The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-12-29

$1,000 oOAAAAtt AitNA(
Spac.r fairly 5eamed with delight, and
the arch hypocrite continued his invest
ments even more recklessly than before.
His bare white walls filled up with
canvases for which he honestly did not
give a snap of his fingers. Old Parkes
let them all 60 at summer prices" in
n case sacrificing his View of the
Ramapo Valley for which he had
asked $500 at the academy. for a beg
carly $50.
He was really growing to look upon
little Spacer with more favor. He COM
mended his judgment and said that he
was evidently a man of taste. Twice
he had permitted Rose to accompany
him to the Casino roof garden. and they
sat often in the park.
On an excessively warm night little
Spacer had met Rose, and they had
gone to the park for a breath of air.
The green benches were crowded with
lovers whom the heat had driven from
the ~suffocating neighborhood south OF
Washington square, and many, with a
happy disregard of both propriety and
the extreme sultriness of temperature,
sat with their arms around each others
waist.
Near the fountain they stopped to rest
for a few minutes to listen to the plash-
ing of the water in the basin. since it
sounded SO deliciously cool, and there,
in a few hurried, badly put together
words, which were quite unlike those
he mad been intending to say for the
last few months, little Spacer asked
Rose to be his wife. And, without
thinking of her father, so happy was
she, Rose said that she would, after
which they sat down on one of the
benches where the shadows were black
est and initiated their ~neighbors' exam
pie.
With her pretty cheeks flushed and
her black eyes sparkling, Rose put her
arms around her fathers neck that night
and gave him a careful revision of all
that little Spacer had told her. Old
Parkes said nothing, but got up and
made a circuit of the room several times
"a way he had of doing when he got ex-
cited. Then he sat down at the table
and buried his face in his arms.
Hes robbed me of my pictures, and
now he's going to rob me of my daugh-
teri" he said bitterly.
"Oh, papa, don't talk like thatv'
cried Rose, quite distressed. "Of course
Chauncey couldn't afford to give you
what the pictures were really worth,
butt
II should say not" broke in old
Parkes modify. 1.-The Ramapo Val
ley, AZ by "a, $50; The Highlands at
Navesink, 1S by "a, $50. l can't go
on. It's really too ridiculous"
but, papa, dear, 1 don't know what
we would have done without the mon
ey," said Rose. 1.-The old dealer on
Fifth avenue wouldn't take any more
at S. apiece, you know"
Every WE'LL" growled old Parkes.
Marry him, if your mind is set upon
it. You're Of age and can do as you
like, l suppose. If you leave me, 1 dare
say | shall get along somehow"
Il shall never leave you" said Rose
grimly, and coming over she kissed
him. "Chauncey and l have planned
that we three are to live together"
Now, it CHANGED the very next day
that old Parkes was laid up with rheu-
matism, and for three long months he
was unable to hold a brush in his hand.
Little Spacer came heroically to the
rescue and bought so many pictures
that he was obliged at last to close out
his once comfortable account in the
Greenwich Savings bank. Everything
in old Parkes' studio found its way to
his walls. and finally they were so COW
cred that he was obliged to stack them
up n against another.
Often he would stand with his hands
in his pockets gazing at them ruefully.
His only cheerful thought was that it
was not money thrown away. 1t was
for Roses sake that he had bought
them, and they had brought her many
a comfort that otherwise she would not
have had. Rose and be were to be mar
ried in the spring.
While old Parkes still lay grumbling
and helpless in bed the distinguished
French painter, M. Villemont, came over
for a brief visit. The two had worked
side by side at Julien's in Paris, and NJ.
Villemont made it his business to hunt
up his old friend. The artistic contin-
gent lionized the new arrival, and news
papers devoted whole columns to him.
In an interview, which was prepared
by little Spacer, he was made to say:
81 am really much surprised at the
growth of art in America. You have
n painter as great as any that we
have in Europe. 1 refer to Mr.. God
frey Parkes, whose works should be
held in rare appreciation by collectors.
He is one Of the few great painters of
the century"
Whether NJ. Villemont really said
all this or not makes no difference. 1t
settled the whole business, and dealers
and buyers kept pouring in at the studio
from morning until night. Old Parkes
threw away his oils and liniments and
was back at his easel, a new man. He
had enough commissions to keep him
busy a year.
One of the leading galleries effected
arrangements with little Spacer to auc-