don’t be afraid to ask,-'myidearvboyth./ , (LThie .money can’t be' iromiJiqme,’ mused the young man-.- ’ *■ Who lean have lenf-it,, ji.jien.?!".. . .i,,"”' He esamindd the writing a-galn;.-andltho teftrfl,, gathered-,in. ey,es„ - !,fi!s l,h-om-:ier,’he cried,- 1 and shc ! hH'S Beut-\ , it- , hvthi3 afi-aid "6f my pride. God bless my Helen.’ A few minutes lafer he had paid Mrs Blindy for another week’s rent, and that lady had expressed the hope that Mr Rosevear ‘ wouldn’t mind what she said, is it was very, ’nyd.for.Xier, who was brought up as a.lidy, to be short of.roady mohey,’-'becausb 1 ’Arty Aiviny, and 'siietit' 'liis money' in ifflfijmminV- ,w '*’• -• ;i ” ! V‘

:.Tlret .night die ;fiapterof-.his novel, •and -felt that at-iast ie,had,begun"£dZdpfsdmethmg{l}at„y(’ould ;iye<hii» a.footi»g,in.Vthe world pf.letters, Helen vthu He iw^ed: 'SI%

The great .'que'sttOh:how%es' -tU(3ls|ain maaus„9l be novolV-ylle caioulftteddiow lcmg he-’ could liye ’ he, 5 now p'bssess®, .and tHo 4fepecs„d)e \hhd mf- rooeivirig,-mure, ThSfß. r w6te" ,< hftlfia-dozen irljcles'tmdOTr by'(th"e,£dflora * . One pSmpre.of th'osaunight.be accepted, am® paid foryov perhaps they mightn-H be ’^*J»ad, 3noHgh oaylng MaoParJane, diillings.,!.' „ , i\-,: This is how he-reckoned - ’ JV -v;. V:wr -v-h’. .i a- d. 3ash in hand, including MaoFarlaHe's Loaav,‘.n a <".W ■■ i.••..'in'hiKßlhO. ■■ .’■ £ s. d.

To be paid to Mao- - • Farlafle' 1 1 '"O 5 '0 l ,r -■ Three week’s’rent_tp'" . ‘Mrs'Blindy V.; ~0 12,, 'Ci„ , Three, food- - .0 ,7 i Fob -washing, .paper,!.-..,rr -C-fr ■ ink, &c, ■ ... -...,0 -1,.0-..*.. nJ* - ■■ ■- But couldrdipf.mtinase fipHihroo weeks” on-sbveii" ghillfn-gs.? -^iA.p^hQW, t! be thid work-might '- bo-acooptoli, or- perhaps. - 2 jdcteniiinedtodovote the next twenty-aue; (days to novelr” | .-.Ain the emit pi thiee : weeks his mbnoy [waS' p?lh*- n? i l6 [had written "tli»e.r-;h«ndredpodd fpages Ofc-

his' l 'ffoveir page to eon-- - tain n tw6 he“'c&ulate& * that he had uHftdn Kvet sixty thousand , words. ’How he bad managed to exist t was a miracle ; shut sUhfiugh he was weak e and-ill; he-had' so far survived 'the ordeal, 1 * He was alive, be" -jvas “free from debt, but £ know. He had received letters fceii} jj OQuid say; but appeared In the shape ol a i orfler^ f Hejwasjt(|i- ’ BEndy tb^trUs‘t ! too'prbudltg,witfe 1 iff I^olen-'fof !^h»lpi^indoodvf h^" : did'" , iibt , possess,; .enough Jiioney 1 to buy a postage' j stamps'-' “u ‘Vi...'.-- + 1_ ■ ■■ 1 Bfo- 'tried to forgot nis“ hunger in Work; but by and by he had, to give it up. He took his last crust of bread, and washed, it d°wn with a cup of water; then It® walked gut into‘the. sitrandi . , •s*’prTCf.ri v> The sam.e of life |yept b^_ j&bl ears-htbe ’cltynhe *had;reome ‘ to nonquor;' ,^^’^w^ less was, £a ; determmedto be victor . ev«ryet. + ‘ Hexvasisare' that the novel $6“ was xrating/ would ‘be.-. diußhed’i“hut>ihould' he ;tee‘ able to finish’ , Ho iturned down Fleet street and walked? on until he to# wliere he was told, literary men congregated, hfe -looked in at the open door,; tb en a , jreat darkless seem’eS to arise up before | aim. But in the midst o| the. darkness | was a face, a face that he, recognised- ' Then the. darkness passed %jeay and the, ibjccts around" him became'clear again-Efe-feif somo- cmp grasping: his hfind’.'dhd'' qoard a tiils.be. jon.?”--1 '.tvi* ‘?*Tr< -It way'Vivian Grtbgory i who''Sp6ke t& .hintT*. 1 '■’■ . ..-..(-[Q .w .-.v.---