The morning call., 1893-10-01

of that day when at last he found himself
in his own studio, In curious old house
off the Strand, with a buundless view OF
the eyer-cbanging Thames: Evening after
evening he would sit at thestudio window,
the room dark, .hims self so happy, staring.
out at the quiet. sky and the twinkiiug
lights with wonderful. long. long thought
He had curious talent for decor
ative black and white work. which
brought him many eommiss Ons... In
fRct. he coul1 haye made his living "a an
ornamental letter writer il he had chosen.
But he had the feeling for a larger, holder
style OF work. 1t became a longing. Paint.
ing did not satisfy him. Then, one day. he
knocked a lump.df clay into a. primitive
figure of Pan. He had found his vocation
His ornamep tai lettering brought him. food
ana drink. but alas! nobody wanted his
Fauns and heroic groups. ). But they salts
fed him." 80: -.
From: this point Dowie was silent and
Jacquelne asked no questions. -
At The. next sitting, Aunt Mimi having
contentedly resumed her seat 20 the couch
in the next room, he said suddenly "The,
little girl. with The wisp of gold hair, i met
in the train, you remember. When she
returned from school. grown up. / saw. a
great deal of her. She wasintelligent and.
serious and capable, with right views
about artand other things. We met con-
stantly for three or four years. She be-
| lleved IN me-, because she was clever
enough to perceive that fantastic things. /
said and did in moments of excitement
were not necessarily integral parts of my.
nature. She accepted the best IN me as
tie normal. Nice of her, wasn't il? It's
Howells. believe. WHO says that there is
nothing that does SO much to sanct,fy
deity as the blind devotion of its worshiy j.
ers. | became worthy Of herfaith by the
very blindness of it.. Then your grand
father died. and after that evil days fell
upon me-. They didn't want my black
and-whites. New men with newer
mt :hods had come to- the front;
there was no money in modelling,
and III those days L hadn't learned the.
trick of portrait painting. Your mother
| would have helped me. but. o course, that
| was out of the question. There were three
months when | thought she liked me-
three ecstatlc months, and then came the
deuge. The explanation i shall never
know. However, here's the story. One
day | met at her house certain we'll
known writer ON art and conD0isseur-Mr
lsidore Sim. your father. He was gracious
to me. bought some of my things and so on.
j believe he rather exaggerated my i'll luck
to your mother, but his sympathy was well
meant. She was always perfect but, of
course, things could no. go on so forever,
In word, / couldn't bear to see her and
to know that shouldn't be seeing her all
my life. felt that l must get away some
where, bury myself. forget and begin
anew. Then your father came to my assist
ance. He
WAS that footstep in the further
studio?"
No. Jacqueline had heard nothing.
Probably Aunt Mimi was restless. Nothing
more.
Dowie continued. I'm those days I
knew City Alderman. He asked me
down to his place, and for the fun of
the thing, l painted him in his aldermanic
r0bes-scarlet and gold, and glory, and that
sert OF thing. Your father saw the portrait,
and In some mysterious way. heaven knows
how these things are managed, obtained
me commission to 90 out to India and
paint the portraits of series of Princes
and nab0bs In their best clothes. A couple
Of days before l started l called upon your
father by appointment at his gallery to
mako final arrangements. Your mother
was present l understood she was buy
ing a picture, Corot, / think, through
MIR. Sim. and we all stayed chatting for
half an hour. She was so nice to me-
quite exceptionally nice, and full Of en-
couTagement She made me promise to
take tea with her that afternoon that we
might talk over my expedition. When she
left the gallery she looked at me for one
moment as we clasped hands; it was a
look had never seen in her eyes before
revelation. JOY, submission, what you will
don't know. l never saw her again.
''The events of that day are as vivid to
me now as when they happened-horribly
vivid. Your father. who was alw,ys gem
erous, had offered to advance me G2O0 He
needed some ready money, so he asked me
to go to The bank and cash the check your
mother had given him fur the Corot. 1t
was for 1000. l brought him back nine
notes OF f100 each. He advanced ma G2O0
as he had promised, aud / left him to buy
things for my journey. A, 5o'clock | was
at your mothers house. As | entered q
man, whom recognized as the manager
OF the bank, came down the steps. He
started when he saw me, then stopped to
congratulate me on my Indian com mission
81 nraanma aaid hn trr.., ...iiI - A.a.,hl.