Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-04-17


kaya, which Mr.. Kennon has described
as rich, open farming region, resem-
bling that portion of New York which
lies between Rochester and Buffalo; and
which may therefore on our side Of the
Atlantic be fairly likened to the wolds Of
Lincolnshire OF the wealds of Kent,
without, however, the beautiful hedge
row characteristics of the old country.
The means Of the Countess Stravensky,
despite the disappearance of their owner,
had in a great measure found their way
into the hands of Anna Klosstock, and
her father had received valuable assist
ance from his banking friends of Moscow
and st. Petersburg; so that here IN the
heart Of the most fertile of the Siberian
country, father and daughter will end
their days together, with ample money
for all their wants and sufficient for acts
of charity and benevolence. This very
winter Philip Forsyth has learned,
through private sources organized by
Dick Chetwynd, that the KlOsstocks had
purchased a homestead near Sugatskaya,
which many a wealthy Russian might
envy: that the old man, still dreamy in
his manner and often wrapped in ret1ec-
ton. nevertheless realized the happiness
that had come to him in his latter days;
and knew how great it was in contrast
with what he had suffered in the first
days Of his exile; while Anna only lived
TO give him pleasure and make her peace
with heaven.
CHAPTER V.-THE GOLD MEDAL.
The picture is finished; the gold medal
has been awarded; and "Tragedy" is
the artistic sensation of the latest Royal
Academy exhibition. The barrier and
the policeman have once more appeared
in the central gallery of Burlington
House
Not alone for its exceptional merit is
Philip Forsyth's "Road to Siberia -
the talk of the art world. Some
thing of the romance associated
with it has leaked out. The busy gossips
of the society papers have told its story
in many and various ways. The facile
pen of the Jenkins of the Review, whom
we have met at Lady FOrsyth's recep-
tions, had, however, penetrated some of
the darkest shadows of the mystery.
By no means correct in its details, the
Review had graphically suggested the
courageous and friendly journey Of res
cue which had been performed by Dick
Chetwynd; the telegram of the British
consul at st. Petersburg; Dick s surprise
on its receipt, his hurried councils with
Philips mother and friends and his
prompt expedition to Siberia, were told
with journalistic effect. Dick 8 kindly
reception at the hands of the Russian Of
Al. F,,1r -.F h; -Jy
ences as a war correspondent in expedit-
ing his march, his adventures by land
and river, and the scene by the tragic
frontier pillar were quoted in all the
journals and eagerly devoured by the
public. But Jenkins secundus was alto
gether at fault when he endeavored to
indicate the part which the Countess
StTavenSky had played IN this extraordi-
nary drama.
The mystery of the story indeed was
untouched. The Countess Stravensky
had disappeared as completely as if she
had never existed. Neither the police
nor Dick Chetwynd had solved the Stra-
vensky problem, and Philip Forsyth kept
his own counsel in regard TO that notable
peTson-kept it with a logged silence
that no one could weaken. The young
artist had come home again entirely
changed in manners and habit, and
strangely altered ia appearance. Pale,
thoughtful, and with the strongest ten
dency to look upon the ground, Philip
now appeared TO live in world of his
own; and, happily for himself and for
art, he devoted himself with a calm in
tensity to his work. Back again at the
studio beyond Primrose Hill he lived
there for days together without making
L, ~, a.,
the Chetwynd household, On quiet
evenings he might be seen strolling over
the hill, or smoking a cigar upon one of
its highest seats. AS rule, he began
work with daylight, and only laid down
his brushes at the approach of night.
His models were queer people, mostly
selected from foreign emigrants and
Eastern sailors st the London docks.
For months his only recreation appeared
to be IN continual visits to the port Of
London. He made sketches of the Jew
ish refugees from Poland and other dis
tricts, and occasionally brought his
models straight to his studio, lodging
them close by; finding vent for his feel
ings and directions for his art in subjects
Of modern Russian history, not painted
with ostentatious political point,
as might have been expected
from his somew hat faDatical impulse,
but with a pathetic fervor that per-
mitted q margin even for the tremen-
dous difficulties that belong to the Rus
sian situation. These studies, however.
represent pictures yet to come; and it is
not within the space of this present
chronicle to do more than forecast the
future of Philip Forsyth from the stand
point Of his remarkable work. ''The
Road TO Siberia, - which has sufi-
GENTLY impressed the fathers of the royal
academy to secure for its painter the first
step to honors which he neither desires
nor Tesents.
Once in way he will stroll into the
Arts club, or the Hogarth, of on even
ing, and take a quiet, sober part II the
social life Of these pleasant establish
ments. Occasionally throwing off the
shadow which has fallen upon his young
life, there is no assumption of undue
thoughtfulness or gloomy manner; it is
quite natural TO him, and is accom-
panied with a certain unconsciousness of
singularlty which disarms the personal
affront of unsYmpathetic criticism. He
has rivals in his art, and critics in the
press entirely ignorant of his antecedents,
who credit him with Intentional airs of
ri oI,o e