The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-11-26
LITERAT URE.
A Record of Devotion to Art. with
a Capital A.
1.-THE STORY OF A RARA AVIS"
Tho Latest Rhapsody. by E-z-th
SIT Ph-ps.


shipped Art with capital A, and OF course, ike most
young girls with careers she lived within the tire OF
the wheel that turns the Boston hun. AVIS hVeu
the college OF Harelip whore her father was
professor This was In the days when young mo'es
had not begun to have "opnions" upon the doctrino
or evolution Yet even fifteen years ago the re-
,embiance OF the human face to different types OF
ANIMALS was no novelty to any thoughtful fancy AVIS
was n girl OF ideas AVIS was magne'-a red
tipped magnet for Avis had eye tor color; tho
left eve / think II was AVIS also was girl OF
liquid moods Being an artist AVIS Always
draped herself and against dark background
When story opens she is posing against carmne
background { a literary reception In the gasight
ana nreght OF the room tho nsensate piece of cloth
took on strange and vivid life and seemed to hrob
As If 1t held some inartcuiatc passion like that ola
subject soul Another girl would have known beftor
than TO have ventured her complexion against that
background AVIS went as straight TO it as bird TO
lighthouse on dark night She would have beaten
herself against that crimson until her blood added to
Its intensity. Avis pretty girl, with fine brown
complexion, generous mouth and delicate ear dedi
Gated 10 music. AS Avis sat like cameo In the cor
ncr her musical conscious OF a pcnetrative
sense OF pleasure. 1t was the voice Of Philip
osradlcr. the assistant professor OF geology,
that through the gaslit 1t was like an uncx-
planned organic Joy. People often noted Mr.. OStrad
lcr's voice. Young ladies' had been heard to declare
that 1t was like Charley Backus' on the high notes.
Mr.. o'Strader had been reading Sponsor When he
finished Avis called upon to contribute toward
tho evenings entertainment, and SO she produced
after coaxng sketch she had prepared for the
occasion. AVIS sketch was OF "Una and tho Lion"
The company charmed. One among them,
however, could not tell which Una and which
the lion. But this Mr.. O'Strader, who ad-
sanccd with certain smllo upon his face, explained,
10 the delight OF all in the "The lion, SAID no
Taking mo picture in his hand is the one with tour
legs; Una has but two Unas hair, you will observe,
tails In careless about her shoulders the lions
is parted evenly his forehead, brushed behind his
ears Hence his name, the dandy-lion." Avis turned
With grateful look TO SEQ who had interpreted her
picture, ana Bashlu Bishop presented Mr.. OStrader,
who immediately retreated to the supper room to get
her plate Of oysters. Bashiu Bishop went homo
with Avs that night, and the two girls had long talk
In Avis room by the light Of tho 1re AVIS put on
her white wrapper, and hung her juIe switch Oh tho
back OF chair and posed herself on the
rug while Bash, In her night dress,
cr.mping her short front locks Bash OF the
Immortal lew who look well in crimping pins.
They discussed zoology religion, art ana the anccrs
Bash was everyday sort OF girl, and was more in
.ercscd IN patent crmpers than In the Egin marbles
"And 90" said Bash, turning one bare foot slowly
around IRON side to side before tho deep red fire. II
she baking exquisite Bit OF porcelain tive
10 reading clubs here in Harelp, and there Is nothing
Tor Il but TO Improve your mind" Bash pathetcally
turned the other loot the fire and watched with
m attentive air, as If there danger Of it's
beng ovcrdone. "How old Is this O'StraderY"
sad Avis, Tying the strings OF her nightcap under
her intellectual chin. e is very old /" replied BASH
folding her feet under her. 'Hcs almost thirty.
What pretty arms you have, Avis Did anybody
ever tell you they like tho arms Of Mme Re-
camcr, In David's picture" ayes" replied AVIS,
Jumping into the bed, ''that is why like to show
them," and she tied them In bow knot over her
head. IL wish could that. y said Bash, sinking
down among the feathers leaving only the end her
nose above the covers for the sake Of color.
tain the night air, and the young girls
sept
CHAPTER II.
An uncertain feeling had sprung up between AVIS
and OStradier, but stl they friends. One day
the wind whistlcd about the studio OF Avis and rat
tied the windows In their sashes In the afternoon,
when O'Stradlor had strolled out of and down
the shore the SURF the drifts were already
pling high. He tramped about with his generous eot
In rubber boots and skuilcap his head. his mighty
figure bent like Atlas Finding a sheltered nook he
seated himself TO rest man does not SIT very long
npon IN ice-covered rock, O'strader arose. and,
puckng oil tho Ice caked to the OF his trousers
saw as nc glanced upward, the dgure ofa woman
Ing across the rccf The gale wound her waterproof
cloak about her limbs aud she stood tall and slim,
hke great iccle, against the rock O'Strad-
Ter watched and saw her creeping along on all
tours; then she arose and tot,ercd Ike falling
statue, at times posing gracefully on one loot
oStrader saw her danger and camc leapng along the
feef Through the dusk he voice. haze
not fallen Into the water" she SAID .Can you got
to that great purple rockgn In the language o
The period purple rock "gavc her away oStradler
knew that there but person in HarcIip who
had eye for color under all circumstances the
watcr breaking across her feet She clung with
both hands TO the polished edge bowlder There
was blood upon the ice where she had clutcncd and
beaten il away. But perhaps tho fact which came
most distinctly O'straders Consciousness was that
the tips OF her fingers absolutely without color
He took her by tho cooress tips ana pulled her TO a