Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-10-29


u rhaps your -on X youthful genius.
'Henlu, OF no, l want 10 know, sir. Whit
t. d WI b m How's ne by TO max a
hving' A farmer he'll II YER be-
You follow me AMI l will show You
som thing"
Nj. Herbert le his guest to his rawiny-
roon-a room FURNISHED with the taSta OF a
Travelled man As tn, farmer gap.l az is
splen Tor he dire ted LIS attention 10 the
four beautifl status standin: in the cor
ners of the room.
ii gave the man who made those 600 IT
them. aud couli sell tren tomorrow fo'
~, $50 Il choose. that's almost as goo IL,
farm NJ, ISN'T .tf
His tenants eyes were vile with alnaz,-
Lea "A thousan pou iiS s.r!' he : ispsL
Wa, you mlgnt hav. bought that four
e. acre field With that"
These give me more pleasure than land"
.-plIeu Mr.. lierberL But about your
,oy-when l am riding by will look in ani
zee what he can 10; then give you my all
lea
Tie farmer thanked him and returned
>ome As he joggel alon; the road to
Nat"rcreSs Farm b., mutter 4 al intervals:
We'd, we'll. never dIdl
Mr.. Herbert was man who kept q prom
re, whether made to high or low. Five
days aIier his interview with Abraham
Leigh lie rode up TO the door of the FARM
lie a, not on. 3. his sils re- lie CAV,
laug ling, liz n-.iairci cl..d .. Is vi,
rule an lniul,ent tat Ter with roll If
II N. Mr. herbe:r hal been "a wi over Tor
some years; tue 9 II ami boy who wa ist
LEAVING Harrow for the university being his
only surviving chill irel. Ths boy was per-
lao, oil Ia.
wished, but he could SEQ no fault In the pre-
cocious, imperious spoiled little maid, who
was the sunshine Of his hie
She trippcd lightly after her father into
the farmhouse, laughing at the way in
which he was Obiigel to bond his head to
uvoi damages fr n the low doorway; sh /,
seated hers If with becoming dignity ON the
chair which the widowed sister who KEEP.
hous, for Abraham l. Ugh rendered her with
many courtcsies. A pretty child, indee
and one who gave rare promise Of growing
into q lovely woman.
The farmer was away somewhere on the
farm. but could be fetched in a minute if
Mr.. Herbert would wait Mr Herbert
waited, All very soon his tenant male hi.
appearance AMI thanked his visitor foy the
trouble he was taking on his behalf.
Now let Iue see the boy" said Mr. Her.
bert, afte- disclaiming all sense of trouble.
Leigh Went to the door OF tie room and
shouted out Jerry. Jerry, coma down.
You're wanted. my man"
Ina moment the door opened, and the cause
of MIR. Laigh's discomfort came upon thu
scene in TITO form Of a dark-Syed, dark
hairel, pale-facei boy. tall brt slightly
built, rot so far as physiqu, went. much
credit to the country side; we. il some re-
spects striking looking, If not a hapdsoms
lad. The dark, eloquent eyes and strongly
marked brow would arrest attans'on; but
tho face was too thin, to- Thoughtful for tbs
age, and could scarcely he assoc's.-d with
what commonly constitutes good looking
lad. Yet, regularity of feature was there,
and no one would dare to be sure that beauty
would not come with manhood.
He was not seen at that moment under
advantageou. circumstances. Knowing
nothing about the distinguished visit ~. hs
had obeyed his fathers summons in hot
haste, consequently he entered the saom in
bis shirtslceves, which were certsi-ly not
very clean, and with hands cov3:sd v;th
red clay. Mr.. Herbert looked amused,
while the little princess turnel up her nose
in grea: disdain.
Poor Abraham L Ugh was much mystitisd
at the unpresentable state in which his son
showed himself. To make matters worse,
tina boy was not soled by honest, legiti-
mate toll.
tut! tut!' he said, Grossly. "All of a
muck as usual"
The boy, who felt that his father had a
right to complain, hung his head and
showed signs Of retreating. Mr.. Herbert
came t. the rescue.
''Never mind" he said, patting young
Leigh on tie shoulder, ''he las been work
ing in his own fashion. l have come on
purpose to SOC those modelings Of yours, my
boy"
The boy started as one surprised. His
cheek flushed and he looked at the speaker
with increiu!ity yet hope in his eyaA
YES" said the father sharply. go and
put your hands under the pump, Jerry,
then bring some of 'em dowa Mabbc, any
way, they'll amuse the little iaay"
NO, no." said Mr. Herber,. ''rll come
with you and see them for myself Lead
the way"
Young Leigh did not speak, but his eyes
thanked Mr.. Herbert. That gentleman
followed him from the room, leaving the
farmer to aniuse the little mail. He did
this SO Tar as be was able by produ .
WILL thumbed copy Of the ''Plgrim's Prog
ess,' the leaves Of which Miss Herbert con-
descended to turn daintiiy over until she
was quito terrified By the picture of the
combat with Apolyon.
Meanwhile, Jerry" with beating
hcaIt, led Mr.. Herbert up stairs to a room
| destitute of furniture, save an old table and
| chair. A bucket half full of common red
clay stood in one corner, and ON the table
were several of the little clay figures which
had excited the farmers ire and consterna-
ton.
Crude, defective, full Of faults as they
were, there was enough power in them to
mako Mr.. Herbert look at the lad in Won
derment, almost envy. He was man who
wOrshipped art; who had Gabbled as an
amateur in painting and sculpturing for
years; who considered gifted artist the
most fortunate Of mankind. So the word
envy is not i'll chosen. What he would have
given half his wealth to possess came to this
boy unsought for-to the son of clod Of a
farmer the precious gift was vouchsafedl
As be would have expected, the most am.
bilious efforts were the worst-the '.naked
CONAN" was particularly atrocious-but,
still wet, and not ruined by an abortive at
tempt at baking, was group modelled from
life, vulgar subject, representing, as it did,
Abraham Leigh's prize SOW. surrounded by
her ten greedy offspring. There was such a
power and talent in this production that,
had be seen nothing elss, Mr.. Herbert would
have been certain that the lad as a modeler
and copyist must take the first rank. II, in
addition to his manual dexterity, he had
poetry. feeling and imagination, it might
well be that one Of the greatest sculptors of
the nineteenth century stood In embryo be-
fore him.
As Mr.. Herbert glanced from the rough
clay sketches to the pale boy who stood
breathless a. one expecting a verdict of
life or death, be wondered what could have
been the cause Of such . divergence from
the traits habitual to the Leigha Then be
remembered that some twenty years ago
Abraham Leigh had chosen for q wife not
one Of his own kind, but dweller in cities
"a governess, who exchanged, no doubt a
life of perjury and servitude for the rough
but comfortable home the Somersetshire
farmer was willing to give her. Mr.. Her
bert remembered her, remembered how ut
terly out Of place tho delicate, refined
woman seemed to be as Leigh's wife; re-
membered how, few years after the birth