The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-22


Terence O'Carrou was an artist; not one
OF those gentlemen of the brush and pal
cite who devote themselves TO Art with
a big A. because Of the excuses she az
fords her devotees for idhng, but man
with a genuine love for his profession. and.
what is more TO the purpose, genuine
talent also. He was I'VE and twenty years
old. five feet ten inches in hight was
reckoned handsome. more by reason Of
magnificent mustache which girls called
'tawny'' and men ''carroty" than on ae-
count of any surprising beauty Of feat
ure. and might be considered heart-whoie.
since he fen in love with every fresh
pretty face he saw He had. moreover.
light purse. a gigantic appetite, an ever
ready laugh and the most conhding ma
ture in the world
For whole year Luck. that hang-dog
sister Of Art. had been persistently against
him. His pictures had remained unsold
for no apparent fault either in them or in
him. with the ugly results that his clothes
had grown threadbare, his landlady had
become fdgety, and he had even occasion
ally had to make a pipe do duty for
meal Still, as he had no one dependent
upon him to suffer through his misfor-
tunes. he never lost heart much; his
laugh came almost as readily as ever.
and he shook his fist at the stngy deal
ers and the great. big, dull public. ana
told them lin his studio. Of course, ana
not TO their faces that they should be
at his feet yet.
Then, in the same capriciocs manner
came a sudden burst Of sunshine. Two
pictures he sold in the same week; one
of big barge which had got loose from
It's moorings with the breaking up OF
the ice on the Thames, and had come
crashing against one Of the arches Of
London bridge; the other little London
street scene. He went home with peck
etful of chinking sovereigns, and an in
clination to shake hands with every cross
ing-sweeper Now he could take that trip
10 Cornwall, which was TO make his for
tune. Now he could get down
TO that great sea. which always seemed
TO be calling to him to come and paint
her, down to the brown-sailed boats and
the red-capped fishermen, that haunted
him through the London fog.
Three days later, in smart new suit,
and a picturesque hat with fairly-iilled
purse and as light a heart as even
young Irishman ever bore. he strolled
down the Paddington platform, alongside
the train which was to take him to PEN
zance. Choosing for himself a corner seat
IN a third class compartment with as
much fastidiousness as II he had been
director, he slowed away his easel, his
portfolio, and his other very light lug
gage. and then, stood outside the door of
the compartment. smoking his big pipe,
and revealing in the fulnllment of long
cherished desire.
AS he watched the moving crowd on the
platform, noting each group, and remark
ing with keen professional eye every small
incident of humorous or pathetic charac-
ter. he caught sight Of two persons en-
gagged in earnest conversation, who en-
chained his interest al once. A man and
woman they were. both young, and their
interview was evidently a leave-taking.
They were standing away from the main
throng of travellers and their friends, in
one Of the big. covered spaces devoted to
passengers luggage; and they stood so
far in the shadow that nobody observed
them but the quick-eyed painter, and even
he saw at first only the figures, not the
faces. But, attracted, by some unusual
grace in the womans attitude, some
charm in her slimness and fairness, which
appealed specially TO his artists nature,
tiOn. and more and more fascinated by
what he saw, stopped to read a bill pasted
on the wall, at a point whence he could
get a near and full view of her
She was quite young about two or three
and-twenty, he supposed, and was the pos
SCISSOR of no especial beauty of feature,
while the attraction of her figure was the
negative one of extreme slenderness only.
She was, too. so extremely fair, with her
fiaxen hair and eyeslashes, and almost inn
perceptible eyebrows, that some would
have considered her open to the reproach
of insipidity The destinations which more
than counter balanced these disadvant-
ages in Terences eyes were the singular
grace of person aforementioned, and an
expression of face which seemed TO him to
betray in every glance a personality fun
Of feminine tenderness and sweetness.
So strongly did this impression seize him
that he was consumed by jealousy of the
man to whom she was bidding farewell
From the place where he stood Terence
could not see his face but perceive only
that the fortunate person who was alb
sorbing the girls attention was under
the middle hight and sparely built, that
he had dark hair, wore a light tourists
suit, and carried a gun case in his hand
and a shooting coat over his arm. Quite
unworthy. Terence felt this ordinary-look-
ing young man to be, of the tender en-
treaties, the pleading glances, the low
words of affection, which the girl was
evidently lavishing upon him.
The young man, who was smoking a
cigar, and occasionally looking at his
watch. evidently felt rather bored than
BATTERED By the girls devotion. Was she
his wife? thought Terence with a RI
diculous pang of uneasiness. Ashamed OF
of playing the spy, as he began TO think
he was doing. the artist turned away
and strolled back to his place outside
the compartment where he had put his
luggage. CHANGING again in the direction
OF the interesting spot, he saw that the
girl was alone. and that her companion
was sauntering alongside the train as
he himself had done, in search of a seat
to his liking. Terence now saw the mans
face for the first time an ordinary sort of
countenance, without any striking feature
and came to the conclusion that he was
about 80 years of age. So commonplace
was the face. indeed, that but for Ter
ence's interest in the girl who had taken
leave of the stranger, he would not have
given him a second glance. AS it was
however, the artist felt interested in the
other man. who, with a glance at him.
got into the same compartment and put
UP his gun case over the corner opposite
TO the one he had appropriated. while a
porter handed him in q handsome travail