The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-05-05

| In his one chair and closed his ewes in weary
| despair, wishing the room were warmer
and that he had something besides bread
for supper, when suddenly through the
DIM garnet danced the most enchanting
being he had ever imagined-a girl SO
young she might almost be called a child
Her hair was bound with flowers aud .
laugh was in her eyes; she seemed the very
spirit of youth and JOY. He did not know
| how long he watched her marvellous, ire
sistible dance. She stood before him at
last in one supreme attitude, rivaling all
she had been before, and then, in an in
slant, she was gone.
I Leroy sprang to his feet. Here was an
| inspiration, here was something which
would live forever and bring him immor-
| tally alsol His warm southern blood,
which had got so chilled in Paris, danced
again in his veins. He saw the green fields
| of Provence, the flowers, the deep sky, and
| the glorious sun flooding everything with
light. All this beauty and JOY should
deck his statue, all this exhilaration of
youth and spring.
1t was dark, but Leroy did not stop for
that. Now, while his eyes still burned
with the brightness of their vision, was
the time to work. He hurriedly lit his
end of candle and drew in bold strokes an
outline of the dancing nymph as he had
last seen her. The sketch was rapidly
made, and Leroy threw himself on his mat
tress at once. not to sleep, but to dream.
Through his uncurtained window he
could see the night lit for him by one star
This time he felt more certain than ever
before He could recall every feature
Of ho al 10,
knew exactly how he should immortalize
her. Models! He could not afford to pay
models but if he could get the best in
Paris he would not have them. No one
but he had ever beheld such vision, and
the coarser types of earth would only mar
the magic outline he could see SO plainly.
The next few days were the great days in
Leroy's life. Never had his heart and
brain and hand moved so harmoniously
together as the clay took form under his
dexterous fingers. He hardly knew how
he had won such sudden power and
strength. The only fear which stood be-
hind him as he worked was that he should
fall i'll and be unable to finish his statue.
He pawned the blanket off his mattress,
and there was nothing left to cover him at
night but an old quilt his mother had
made him. But he felt neither cold nor
hunger ne was peaceful with great in
ward happiness as hour by hour his joy be-
came more tangible.
One morning the sculptor woke to find
the world all white and deadly chill in
his room. An intense cold had set in, and
that just as he had reached the most crit
ical stage of his work; one more day and
the clay would stand the frost but now
cold was his great enemy. He hardly
dared examine his model lest the night
should already have undone his labor. So
far, however, all was well; but the room
must be kept up to good heat, or the clay
would crack and the figure be spoiled.
Leroy took his bedding and pawned it. 1t
was so old he got next to nothing for it,
but he spent all he did get on firing, and
rushed back to the garnet fearful of losing
a moment. Very soon he had a roaring
fire in the stove, and the concierge, who
saw him kneeling before the blaze, noted
the store of coal and wood and concluded
that he had earned some money, and that
she need not feel uncomfortable about him
when she ate her good warm dinner.
All day long Leroy worked almost saw
agely, never stopping for an instant except
to build up the fire, but when the twilight
came he was content to stop, for he knew
that he had succeeded-the Spirit of Joy
was imprisoned in clay for him.
He stepped back to look at her with a
sigh of relief, and she utterly satisfied
him. There was nothing wanting; no sin
gle grace had been missed she stood be-
fore him exactly as she had done in his
vision.
How he loved her! How beautiful she
wasl But he could not look at her long
he began to shiver and turned to the fire.
1t was almost out. Not scrap of wood or
coal was left-he had burned even his
chair. Leroy felt as if some miracle must
happen to save his work; it was impossible
that, after he had given everything, she,
his wonderful, light footed spirit, should
not live. One night more and she would
be safe. But what could be done? How
could she be kept warm? 1t was begin
ming to turn bitterly cold already, and Le-
roy knew too well what a cold night would
mean in that garnet.
The counterpart which his mother had
given him was lying in the corner where
his mattress had been. With sudden
thought he picked it up and wrapped the
ragged patchwork carefully round the
head and shoulders of the Spirit of Joy.
Contrive as he would he could not manage
to cover her quite-her dancing feet and
one lovely arm were still left bare. There
was nothing for it but to take his coat off
and wrap it tenderly round her knees.
Her arm must take care of ITSELF" he
said, with a faint smile.
Now that he could no longer see the joy
GUS figure all his citation left him. He
tried to keep warm by walking up and
down the room, but he could hardly move
his legs. He had had no food all day, and
very little for many days; a numbness was
on his limbs, and there was moth
ing for him to do.
IF she and l can only live till tomor-
row." he thought, ''all will be we'll" To-
morrow he would make the biggest dealer
in Paris come and look at his statue-a
dealer who should give him money for the
marble he would chisel himself and later
on at the salon every one would recognize
that a new thing had been born into the
world
1t was very lonely and dreary, and he
went to the door and opened it on the
chance of stray comfort; but the staircase
was dark and silent as usual
When the room was full of moonlight he
grew happier again. ut will soon be over
this cold night" he said, land then we
shall be safe" He took up his chisel and
in Greek letters on the pedestal,
'Ayyaia," and he lifted the covering for
and kissed the little clay feet.
He did not feel cold or hungry any
longer, only very tired, and he sat down on
the floor in a corner of the room and leaned
bis back against the wall. He closed his
eyes and his reward came TO him. For one
radiant moment his vision cleaned before
him-he saw her. he knew her! Then he