Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1888-07-21
A PHOTOGRAPH.

| ~>3s IN h 10 Aut tOdl 10 a
success | saw you to-day when / was driv
ing, AMI was forcibly reminded of Solomon
IN ms glory. Have you forgotten YOU
friends of old in their clothes also of cd
One would think SO, as it's been ten dav
since you were here
The rest Of the family are going 20 tn
forters' tonight, but l shall stay at hom
and console myself with Beethoven. Sydne,
Lanier. and You, if you'll come, for / ha y,
something to show you. A woman's head
painted from photograph, which finshe,
only yesterday. 1t isn't bad Afectionately
CARA
The CLUB, Feb :, 'o6
DEAR CARA: Yours just received. j
seems almost unnecessary to tell YOU how
glad shall he to come. Devotedly,
JACK.
at isn't, =" said Cara few hours later
as she pushes the ottoman to an easiel
distance, and turns beautiful, fire
flushed face toward Jack, lit isn't thai
this winter has been much worse thar
the other two, but I've been thinking
and as it's luxury / don often allow
myself, l have mental dyspepsia as a re-
suit"
"Mental dyspepsia saws Jack scorn
fully; ''it's the result of sitting out all
the square dances with Willoughby in
that draughty conservatory of the Mars.
TONS"
81 refuse to understand" says Cara,
smiling.
"You can't! Your intellect won't al.
low you"
speaking of intellect" viciously,
somehow makes me think of youI
! friend, Miss Marston How is she!"
IL don't know why it should. She's
WE'LL"
.'Do you intend to please your father
and marry herr"
Il don't know, Cara. If the worst
comes to the worst, l suppose 1 shall
have to-"
81 should think that would be an ex-
act statement of the case-the worst
coming to the worst"
Don't be any more severe than you
can help" says Jack, laughing. "You
don't know what it is to be poor"
81 almost wish did," Cara answers,
81 might then have amounted to some
thing as an artist"
"You need hardly wish that. for, as it
is, you are the best amateur"
That's it" Cara breaks in impatient
IL. Amateur, amateur, always am.
ateur! want to be an artist. OF late
have had thoughts of giving my money
to found home for other weak-minded
women. and living in Paris on 10 sous
day, and the divine afflatus; only, As
Hawthorne says: The great obstacle to
being heroic is the doubt whether one
may not be going to prove oneself a
fool"
lone doesn't like to be too precipitate
after remark of that kind" saws Jack.
meditatively, after little pause, during
which Cara has risen and seated herself
at the piano, where she is lazily striking
minor chords.
''Is that what has kept you from being
too precipitate9 Jack, what makes you
90 lazy"
Lack Of incentive. Don't scorn."
Il wish could make you feel your
possibilities for yourself as feel them
for you"
II asked you to try once and you re-
fused" Jack laughs when he says it,
but try as he will his voice falters as he
speaks.
Cara bushes, and then SAYS: eff we
hadn't outlived a great deal of the non
sense of our lives, We could not be the
thoroughly good friends we are now.
Come and let me introduce you to a wo-
man who l think is worth q mans love.
She's over in the library. l remember
your dislike to climbing and had her
brought down.
Jack offers her his arm and together
they walk the whole length of the draw
ing room, across the hall to the library,
the greater part of which is in shadow,
the one bright light being directly over
the picture.
Only picture of woman's head and
the curve to the shoulders; ruddy chest
nut hair that curls mistily around face
in which sweetness and irmness are
strangely intern,ipgled: great irised gray
eyes-eyes with ali the poetry and pas
sion of Cabanel's Venus; q clear, almost
delicately colorless skin, save for
warmth in mouth and cheek: and, vet,
with all the yielding be,uty of woman
hood, there is an intellectual vigor and
strength in the face which one seldom
sees save in the faces of men who have
suffered and been strong"
ut is by far the best thing you have
ever done" says Jack, after few min
utes of admiring silence. MAY l see
the photograph"
'1t's behind the Mona Lisa; not a
very good one, but the best could GET"
II should say it wasn't a very good
one. It must have been done by some
amateur photographer, judging from the
finish. But, GAIA, how much the eyes
here are like your own"
"They tell me so. All! Jack. re-
grct to see that you are regarding her
more - . woman than as an artistic pro-
duction."
''I'm afraid l am. Do you know her
we'll! Why have never seen her."
Now" says Cara, "you have made
me jealous. and, like a wise woman. |
refuse to talk of my rival. On Thursday
night the five members Of our art ass
are coming with Herr Blum to nv box
to hear BernhArdt. We will come to a
little supper; you will sing US some
Schubert; Eugenie will play US the
Apassionata; you will meet your ideal;
We will persuade ourselves that every
loss has gain to match and for
got" ''how miserable We shall all be
the next morning Jsck finished for
hr. .
..Pessimist ~ says Cara, smiling; "wiIl
yoa comet"
"Do l ever refuse an invitation. from
you?n g be rieeo preparatorv to inv