The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1895-09-12

like Harry Trent know how to manage
women-some women at least-without
soaring or antagonizing them.
Now, Cousin Harry's birthday fell on
Feb. 2S, and Olympia, wishing to please
him, had resolved to make him present
of her own portrait. This plan was the
more easily realized, because she had
latterly made the acquaintance of GER
tain Mr.. Keppel Darke, u young portrait
painter, who had delightful studio in
Twenty third street. Mr.. Darke was
himself delightful, in Olympia's opinion.
He was tall and rather slender, with
powerful blue eyes, and hair black, or
nearly so, which he wore longer than
was common, so that it carried about his
neck. His manner was grave and, for
young man, impressive; he was laconic
in speech, observant, and, beneath a
quiet exterior, impressionable. He kept
his face, including his upper lip, close
shaven. You might have taken him for
a tragedian, or for a clergyman-except
that his costume was incompatible with
the latter character. He affected some
| what of the brigand style of dress; in
| doors, velvet; outdoors, long capped
| otcICOfG tll1u d O1Oclu oAlh1AuCo hdts
| People tuI ned to look at him as he
stalked along the street. Fashionable
men of his own age said he was a con-
ceited ass. Girls thought him delicious
ly romantic and did not know how to
talk to him." Married women COM
monty dismissed him as unavailable for
social purposes, with the reservation
that he would be all right if he became
famous. His brother artists, without
expressing much personal affection for
him, admitted his talent. This mag
nanimity came the easier to them, be-
cause the world had not yet discovered
how really remarkable his talent was.
Cne had to know something to appre-
ciate it. He could do things in painting
that others tried, but failed to do. He
bad faculties, a perception, an indie
pendence of vision given to few. He
was not incapable of producing work
of genius No doubt he WAS conceited
young men of exceptional powers are APT
5, to be so, and unlike lower class of vain
men are at no pains to conceal it. lf
addition he had the artistic tempera
ment, which, lovely in itself, is rem
dered aggressive and extravagant by the
stolid hostility of convention. To make
an end of this catalogue of his qualities
he was sensitive and high tempered. He
came of good New England stock, and
ne had an income which enabled him tx
pay for his board and lodging and the
rent of his studio, even when his por
traits did not pay. But for the last yea
or two they had begun to pay tolerably
WELL
Olympia herself had artistic tenden
cies, and on Darke's first Introduction tx
her they soon fell into a conversation
that interested both of them. He ad
mired her because he had never before
been able to express himself to woman
so fully and fuently, and she liked hin
because he had something in him ant
was different from other men. Olympia'E
beauty took his artistic eye and he i'm
agined himself painting her. In half al
hour he had told her of his desire to dt
so. Olympia at first laughed and passed
it over, but the topic came up agai1
whenever they met. and at length, a
aforesaid, she conceived the plan of hav
ing her portrait done for Cousin Harry
She made confidante of her mother
and the arrangement for sittings wa
made and punctually carried out. Dark
was delighted; he had never done sucl
good work; he had ''found himself.
He had also found what was more seriou
that he was in love. But Olympia wa
supposed to be the destined heir of he
cousins fortune, the latter having n,
nearer relatives, and Darke did not lik
to appear in the guise Of fortune hunter
, This situation, familiar in fiction ant
not unknown in real life, continued un
til the epoch of our story. The portrait
born of the love of art and nourishet
by human love, was all but completed
Darke had never declared himself, bu
he believed that should he do so he woul'
have chance. Finally. with the las
sitting and possible cessation of thei
intercourse in prospect, he felt that no,
or never he must take a step. In tn
ordinary American course of things Ii
should have addressed himself in tn
first instance to Olympia herself. Blu
his pride counseled him to make an al
tack upon her guardians; that is, upol
Mrs. Raven and Harry Trent. AS re
garded the former, however, he reflects
tuSI SIlc was pSISOa VI kCCDiC Cutt1
ter, dominated both by her daughter an
by Trent. and that she would be sure,
approached, to refer the suitor to tina
gentleman. To Trent, therefore, he d.
cided to betake himself If Trent az
quiesced the posture of the affair woul
be hopeful, and Darke would not be res
sonably obnoxious to the fortune hum
ing charge.
At half-past ten o'clock on the morr
ing of the twenty-sixth of February th
studio bell rang and Olympia and he
;, mother entered. Keppel Darke rose fror
D the sofa on which he had been lying an
= stood before them. His face was pale
D his hair disheveled and his eyes dry an
heavy. His expression was gloomy an
D distressed Owing to lack of sleep,
painful emotion or some other cause,
seemed dazed and hardly to know VIII;
, he was about He replied to Olympia
: cheerful greeting only with trouble
stare and an inarticulate murmur.
xxT