The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1893-11-02

course, Jasper and 7. hatin, decided
that NJ. Delaporte was n man, had ex-
pected him TO rough il like the rest OF
us I could not let her stay in Tre-
newlyn itself, but took her up the bill-
side to- farm house. where I felt GER
tain they would accommodate her.
She was in raptures with the place,
and 7 agreed with her that IL was n
paradise, rs, indeed. it seemed 10 me
on that August night. / remember
the moon shining over the bay, the
fleet of boats ,tsnding out to sea, the
lights from the towns and villages scat
tered along the coast or amid the
sloping hills did not wonder she
was charmed: we all have felt that
charm here, and il doesn't lessen with
time we all have acknowledged that
also. But 7 must hurry on. When
Trenoweth heard OF the new artists
sex he was rather put ont. could not
see why myself, and | agreed that the
mistake was my own. NJ might stand
for Mary, or Msgdalen, or Marietta,
just ss well rs for Maurice or Malcolm
or Mortimer. However, when he came
down and saw NJ. Delaporte here, |
heard no more about the disadvantages
of sex She was essentially woman
for companionship, cultured, brilliant.
artist to her finger-tips, yet with all
her beauty and fascination holding a
certain proud reserve between herself
aud ourselves, marking line we dared
not overstep. At the end of a month
we knew little more about her than we
did on the first evening. / opined
that she was widow, but no hint,
however skilful. no trap, however
baited. could force her into conf
dence or self-betrayal. We called
her Mrs Delaporte. Her name
was Musette, she told me. Her
mother had been E Frenchwoman; OF
her father she never spoke. She
worked very hard, often putting me
TO shame, but still she would not let
me see the picture, always skiifully
turning the easel 40 that the canvas
WAS hidden whenever Jasper or myself
entered the studio. We were never
permitted to do SO in working hours,
but when tho daylight faded and the
we'll known little tea table was set ont,
We often dropped in for cup of tea
and n chat. II was all so pleasant, so
homeike. The studio with its drsp-
cries aud it's bowls of flowers, its
plants and books and feminine tribes
[ wonder how il is that some women
seem to lend individuality to their sur
roundings. The studio has never
looked the same since she left.
He paused and laid down the sketch
[ The usual gayety and brightness of
his face WAS subdued and Swallowed.
r-well, it's no good to dwell on it
all now. he said abruptly. "Of course
fell madly i'll love with her. Who
could help it? | bet any of You fell
, lows here would have done the same.
, | neglected work. could only moon
and dream and follow her about, when
she let me, which am bound to say
!. Was not very often. I'm sure 1 used
to bore Trenoweth considerably at
that time, though he was patient. And
she WAS lust th all'eys; onlin,
, friendly, gracious, ABSORBED in her
work, and to all appearances uncon-
scious of what mischief her presence
1 had wrought. As the third month
r drew near to its end | grew desperate.
r thought she avoided me; she never
let me into the studio now, and must
/ confess had great curiosity to see the
3 picture. But she laughingly evaded
, all my hints, and would only receive
, me at the farmhouse. | believe
, Trenoweth was equally unsuccessful.
, At last | could stand 1t no longer.
, spoke out and told her the whole
| truth. OF course" and he laughed
Q somewhat bitterly, 'it WAS no use. II
' she had been my mother or my siste'
she could not have been more serenely
gracious, more pitiful or more s1r
y prised. IL had made fool of my
[ self, as We men call it, aud all t
no purpose. 1t was msddening, but
| knew it was hopeless. | had al
n most known il before my desperat,
n confession | couldn't bear to Sc,
. her again. j felt hated tue place, i
= was so full OF memories. So, sud
4 denly without a word to Trenoweth O
q herself, / packed mp my traps anC
= started off ON n sketching tour through
# Cornwall. When | came back tn
d studio was closed, aud Trenoweth ha'
q gone away. The mau left in charge
|. and who made the arrangements 70
l. letting them, told me that new rul
had been made by the landlord. The.
=. were never to lie let to women artists
10 That is sll my part of the story. Thi
this sketch is only the figure re
member. She was standing once jus
Il like that, looking at the wall of til
A. studio, as if to her it was peoples
N with life, aud form and color 4
was fsncying myself at the Academy
k. she said to me, as asked her at whs
III she was gazing, at the Academy, an
my picture on the line. do not kno
i. il she ever attained her ambition" Ii
added. Ihsve never seen or hear
At Of her since.
m He glanced at Jasper Treuowetl