Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-02-07
one Gay. upon. comparing notes, ws

with q show Of feeling, of which no
one had hitherto suspected him, burst
forth:
Look here : they say that old
Grimes Is to be turned out because he
hasn't paid his rent for years now, !
amt going to let it be done. II we
fellows can't settle it some way with
the agent, so that he needn't be both
cred in his room, I'm going to let him
have mine. never do anything any
way, SO II won't matter. The old man
is all broken up; sick in bed; saw him
this morning. I've sent for . doctor
for him. don't believe he's had
enough to eat for months past"
We went up In body to Old Grimes
studio-there on q small iron bed, be-
side the huge curtained canvas OF the
masterpiece, which none OF US had
ever seen, lay the thin figure OF the old
man-the face drawn and the eyes
closed. His fingers were picking, pick
ing increasingly at the thin blanket
that covered him.
Middletone took ono OF the thin,
yellow, parchmentlike hands In his %
the doctor entered hurriedly and, with
q nod to us, seated himself beside the
bed, methodically setting down his
hat and case OF medicine beside him,
and wiping his Eyeglasses
49," he said, turning up the lids OF
the sunken eyes, and peering into
them. Bring that lamp little near.
er-thanks."
An interval OF silence In the room -
the doctor barred the shrunken breast
and applied his ear. you had best
send for his friends" said he, replac-
ing the bed clothing, and rising to his
feet. 1.-THE old man will not last
through the night. There Is q total
collapse, and l doubt II he will regain
consciousness. insufficient nourlsh-
ment and old age. Eh No relatives
or friends outside the building" he
said, turning and looking at the gaunt
figure stetched beside him. well,
there's nothing more that can do, SO
Ill wish you good night, gentlemen.
My fee? Oh, that's all right. The old
man has nothing, you say. ! tried to
paint once myself. You are cool fell
lows, you painters; good night to you
all"
We sat by Old Grimses' bed by turns
that night Toward morning nc
stirred restlcssly, and moistened his
lips with water.
His lip, moved, but at first heard
no sound,
1.-The face OF Christ" no murmured.
"The facet they cannot refuse 1t,
once find it. 1t will be masterpiece.
So strong, so mild!' he repeated, fec
BY waving his hand, and motioning as
though he were using the charcoal.
A fine sleet dashed against the large
skylight. The noise Of passing car
rlage in the street below aroused tho
old man. lie slowly opened his eyes,
and, gazing about him, they finally
rested on my face.
49," he said, after glancing at me
for moment, this is the end, Is 1T?
Well, It's time" Tho clock feebly
ticking in the corner, and the sleet
rafting on the skylight, were the only
sounds that followed. was dozln2-
perhaps slept--I am not sure.
Suddenly opened my eyes
The bed was empty. sprang to my
feet with an exclamation. There
among the huge canvases, before the
curtain which hid the masterpiece,
stood the lettering figure Of Ola Grimes.
rushed to his side.
Charcoal" he said, fecbly. "Give
/ me u piece of charcoal live al-
most seen the face. think-l can
draw it-in MI its purity"
gently persuaded him to return to
bed. The lamp, Pickering fecbly,
Illuminated the vast height of the
studio; here and there carved corbcl
thrust itself forward amoug the dark
canvuses that had accumulated in all
the long years that Old Grimes had
sought his ideal.
Above, the Gothic arches met, and
in the dark blue spaces between them
faint gold stars seemed to twinkle
for this had originally been part OF the
chapel Of the old university. The
deep blue Of the painted spaces seemed
limtess In the dim light OF the lamp.
Now and then the squeak OF foragiag
mouse sounded among the canvascs
Old Grimes had been breathing heav
ily; now h. raised himself on the bed
and, lifting hs arms, cried out: ~
saw it! 1t will DO my masterpiece
Give mc-my-palette-my brushes
some one
then propped him up in bed will
pillows, placed the palette in the hol
low Of his left arm, and gave him hi
brushes as Middletone entered thu
studio. Call the fellows" said
1.-THE old mans sands are almost rur
out"
In n few moments he came bacl
with our coteric, quiet and sad In thu
presence o. the angel Of death. Not
VOID was spoken, but their awe
stricken faces showed their hearts hal
been touched.
We grouped ourselves about the bed
watching the feeble motions OF thu
dying painters hand describing line
In the air before him.
Then the hand holding tho brusl
fell upon the llankct-he raised hi
head, his eyes opened with an upwar
gaze into the dim, blue, starry spac
above US, smile Of Joy illumined tn
the thin lips
"lsec It. Observation-Disclosures
thc face Of Christ There-at last-a
lust I've found the face OF Christi
And 80 Old Crines' work was done
FROM Pitt Nlatinic, and Other Mor
otoncs, by George Wharton Edwardl
Mrs. Emily Thorne, who resides a
Toledo, Washington, says she has
never been able to procure any med
a NJ ...,t