New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-22

While she talked Mrs. Darrah did not try to
conceal the fact that she was watching her
guest continually Suddenly she exclaimed:
Somehow you really putting me in good
spirits. That is odd, for ! have noticed that
people who are happy usually have a depressing
effect upon me-force of contrast | suppose.
It's long time since | was fappy. But I'm
generally comfortable. Happiness makes one so
egotistic that one is insufferable Now with
you II is different. ! may say | quite bask In
your presence. Do you think you could pardon
me If take my notebook again? Thanks. You
see ideas are 50 rare with the best of us that
when think ! have one | must make haste to
get 1t on paper. I am sure to forget my best
things II don't fasten them directly.
Saome as her hostess wrote. stroed around
the room looking at the pictures and the books.
1t was Mrs. Darrah's custom to take about with
her two or three pictures and box OF books.
and little things which her maid was instructed
to arrange Immediately they had secured rooms
at hotel. She said the average pictures In
apartments in the best hotel in the world were
enough to drive frantic: and as she spent
a great deal of time in such places she could
not afford to be driven frantic so often and so
continuously.
Now after writing a few lines. Mrs. Darrah
raised her eyes and fixed them upon Salome as
she walked slowly stopping before the pictures
a phrase from "A French writer came into the
womans mind:
Everything is involuntary with FER; that Is
the secret OF her charm"
Yes" thought Mrs. Darrah. anything studied
may attract, but it is the involuntary that holds
one" And she added to herself with some
cynicism. "of course Moore loves her; and he
will always love her. or as long as IL is in the
male human nature to love one woman
Salome was standing with her hards clasped
behind Ter before a canvas on the wall; the fun
radiance Of the light was on her figure. Mrs
Darrah's wizencd face bcamed as it was turned
toward her.
MY dear child" she said. 'do you ever read
Cherbuliez?"
NO" answered Salomc. ito tell the truth"
hestatingly, Il don't think read very much
"Oh, we'll It isn't necessary for you to read,
YOU are living. | going To quote from Cher
buliez In looking you just row am tempt
ed to accompany YOU on the harp Isn't that
pretty? Now | understand precisely what he
meant by that phrase"
"Oh. Mrs. Darahr exclaimed Saome with a
laugh. She WAS putting from her the thought
Of how this woman had wounded her "A few
moments ago. II was so easy TO put from her
everything disagreeable for did SIZE not love-
and was she not beloved?
Salome continued to look at the pcture-a bit
of upland pasture where some savins grew. and
where three crows were flying. There was no
cloud in the sky. which was midsummer sky.
the sky Of an intensely hot day. This drew
Salome and held her.
The man who painted this" she said. knew
what midsummer u.s. what heat and brilliant light
are. / wish had something like this to look at
in these horrible chilling days when am left
alone"
Mrs. Darrlh glanced at the wall
That" she responded. that isn't mans
work; that Is one Of Mrs Brad;ord's'
Salome turned quickly. She was not much
more vcrsed in art than in literature: but she
had a natural good taste which might be de-
pended upon In selection.
Mrs Bradfcri?" she repeated. why that
must Ice my Mrs. Bradford.
Her eyes glowed with pleasure.
Have you a Mrs Bradford. then?" asked Mrs |
Darrah. Il didn't know you knew her. be- |
came acquainted with her work two or three |
years ago. and liked it. II isn't Iretcntious; |
it's true; and 1t has feeling There Is work |
In the world without feeling that is worth zap
You've heard that Their. are only two kinds Of |
people haven't you. Mrs Moore"
NO" said Salomc, still standing before the
picture and gazing at 1t with even greater inter-
est. What the two kinds"
The people who kindle and the people who
doubt; I'm quoting again. Now Mrs. Bradford
is one of those who kindlc | have met her Il
few times this winter. I'm glad you know her
AS grows older ther, fewer and fewer
men and women one cares to know. They arr
mostly bores; and you become a ,re yourself.
only you can forgive In yourself what you can't
forgive in another. / see BY your face that you
like Mrs Bradford"
'Oh. yes. SO much. She wanted me to"
Here Salome paused thinking IL would seem
egotistici 10 20 Oh. But Mrs. Darrah insisted
Don't break of in tn. middle OF sentence"
she excls lined 1T must be interesting to know
what Mrs. Bradford wanted Of YOU"
"She said she wished to paint my portrait"
was the answer, given with little shyncss.
"Ah. like that. l was not mistaken in Mrs.
Bradford. She is like me. she knows-shc
knows"
1t did lot seem necessary fcsMrs. Darrah to
explain what she and Mrs. Bradford knew.
Salome not sure but that she ought to be
sorry she had told this. She reflected that even |
her hus band did not yet know IT, Their talk
upon another topic had been so absorbing that
she had not spoken Of this. and when their mood
had changed at lunch she had decided that there
WAS not time she did not Ike to be hurried
Has she begun IT, now inquired Mrs. Oar
rah with great interest.
YES. this morning"
Il wish might see her ut work. IT IL so in
terestng to see artist at work But you will
be starving by this time. Let us go down to din
ncr | take my dinner with the great herd oc-
casonally. The great herd Is depressing. but
then II Is depressing also to feed alone. In point
of fact nearly everything Is lowering some way.
hope you told Mr.. Moore to come to fetch you.
Yes. that's right. Now he Is one of those who
don't carry about IA lowering temperature with
them. He IL essentially genial. He is not what
you called keyed up 10 too high pitch, and he
Is not stolid."
"Oh, no; he isn't stolid." Saome hastencd to
say; and then she wished that she had not
spoken, for Mrs. Darrah smiled at her quiz
ideally
The two were at the table now. Salomc had
ceased to be awed by what had first seemed To
her the vastncss Of hotel service and the strange
Indifference Of everybody 10 everybody else. She
had surrounded h .rsef with her own atmos-
phere OF love and happiness, and was now placid
ly sorry that there was no one else In the world
so happy she and her husband were. Not
withstanding the suffering Of n few hours be-
fore Salome had conviction that their hap
piness was absolutely invincible. 1t must be.
she told herself. she went about day after