The morning call., 1893-01-01
A MASTERPIECE.

ness. or give me such generous encourage
ment."
"Have 1 encouraged you? All, well. that
only rroves how little one really knows
ones friends"
And Farrell, the man addressed by George
Meriyale, the owner of the studio in which
thew were chatting, smiled in answer to the
others almost affecti0Hate address.
THAT is so: for, oddly enough, before you
came out so we'll and in your true colors l
had the idea. or impression, or whatever
you please to call it that yon disliked me
rather than not"
'Ah. you always were fanciful. you
know"
"Oh, that is all over long ago. or l never
should have told you, or-but you know all
that don't you ?"
Then why trouble to explain? Ii you
know anything about me at ali, you must
own that | am not such al mean, not
nearly so impressionable or imaginative as
yOu." and the smile grew more pronounced
than ever, as tile speaker went on: But
then. each to his line. So long as you can
turn your fancies to such account ana ne
pointed to the easel, 81, for one. shall be the
very last to condemn either you or them.
ION the contrary, you have done nothing
but admire"
Admire is hardly the word it does not
EXPRESS it. l am only sorry | have never
been able to half do your picture justice -.
You think it Is-toleTable, then
oueried the painter eagerly.
Most tolerable and not TO be-you see
into what pitfalls the habit Of quoting may
lead one. What meant 60 say was that IL
is truly remarkable work.
And the critic screwed I'D his fist,
through which TO examine IL better.
And YOU know why l am so terribly
anxious, don't you? But, OF course you do,
for am l not always telling you? When
evervthIng-the desire OF ones whole lie.
one'S success in ones career and, above all.
IN loye-aH hang upon thing, one may De
forgiven fer wishing to have ones own
doubtful judgment confirmed. As TO my
oyrn oniniou | should never place too much
reliance on that. | am always IN extremes.
Sometimes | feel quite hopeful. and that 1t
* really as you Substituting and original.
Rut then at other times have my doubts.
When | wake up and come TO IL fresh IN
the morning l am troubled with misgiv-
ings-but there, as you say again, L am full
of fancies."
You are. indeed.
ssYes. | have been working rather too
hard. I believe. But Ii will soon be TN
ished and sent in, and then-why, then l
can rest"
land VIVA. do the other fellows think. or
rather. what 10 they say? For 1t is difficult
20 get to know the real opinions OF some
people, as dare say you know
son. none of them have been to see 1t
lately, That is one thing that has made me
uneasy and led me rather TOTO doubt, you
And Merivals glanced wistfully at his
quesioneT.
Don't you think you rely too much on
the opinions of others and not enough on
YOUR own? You see that 1t is gOod-QuIte
ha 4 binp have ever naIQtel
I thiHk yOu said Then why not mold by
that and let the rest go Z?
$50 do try; but when so much-every-
thiBg-depends on il, ones own Judgment
Is SO often biased and completely wrong.
"Candidly. Merivae, you are IA queer
FISH You are allowing this 20 have far too
great an influence over you. Why, do be-
lieve il anything we're 10 happen-say that
the pictures were TO turn out IA mistake,
hopeless and ridiculous failure really
believe"
''Oh. bush, Farrell! don't suggest any
thing so horrible.'
"WeIl, my dear fellow, it was only a sug-
gestion, caused by your owR-but You are
going a long way toward proving the truth
of my words. GU look quite white and III.
You really must lake care.
Il Cannot take anything until this weight
is off nv mind. And II IL were TOTO turn
out as you suggest, II believe it would be
the death of ne outright" And throwing
DOWN lis palette anu Dl uSuEos tut painter
paced hurriedly about the room, while the
other watched him narrowly through his
half-clOsed eyes as he finished in still greater
agitation:
Thanks to you and your suggestion, /
have rlsked everything on this.
Nay, nay, MerIvale, | protest DOM
throw all the weight Oh me. Ii IS true when
nrst YOU mentioned your idea for the COM
petition to me l did say, by not 20 In 2
but I never meant it-SeTiOuslY that is !;
while as to recommending you to throw up
all your other work and neglect all your
commissions. l never should have Yentured
10 advise anything So
"Mad-no, perhaps not. But l am in it
now: have staked all On this one throw,
and-y0u know you did not admire the first
sketch 1 showed you" This was said with
a return of anxiety.
Il told vou you had got hold of a wonder
ful idea-startliBg and original, | believe [
said-and have never seen any reason to
change my opinion since; which was your
OVID, II YOU remember, at the time. So
why not rest satisfied with that? Stick by
vour first impressions and send II in. You
will learn all aboEt il from the critics then"
well, l will. l must believe; merely to
doubt is too horriblei Besides, l have felt
all through as though l was inspired. Ex-
cept. that is, at these dreadful seasons Of
depression, which seize upon and shake me
until bat. as you say, 1 will trust to my
first impressions and to-to You. You
Sl0ulQ kn0H-NNite koE tue rest, no Que las
seen it for months, during which have
shaved at it early and late. and let every
thing else GO.
And EurydIce, Miss Earnshaw-"
Has been away. She, too. has never seen
it since the first outline. But to-day she is
coming to give me one more sitting Tor the
final touches. and"
You will let her see it?'
"You-you think she will be pleased p
urged the painter doubtfully.
MY dear fellow. she will be surprised,
feel confident of that. And now take nv
advice. You are worn out and terribly ex-
cited. Take dose of ehloFal, or bromide.
or whatever that stuff is the doctor gave
YOU, aud have rest You will be worth
ever so much more when you awake"
DE you think so? ?"
And bear in mind what Sir Joshua. or
one of those fellows said forgot where
l read it nOw-about broadening your eff
feets II must be done for exhibition pic
lures What do you think Of that carmine
is it deep enough, do you consider? The
eyes, tOo-would not trifie Of depth-aboye
all. the smile-it must be DO mere dmple or
curl Of the lip; but, of course, you will see
aud decide all that for yourself, / dare say !;
may be quite wrong"
NO, you are right, as you always are.
can see it now. will just 90 over it again,
and then, after an hour or SOS work, lie
down. / shall look and feel less tired when
Mabel comes to see me this afternoon"
We'll I'll be of and leave you to it.
VINO the deuce Oh, here's that fellow
Eversleigh coming. He will not care about
seeing me; we we're never the best of
friends. But | thought he was away
abroad
$50 he was The wonder is to see him
now. Back just in time too. l am pleased.
was afraid it would all have been over
before; but. now. next to Mabel there is no
one L"
DO YOU mean you are going to show him
-this?'
Why not' He is my very oldest, closest
friend"
"Oh. please yourself, Of course. Only,
were | you-after the way some OF your
other friends have behaved, aud all that"