The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1868-11-12

A hw days after, being near M.x's
studio, I stepped 10. He was very
busy A. his easel, trying to give express.
ion to tho face Of very expression'es'
child. I wandered about the roo
turning canvasses around. picking up
sketches aud peepiug into portfolios,
when in came Marian Wood, with
privileged air, as if shc knew the way.
"Max Tudor, why didn't you keep
your PROMISE last evening"
"Couldn't," he answered laconically.
keep 1t tonight them" she COM
mauded regally.
~ believe Ernie aud l are going
somewhere together this evening"" re-
piled this disobedient Max. "Arcn't
ve, Ernis?"~
She had not noticed me before, but
With admirable esss she left Max and
came towards me.
"Ah, Ernie you here! bow fortu-
nate! Now, with you to watch me, I'm
sure Mr. Tudor will let me look over
his portfolios. I've wanted to so long;
they must have such lovely things 10
them. Who knows but We are there
ourselves?" And she opened the larg.
est. did not exactly like to see her
turning over Max's pictures, but he
did not care, so I watched her a. she
suggested, and Saw the pictures too. :;
There were choice eugraviugs, bits Of
water color, sketches Of Max's own, en-
ished and unfinished, with all sorts Of
ideas in them-beautitul, grotesque,
horrible. There was St. Agnes Eve,
with the Evil One leering up behind
the lovely maiden, appalling her with
ulde6ned terror, As she moves timid'y
backward toward her couch. There
was Hawehorne's Hilda, her pure sweet
face lit up by tho candle she carries, as
she lights the tapers before the altar.
There was tall, dark cliff, man.led by
gloomy trees, aud At the base, its dread
form half undistinguishahle among the
high rank grass, lay the dead bod, o:
some fallen man. And there was la
oelot on the shore, looking sad ) ul'n
the boat on which white, dead Elaine
came floating down, shrouded in her
golden hair, with the lily in one hand
and the scroll in the other.
Marian was critical in respect to pic
lures she had good taste aad she was
charmed.
"Your cousin is wonderful - she ex.
claimed in breathless delight.
At length We opened side compart-
ment in the portfolio, and drew out
three finished Sketches. Max, MOTTO
ing Us, halt sprang up from his easel,
but then, checking himself, resumed
his painting with the queerest Of ex-
pressions on bis face.
There we're three scenes from Colcr.
idge's Christabel, the poem l had read
to Max few days before. In the first
Geraldine, richly clad, covered beneath
the oak, while Cnristabel, her hands
still clasped from her half.said prayer,
looking purely, pityinsly down. In the
second, Christabel on her couch with
wide frightened eyes, watched Gerald
inc Indignantly revealing her hideous
deformity, her face all changed by
marks of sin. And in the third there
was Gera'dine again, surprisingly beau
tful, charming the grim old knight,
but with such a world Of malice in her
eye, As she glanced sideways at the
shuddering Christabel.
In every case the features Of Ger
aldine we're the features Of Marian
Wood
Iglanced timidly at Marlan-in that
moment pitied her. She drew her
breath hard, shs turned red, she turn
ed white. Then walking straight up to
Max, she gave him a dreadful look,
which he met half mischievously. half
de6antly.
"Max Tudor" she said, "you think
you know me! Perhaps some day you
will know me better
And she swept out of the room.
"Tragic~ laughed Max. "But it
was too bad! 1 did not mean to have
her see them. All owing to your silly |
notion about her, Ernie. But wasn't it |
tr,gie?" 49, .<
"Max,' uttered, recovering speech,
II sm afraid she will poison youw
"Oh, no, Ernie-she won t care by !
tomorrow. She wasn't: much 6crcer
than you were that morning, alter
called on her first, and you thought me
gone over to the enemy" And he
laughed in my face.
s. We walked home together .A"u,
after all. am afraid | TUX n,t"
wicked pleasure io what had happened
Next time met Marian, she Was
just As pleasant rs ever. don, trust |
her, you know.
Since then, Max has gone to the old
world, to study art iu Germany and
Rome. Heaven bless him, aud max.
all bis great dreams come true! Lou
and Will arc going to be married "rx,
week, and that is why Wills frisuu,
Fred Brown. has como 70 stav with US.