Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1883-07-11
CARRADINE's LOVE,


Carradlne sat alone at ms easel Main,
ing; and as he painted he Thought
Eight years before, when he was p0or
struggling boy, just entering on thai
race which must be run by every aspir
ant TO art and its honors, there happened
10 him something which neither time
nor toll had ever been able to effact
from his memory. As he was passing
along the streets a wreath of fragrant
roses suddenly fell on his head, and look.
ing up in wonder he beheld, reaching
out from the embroidered draperies OF
an overhanging window, a child. with
falry-llke proportions, with great dark
eyes and long, curling black locks. who
stood smiling and throwing him kisses
from her curved lips, colored like a
pomegranate. When she still gazed, a
nurse had come forward and drawn the
child away; the curtains were closed. and
he saw the little creature no more.
Such was the vision that the artist had
carried so long in his memory; in his
memory only, for he had no second
glimpse of the child. That very day an
accident occurred which kept him a
prisoner III his room for several weeks,
and when next he went out the house
was empty. and placard with greatflar-
ing letters announcing it for sale. stared
him in the face, from the same window
Ill which the little, white-robed elf had
stood waving her hand and smiling to
him. In course of time other faces ap-
peared there, but they were strange
. 10
one for which he looked. d.
Now, as Carradine sat painting alone.
he thought of all this: of the struggle
that had ended at length III success, of
his hard, unfriended boyhood. and of
the beautiful child with her fragrant
rose CROWN which had seemed almost
like prophecy. That rose wreath, dry
and withered now, was all that was left
10 him of the fair vision; but when that
morning in turning over an old port
folio, he had come upon it by chance II
spoke to him of that by-gone day just as
eloquently as when its blossoms were
fresh and full. ~
'1Eight years ago." he said, thought
fully, letting the shriveled circles slip
through his fingers slowly. ''She must
be 16 now-if she lives. If? No,
do not doubt her living presence-some.
where. l wonder where she is now ,and
what she is like at 16?"
With that he placed the wreath beside
his easel and began to paint. The face,
as it grew on his canvas, presented a
young girl in the dewy morning blush
of first youth, with shadows in the great
dark ewes and a half-sImile about the
bright curled lips, like an embodied
summer sun-shower 1t was thus that
the artist pictured his idea of the child
woman. whose infantile look and smile
for eight long years had been his own
dream of love.
Carradine had not had an easy life.
An orphan from his earliest years. poor
and unfriended, he had studied hard tol
the means to CRAFTY that inherent idola-
try for art which was always clamorlng
to find expression in form and colOrlng.
He had fought and he had won; but
now. at %. he stood in the place which
he had gained for himself almost as
much alone at the very heart as he had
been eight years before, when the child
gift came to him as prophecy.
Ii WAS not that he was frlendless.
There were men who liked and sought
him. women who would gladly have
taught him to forget his loneliness III
their affection. But though his nature
responded rapidly to any kindness, there
was one chord, deeper than all, that re-
manned untouched, and from the sweet
est glances his thoughts Went pack u
the unknown child that had slniied
down to him so long ago.
Tine ideal head became his great source
of endowment, and a dreamy solthess
shaded his dark-grey eyes, as line Dy
line and tint by tint took him back INTO
the mast. which all lifeless as 1t was,
seemed to him. in those moments, more
reaItban the busy present. Yet now Id
reviewing that one bright vision OF nis
memory. it was not so much the lovely
child that he saw in fancy as the Deau'
tiful girl whose face, with fuller deptl
and Sweetness. looked out at him from
his own canvas.
Instinctiyely, he hardly knew why
Il. disIited to work on this picture III
any other presence, and ne deVoteo :. !.
if only his hours OF solitude. 90 !,
happened that it was nearly niiisiieo 5e
when by some chance 1rienu uiS'
covered him bending over II, 100 ap-
sorhed TO hear any approach. AS Iht
door opened Carradine rose nasliiy
tu,nino his easel to the wall, 50 as u
Conceal the face upon 1t. Inns iltiit
Strataoem. however, was destined 10 "
nf no avail. Having been marked Dy
the Intruder. one of those cordial, Wen
Iio M ,,aonIe good-natured to de
nree hut with little delicacy OF precep
80 the action at once aroused lie
curiosity. ,1o s.;d wifi
laugh, "let us see what II - .,,ao 80, go,
work at by yourself TIL II sleals ns,,,, aw"!
vo,r ewes and ears. Only one peep .h,
With that. he laid his hana OIL or' on'
fr.me and receiving no forbidding wCL' ,
from Carradine, turned it roune. II"
neyt moment he was loud III praiSs' :. !;
. Rnt who is it, Carradlne! IL |. :
nartrait tell me where to hnd lli
ORIGINAL and Twill, if it is seven oas
journeyi'
Carradine smiled. - 20 fin,
sucb an original / should not pe noau
TH toIi Won on INV good friend" he answered.
evasively. .;d the other
misIed. as the artist had aeslIeu .
might have saved myself the ed siou fac
asking. No real flesh ana piU Ssouoa If +
ever looked like that-more slaiT0 ;n oS
nature, say. of course you WIZ -
hibit it. Carradine!n ouietly
"Noln answered the painter qne sn,
rn