The work which Eugene undertook in connection with the art department of
the _World_ was not different from that which he had done ten years
before in Chicago. It seemed no less difficult for all his
experience--more so if anything, for he felt above it these days and
consequently out of place. He wished at once that he could get something
which would pay him commensurately with his ability. To sit down among
mere boys--there were men there as old as himself and older, though, of
course, he did not pay so much attention to them--was galling. He
thought Benedict should have had more respect for his talent than to
have offered him so little, though at the same time he was grateful for
what he had received. He undertook energetically to carry out all the
suggestions given him, and surprised his superior with the speed and
imagination with which he developed everything. He surprised Benedict
the second day with a splendid imaginative interpretation of "the Black
Death," which was to accompany a Sunday newspaper article upon the
modern possibilities of plagues. The latter saw at once that Eugene
could probably only be retained a very little while at the figure he had
given him. He had made the mistake of starting him low, thinking that
Eugene's talent after so severe an illness might be at a very low ebb.
He did not know, being new to the art directorship of a newspaper, how
very difficult it was to get increases for those under him. An advance
of ten dollars to anyone meant earnest representation and an argument
with the business manager, and to double and treble the salary, which
should have been done in this case, was out of the question. Six months
was a reasonable length of time for anyone to wait for an increase--such
was the dictate of the business management--and in Eugene's case it was
ridiculous and unfair. However, being still sick and apprehensive, he
was content to abide by the situation, hoping with returning strength
and the saving of a little money to put himself right eventually.
Angela, of course, was pleased with the turn of affairs. Having suffered
so long with only prospects of something worse in store, it was a great
relief to go to the bank every Tuesday--Eugene was paid on Monday--and
deposit ten dollars against a rainy day. It was agreed between them that
they might use six for clothing, which Angela and Eugene very much
needed, and some slight entertainment. It was not long before Eugene
began to bring an occasional newspaper artist friend up to dinner, and
they were invited out. They had gone without much clothing, with
scarcely a single visit to the theatre, without friends--everything. Now
the tide began slowly to change; in a little while, because they were
more free to go to places, they began to encounter people whom they
knew.
There was six months of the drifting journalistic work, in which as in
his railroad work he grew more and more restless, and then there came a
time when he felt as if he could not stand that for another minute. He
had been raised to thirty-five dollars and then fifty, but it was a
terrific grind of exaggerated and to him thoroughly meretricious art.
The only valuable results in connection with it were that for the first
time in his life he was drawing a moderately secure living salary, and
that his mind was fully occupied with details which gave him no time to
think about himself. He was in a large room surrounded by other men who
were as sharp as knives in their thrusts of wit, and restless and greedy
in their attitude toward the world. They wanted to live brilliantly,
just as he did, only they had more self-confidence and in many cases
that extreme poise which comes of rare good health. They were inclined
to think he was somewhat of a poseur at first, but later they came to
like him--all of them. He had a winning smile and his love of a joke, so
keen, so body-shaking, drew to him all those who had a good story to
tell.
"Tell that to Witla," was a common phrase about the office and Eugene
was always listening to someone. He came to lunching with first one and
then another, then three or four at a time; and by degrees Angela was
compelled to entertain Eugene and two or three of his friends twice and
sometimes three times a week. She objected greatly, and there was some
feeling over that, for she had no maid and she did not think that Eugene
ought to begin so soon to put the burden of entertainment upon their
slender income. She wanted him to make these things very formal and by
appointment, but Eugene would stroll in genially, explaining that he had
Irving Nelson with him, or Henry Hare, or George Beers, and asking
nervously at the last minute whether it was all right. Angela would say,
"Certainly, to be sure," in front of the guests, but when they were
alone there would be tears and reproaches and firm declarations that she
would not stand it.
"Well, I won't do it any more," Eugene would apologize. "I forgot, you
know."
Still he wanted Angela to get a maid and let him bring all who would
come. It was a great relief to get back into the swing of things and see
life broadening out once more.
It was not so long after he had grown exceedingly weary of his underpaid
relationship to the _World_ that he heard of something which promised a
much better avenue of advancement. Eugene had been hearing for some time
from one source and another of the development of art in advertising. He
had read one or two articles on the subject in the smaller magazines,
had seen from time to time curious and sometimes beautiful series of ads
run by first one corporation and then another, advertising some product.
He had always fancied in looking at these things that he could get up a
notable series on almost any subject, and he wondered who handled these
things. He asked Benedict one night, going up on the car with him, what
he knew about it.
"Why so far as I know," said Benedict, "that is coming to be quite a
business. There is a man out in Chicago, Saljerian, an American
Syrian--his father was a Syrian, but he was born over here--who has
built up a tremendous business out of designing series of ads like that
for big corporations. He got up that Molly Maguire series for the new
cleaning fluid. I don't think he does any of the work himself. He hires
artists to do it. Some of the best men, I understand, have done work for
him. He gets splendid prices. Then some of the big advertising agencies
are taking up that work. One of them I know. The Summerville Company has
a big art department in connection with it. They employ fifteen to
eighteen men all the time, sometimes more. They turn out some
fine ads, too, to my way of thinking. Do you remember that Korno
series?"--Benedict was referring to a breakfast food which had been
advertised by a succession of ten very beautiful and very clever
pictures.
"Yes," replied Eugene.
"Well, they did that."
Eugene thought of this as a most interesting development. Since the days
in which he worked on the Alexandria _Appeal_ he had been interested in
ads. The thought of ad creation took his fancy. It was newer than
anything else he had encountered recently. He wondered if there would
not be some chance in that field for him. His paintings were not
selling. He had not the courage to start a new series. If he could make
some money first, say ten thousand dollars, so that he could get an
interest income of say six or seven hundred dollars a year, he might be
willing to risk art for art's sake. He had suffered too much--poverty
had scared him so that he was very anxious to lean on a salary or a
business income for the time being.
It was while he was speculating over this almost daily that there came
to him one day a young artist who had formerly worked on the _World_--a
youth by the name of Morgenbau--Adolph Morgenbau--who admired Eugene and
his work greatly and who had since gone to another paper. He was very
anxious to tell Eugene something, for he had heard of a change coming in
the art directorship of the Summerville Company and he fancied for one
reason and another that Eugene might be glad to know of it. Eugene had
never looked to Morgenbau like a man who ought to be working in a
newspaper art department. He was too self-poised, too superior, too
wise. Morgenbau had conceived the idea that Eugene was destined to make
a great hit of some kind and with that kindling intuition that sometimes
saves us whole he was anxious to help Eugene in some way and so gain his
favor.
"I have something I'd like to tell you, Mr. Witla," he observed.
"Well, what is it?" smiled Eugene.
"Are you going out to lunch?"
"Certainly, come along."
They went out together and Morgenbau communicated to Eugene what he had
heard--that the Summerfield Company had just dismissed, or parted
company with, or lost, a very capable director by the name of Freeman,
and that they were looking for a new man.
"Why don't you apply for that?" asked Morgenbau. "You could hold it.
You're doing just the sort of work that would make great ads. You know
how to handle men, too. They like you. All the young fellows around here
do. Why don't you go and see Mr. Summerfield? He's up in Thirty-fourth
Street. You might be just the man he's looking for, and then you'd have
a department of your own."
Eugene looked at this boy, wondering what had put this idea in his head.
He decided to call up Dula and did so at once, asking him what he
thought would be the best move to make. The latter did not know
Summerville [sic], but he knew someone who did.
"I'll tell you what you do, Eugene," he said. "You go and see Baker
Bates of the Satina Company. That's at the corner of Broadway and Fourth
Street. We do a big business with the Satina Company, and they do a big
business with Summerfield. I'll send a letter over to you by a boy and
you take that. Then I'll call Bates up on the phone, and if he's
favorable he can speak to Summerfield. He'll want to see you, though."
Eugene was very grateful and eagerly awaited the arrival of the letter.
He asked Benedict for a little time off and went to Mr. Baker Bates. The
latter had heard enough from Dula to be friendly. He had been told by
the latter that Eugene was potentially a great artist, slightly down on
his luck, but that he was doing exceedingly well where he was and would
do better in the new place. He was impressed by Eugene's appearance, for
the latter had changed his style from the semi-artistic to the
practical. He thought Eugene looked capable. He was certainly pleasant.
"I'll talk to Mr. Summerfield for you," he said, "though I wouldn't put
much hope in what will come of it if I were you. He's a difficult man
and it's best not to appear too eager in this matter. If he can be
induced to send for you it will be much better. You let this rest until
tomorrow. I'll call him up on another matter and take him out to lunch,
and then I'll see how he stands and who he has in mind, if he has
anyone. He may have, you know. If there is a real opening I'll speak of
you. We'll see."
Eugene went away once more, very grateful. He was thinking that Dula had
always meant good luck to him. He had taken his first important drawing.
The pictures he had published for him had brought him the favor of M.
Charles. Dula had secured him the position that he now had. Would he be
the cause of his getting this one?
On the way down town on the car he encountered a cross-eyed boy. He had
understood from someone recently that cross-eyed boys were good
luck--cross-eyed women bad luck. A thrill of hopeful prognostication
passed over him. In all likelihood he was going to get this place. If
this sign came true this time, he would believe in signs. They had come
true before, but this would be a real test. He stared cheerfully at the
boy and the latter looked him full in the eyes and grinned.
"That settles it!" said Eugene. "I'm going to get it."
Still he was far from being absolutely sure.