Thenewsofhisdeathwasscarcelyasurpriseandscarceagrieftome。Icouldnotconceivemyfatherapoorman。Hehadledtoolongalifeofthoughtlessandgenerousprofusiontoendurethechange；andthoughIgrievedformyself，Iwasabletorejoicethatmyfatherhadbeentakenfromthebattle。Igrieved，Isay，formyself；anditisprobabletherewereatthesamedatemanythousandsofpersonsgrievingwithlesscause。Ihadlostmyfather；Ihadlosttheallowance；mywholefortuneincludingwhathadbeenreturnedfromMuskegonscarceamountedtoathousandfrancs；andtocrownmysorrows，thestatuarycontracthadchangedhands。Thenewcontractorhadasonofhisown，orelseanephew；anditwassignifiedtome，withbusiness-likeplainness，thatImustfindanothermarketformypigs。InthemeanwhileIhadgivenupmyroom，andsleptonatruckle-bedinthecornerofthestudio，whereasI
readmyselftosleepatnight，andwhenIawokeinthemorning，thatnowuselessbulk，theGeniusofMuskegon，waseverpresenttomyeyes。Poorstonelady！borntobeenthronedunderthegilded，echoingdomeofthenewcapitol，whitherwasshenowtodrift？forwhatbasepurposesbeultimatelybrokenup，likeanunseaworthyship？andwhatshouldbefallherill-
starredartificer，standing，withhisthousandfrancs，onthethresholdofalifesohardasthatoftheunbefriendedsculptor？
ItwasasubjectoftenandearnestlydebatedbymyselfandPinkerton。Inhisopinion，Ishouldinstantlydiscardmyprofession。“Justdropit，hereandnow。”hewouldsay。“Comebackhomewithme，andlet’sthrowourwholesoulintobusiness。Ihavethecapital；youbringtheculture。Dodd&
Pinkerton——Ineversawabetternameforanadvertisement；andyoucan’tthink，Loudon，howmuchdependsuponaname。”Onmyside，Iwouldadmitthatasculptorshouldpossessoneofthreethings——capital，influence，oranenergyonlytobequalifiedashellish。ThefirsttwoIhadnowlost；tothethirdI