Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-30
PAUL SMITH, A. R. A.


kyII3n
rsSs furp,ture in the room had an old.
world look, But that comfort was no
s.cr;eccd 10 aprearsneo was shown Ia the
sonewhat unwieldy indlan-csne loungng'
chajrs and a couch, made beauii.
All bv a gold embroidered cashmere
shawi covering u. Persian rugs and
sos and glossy furs gave tone and
color n the plain golden.coiored panels OF
The room. At the further end fine piece
ofoldtapestry, partly drawn aside, screened
ofy a smaller room, lighted by q window OF
olive. green glass, showing narrow door
An The wainscot, leading, it might be, 10
deep cupboard. or passage commune
eating with the corridor. Yellow datfodils
IN quaint japanese bronze pot, delicious
hits of blue and white, vividly-colored
fans. dashed here and there In bright
flashes amid the various objects OF art,
were hardly needed to show that " was an
artists home. The studio was further en-
behshed by the occupants-two young
men. 0ne--the owner-Was SinosihS
while his iacile pencil rapidly sEetcnea on
sms,l wooden block. listening the while
40 his cornpanlon's talk; for Paul Smith,
sI,houoh ambitious OF better things. was
,nd,,styious and could III afford 10 waste
time Pending the arrival OF the expected
model for bis important picture on 'he
easel. he was finishing one oil the numerous
order for popular magazine:
The tall Chippendale tlmepieee struck ~
.s he impatienfly exclaimed: [" IsabePs late
This morning. Stringe! AS rule she q
the most dependable OF women" -,
care women ever 10 be depended upon T.
his friend. the Honorable Hugo Someryslle.
asked, gazing absent'y at the picture on Tue
easel. n;o.
ture.v
Panl Smith, pointing 10 the centre hgure
NTH hts nablstick, began In an oratorical
tome: "Uere You behold the late cnarmer
"a bis fsitbless majesty, Francis l. LIE rol
Gallant. In defiance OF the maxim 10 be OF
with the old love, etc, sends, at woman's
insfjeatjon OF course, for the loye-tokens
and Jewels he bad given his old hame'
I" And pray who was the old love
Hugo asked. intcrTUpting his friends how
OF tloqucnce. c. =.
Cbatranbriant. And as you may observe
she oboyed his Majesty's command, put re-
turns them in grand smash, worthless as
his affection; a sentiment embodied IN tue
neat lines you have been reading. Theres
moi another girl In London with such
head N hair; the true Old Master shade.
Leonardo should have painted her instead
Of The archsinuer Francis.
oMagnficentl And a lovely lace
Haven't YOU nattered herr Hasn't she
freckles?"
"Nol" Paul replied honestly. ~
couldn't flatter her II tried; she Is simply
beautiful. Look at her photo there; even
without color II Is lovely"
Hugo Someryille took portrait from the
Iooking-glass, and gave 1t a long, serious
look. "Perfectl" he exclaimed at length.
"Yesi and she's as good as she's per-
fect.v Paul continued; "for when | was
down with typboid.iever last year that girl
pursed me like mother. She had been
hospital nurse for few months and was
un 10 the work. She pulled me through,
too. Sir William Carstairs said he could
do nothing; all depended upon my consti-
tuition and upon nursing aud care. owe
my life 20 her."
.Of course you'll pay your debt and
marry her, live happily ever after, and so
end-Or bcein-tbe romance"
alt would end the romance indeed, my
dear fellowl | can't afford it,"
"Why. IL would pay in the long run;
she'd sit 10 you gratis. Marry her. L
would II were you"
eli were yOU might. The Honorable
Hugo Somervie may indulge In matri-
monial eccentricities but owe 1t to the
time. honored name OF Smith to be more
particular. An imprudent marriage would
ruin my career"
ais she commoni" Hugo inquired eager
ly.
"No! uncommon enough-one OF Ma
lures gentle women, though / believe her
father was n gentleman. But want the
happy combination of Nature and Art
allied 10 wealth"
as see16Sras.1 and leave destiny to take care
of itself,v cried Somerville, touching the
photo, as he spoke, almost reyerentiy.
Smith laughed. "There goes the door
She'll be IN directly, and you can Judge for
yourself"
Rising. he drew the portiere aside, and
looked into the small room. TWAS empty.
Opening the door. he locked beyond into
the passage. No one. He returned. and
remarked in disappointed tone: " Isabel
has not come. yet j was sure heard the
door close. ] must have been mistaken"
somerville felt equally sure, but said mo-
thing.
Reluctantly he stuck the photo again In
the corner OF the glass, after carefully no.
ticing the address scrawled in pencil at the
back. lie suddenly remembered an impor-
tant engagement, and hurrledly lett The
artist. Paul remained plunged in "A brown
study. which, il put into words, would
have been to the effect that, however
charming Isabel Gray might be, it
behooved him 10 marry for something
more than love. Money or rank-the
one would add to his comfort, the other TO
his popularity as fashionable portrait
paiuter. the summit OF his ambition. Look.
Ing at the luxuries surrounding him; re-
Numbering the high rent he paid for the
studio and the low state OF his finances;
the band.to-mouth life be led; a visionary
account at his bankers, existing only in
the imaginations OF his fellow Bohemians;
rememberinga this, he knew how little he
could afford 20 indulge in that luxury OF
the wealthy love match!
Pshaw! With the thought The image OF
Isabel arose, and "the tender grace OF q
day that Is dead her devoted care OF
him in that serious illness. True. he was
unconscious OF the extent OF her sacrifice
the necessarirs she deprived herself OF 10 adj
minister TO his comfort, to procure the little
Iuxuries tempting to an inyalid's sicsly
appetite: the weary days, the broken
nights, passed Of hts bedside. These were
only vaguely known 10 him, chiefly com'
pretended in Sir Williams memorable YER
diet, "You owe your life to your nurse"
He could not forget the succeeding days
when conyalesccnce had set in; the short
country excursions, Isabers bright happi.
ness. Holidays had left pleasant memories.
Walks under the magnificent chcstnuts in
Bushey Park and the stately lines shading
the clear stream poopled with large speckled
trout in the Palace gardens. Windsor Cas-
tie and the Park, aud IsabePs childish de-
light as brilliantly plumed cock pheasant
msiestically crossed their path or a par
tr1dge whirred past. them. rising in
startled fight from amid the brlcken.
Sometimes her mother would accompany
them IN these excursions, but often they
were alone. How she reveled In the corn-
try, hating her London prisonl Yet how
brayely she had worked and tolled to KEEP
her widowed mother. And now, as a
frlendless orphan-her mother had lately
died--she was steadily doing her duty,
fighting brsvely through the many troubles
and Temptations 10 which her calling
more particularly exposed her. With un
wonted tenderness hc recalled the SILVER,
tones Of her voice, unedrcated, but swee
and true as birds song. POOR Sapei
Was IL love that taught her those sol
modnlations
slowly be pufed out the smoke, idl
watching Il aoat into thin air, carryini
away With II the sweet thoughts OF the past
The pipe finished, he laid il aside, and witt
Il his dream Of what might have been
Resoiuiely be went once more to work
and the drawing finished, dashed of few