The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-12-03

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fully realistic frescoes on the dining-room
walls-the result of Capri wine, Capri
sunlight and air, and the exubcrance OF
spirits that possess the artist in the island
Phil was fain to confess that he felt
marvelously ri home. He had drunk
some excellent wine at the table dhote,
not the ordinary table fluid, by any means-
aud had enjoyed some lively conversation.
His neighbor was veteran Englishman
who spent three months annually in Capri,
-and mean To do So as long as | can tod
die sir. The gentleman, like himself,
had Il turn for art. and had taken Phil to
his private room. and shown him his pic
lures.
If the young man had had the gift of
mental analysis, he would have realized
that his excitement was due in degree to
certain one of these pictures.
II was conventional enough study Il
girl in Capri costume, with pitcher on
her head background, Il staring white
wall, with the sun and lizard on it, and
the crest of palm tree above the wall
But the girls face won him in moment.
Mr.. Brabazon, the stranger, laughed
when Phil expressed his admiration.
''Shes young yet in a few years she'll
be hag. If you like, Ill send round
word th,t you'd like to have her for a sit
ting or two. It's good chance, as five
artists cleared out yesterday to take their
canvases to the show at Milan
\ sweet, if rather bold face of seven
teen or eighteen, with eyes dove-like and
yet the most alluring of slight smiles in
in their brown depths; the lips just parted
with the smile white, even teeth hands
and feet and ears all small for IA Souther-
ner Such was Caroline Cert, the model.
Brabazon seemed a trihe amused at the
way in which Phil expressed his sense of
the girls beauty.
"Oh, yes, she's well enough, with high
spirits like all these Capri damsels. She'll
be spoilt out and out by and by, and box
a man 5 ears az soon as look at him; but
not yet Her terms are ten francs the
sitting, which is mighty good pay for her
She'll be lass worth marrying in year
or two-for Capriot.
Phil and this Englshman paced up and
down the hotel garden between the rose
trees under the moonlight. At ten o clock
they parted and went to bed But Bee
Falconers betrothed did not sleep all at
once for the brown, ardent eyes of his
model of the morrow were were him as he
lay He looked at Bees photograph in ] a
silver frame-u hich he vas under a self
imposed vow always to take with him
wherever he wcnt-and then looked quick
ly away 1t was rather absurd Of him
thus to be almost infatuated with dream
figure. But he had the artistic tempera-
ment which has wild wayward will Of
its own
The next morning he had but just
dressed, and his coffee and rolls been
brought in, when Carolina Cert appeared.
II am ready, Signor, she said, as she
threw off her red and white gossamer
shawl, and smiled upon him just as she
smiled in Brabazon's picture.
Phil eolored and gave her chair by
the window, with the garden of orange
and lemon trees beneath its balcony and
the lurid glow Of the Capri sun on the
roofs and rocks beyond Then, at her
bidding, he began to eat his breakfast,
while she smoked one of his Turkish Gig
arettes. and they talked The grace with
which she pulled the perfumed smoke was
as remarkable as the winsomeness of her
face and her extraordinary self-compo-
sure
Il should like to paint you, very much,
said Phil.
Isl, Signor; it is easy. | am here. 1t
is ten francs the time, and am not rest
less. See. fold my hands thus, and
can stand-oh, so long. without even wink,
ing the eyes
II shall want you more than once. Let
us say every day for week-at least.
Phil spoke in hurry. The thought
that any one else might come between him
and her on the morrow, and, by right of
two silver crowns, be able to say "She is
mine this day." the thought hurt him
like the stab of knife.
THAT, said the fair Caroline, "will be
fifty francs, signor it is less by the week.
And will bring my meal with me-
4oh, no, exclaimed Phil, oppressed in=
describably by the mere notion of bargain,
ing with beauty. Il shall pay you seven
ty francs, and if you will do me the favor
to share my dinner"
''The signOr is very amiable, replied
the girl, with smil, that was as warm
and bright as sunshine itself. alt will be
just as the signor wishes.
"That," rejoined Phil, sis well, Caro-
lima, l should ike to call you Carolina
How the girls beautiful dove-like eyes
opened at this naive observation
II am always called Carolina, She
laughed; -'it is my name 1t would be
odd if the signor called me anything else
Phil also laughed. There was no re-
sisting such girl.
Then he unpacked his painting tools.
the girl all the while commenting on them,