Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-03-22
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Painters IWcdel.

He watched her as she looked out
across the roofs to the west. There
was a look he could not fathom in the
earnest gaze of those gray eyes. He
did not like to break the spell which
seemed to be about them. The tasteful
little room in the aerially perched
apartment faded away. The interven-
ing roofs, the chimneys, the clouds of
smoke between them and the snowy
line of hills beyond which the cold,
yellow light was dying disappeared.
He saw only the long line Of the hills,
the chilly winter twilight coming on
and the girls dreamy, half-pathetic
face.
By and by she turned with a little
apologize smile.
I'm very remiss," she said. I'm
fact, I'm very stupid. But somehow
the dreariness of the winter sunset
touches me deeply. I cannot explain it,
| forget things, real and present, when
watch it. You'll pardon me and let
me give you some chocolate now, won't
you?"
I'll pardon you," he said, smilingly,
"and I'll take the chocolate, too. We
must forgive geniuses when they lose
sight of us and are absorbed in Wis
IONS"
Nov you are laughing at me-" said
the girl, coloring slightly.
THAT is that you may have some
thing to forgive and we may be even,"
he answered, watching her as she
moved toward the glittering little tea
table. She did not answer but moved
busily among the silver and Powered
china until finally the chocolate and
waffies were ready and they sat to-
gether before the fire and ate and
gossipped.
tits curious, isn't it? she asked,
that I never met you before, when
Elsie knew you so we'll I've heard
about you for ages, of course, but it's
strange you never happened to come
here"
He flushed uncomfortably. He re-
membered how Elsie's treatment of his
youthful fit of alteration for her had
quenched any ambition he ever had to
see her home. And now, five years
later, he was drinking chocolate with
Elsie's little sister and waiting for
Elsie herself to come in. He felt not
half so much emotion at the thought of
meeting the former object of his affec-
ton as he did in watching that slight
quiet Genevieve who astonished him
hof haI
dreamy child to be painting pictures?
Elsie came in by and by and greeted
her old lover with hearty good nature
But it did not take her five minutes to
see that the old flame had died in him
and she half regretted it, She saw
too, that he watched Genevieve with a
sort of fascinating gaze. Seeing that
she smiled. She had seen other people
watch the dreamy young painter.
He came often. He fell into the
habit of dropping into the studio al
odd times, and the artist in her lone
apron was never too busy to give him
welcome He fancied that her welcome
became more cordial as time went on
He imagined that there was sort O.
wild-rose color on the face that ha(
not been there at first, sort of ligh
in the gray eyes and remulou
gladness about the mouth. These sign
filled him with great joy. And on
day when even he could see that tn
face OF one of the men whom she wa
painting on the big canvas-the pictur
was OF three fishers who went sailin
y" west-was his own, b
felt a sort of tumultuous joy. Dream
young Genevieve! She little knew, h
said, how the strokes of her brus