The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-03-04


Will, If you will excuse my candor;
some purpose in your life, however
lowly would irresistibly appeal To them.
Would you gain Rosalie's love you
must work up to her notion of what =
man should be. You are natural mu-
sician. Then why do you not stretch
out those skillful fingers of yours and
draw some of your wandering brothers
into the path of harmony? You have
never known a want. Give to them
that instruction the want of which has
barred the world from some most per-
feet music; but there, am moralizing,
and you, no doubt, are wishing me out
of the way with my tiresome chatter.
Well, then, good bye" and with a
smile and nod Miss Flora Westbrooke
went rapidly down the street.
AHA my fine young woman," sOlil-
Oquized Dorothea from an upper win
dow, "you tarried long enough to but
ton dozen gloves at the front door.
Heighoi There'll be too much fire
without the steam heat in seven rooms
and a bath"
But life went on apparently unchang-
ed-though a close observer might have
been aware of an intense undercurrent
that stirred through the everyday
homely cares. Rosalie spent long hours
in her tiny work room, when she was
not busted with the simple hOusekeep-
ing. She had now before her the most
puzzling and the most interesting Of
artistic studies-the modelling of head
that should portray her conception OF
physical and mental power-combined
with that moral beauty which would
be strong, yet feminine firm, yet gen.
tie, generous, noble, loving, all iii one.
Day after day she labored, untiring
in her earnestness, and with unflagging
energy. Yet she was never satisfied.
There was something lacking-a Ger
tain softness, an indescribable touch,
the want of which her quick eye at
once detected, but she dreaded lest her
hand should ruthlessly mar some sali-
ent point. She could not tell, with all
her skill, just where the trouble lay,
and after much perturbation she called
in her sisters for criticism.
"Your face needs color" announced
Evelyn after careful scrutiny; "Of
course | do not mean the real appiica-
ton of pigments, but a certain life
quality which makes you forget that
you are looking at clay. i think now
this is clever work of yours, executed
with an accuracy Of no common order,
but | would rather recognize in this
woman's head divine inspiration,
which | must say / cannot find here.
Were il put into marble it would still
and forever remain marble, it would
never appeal To me as flesh and blood" !"
"Bravo! Evelyn, you argue well,
from your colorist's standpoint" cried
Dorothea, approvingly. "You are right
and wrong, however. True, the color
may be lacking, but it is rather a soul
tint than flesh tint. Rosaiie's wo-
man has never loved when she does,
mono voyono. You see | study faces,
too, quite as keenly and as critically as
you do, and know the symptoms" with
a shrewd glance at her sister. Now,
Evelyn has given you the guide and I
the good, but, remember, it must be
love crowned with fulfillment which
shall irradiate that face. Cupid must
not be defTauded of his lawful snoils, /"
and Dorthea escaped with a laugh from
the reproachfql gaze the young sculpt-
or sent after her, only to enjoy with
redoubled zest the pretty romance she
was weaving out of real life.
4 "true and true" romance grew
under her ready pen-though the climax
of the tale was withheld through force
of circumstances, and ,,s she watched
the silent hit of loye-makina her impa-
tient spirit waved wrOth al what she
deemed a needless delay,
Will Everett kept his word and he
tween these two households, once on
terms ofintimacy, only the most formal
calls were now exchanged. His sister
Mary did more of the visiting, for the
girls held IA oof and the young man de
voted himself with great ardor to music.
DorOthea, ever on the alert, soon dis
covered that the sound of his piano
travelled up through the pipes of the
steam register, and she also observed
| that while Rosalie still craved air ut
odd minutes, she often unconsciOusly
fingered by the heater, drinking in the
melody like one athirst. Such music
rs il was and she stood at times listen
ing with rapt attention. IL seemed as
if one soul were speaking to another,
and the airs were plaintive, sad, wild,
despairing, often with happier touch
of tenderness; never joyous, and always
strangely beautiful and moving at leasi
one listener until the tears stood in hei
eyes and she was forged to hide hel
glowing face from her sisters penetFa-
ting gaze.
tur she loved him, she was sure of il
now, though she had thought differ
emily short while back. But Flora
was right. So earnest and full of pur
pose i'm her art, it made her unhappy tC
see him wasting his own great gift
and even as his love came swelling NJ
in waves of harmony she would fly
from the spell of it and return to he
"mud pies" with redoubled vigor.
Then presently TO the dweIleIs VI
three flights it became appagent tha
8 revolution was going on below,
Wills playing grew more desultary and
finally ceased almost entirely, and in
stead OF the exquisite snatches whicl
Were borne to them from time to tim,
the fine piano responded only TO tn,
tiresome roInd of IN !sicIl y, b, C's a.
some unskillful hand stumbled over tn,
scales and five-finger exercises.
"Will is busy" said Flora, in answer
to several discreet inquiries. ''You Sc,
he is much interested i'm the erection o
a free conservatory of music, and mean
while he is teaching few the first steps
Ii is very good of him, am sure, fo
nothing gould he more painful to ;
well trained ear"
1T is TO niore shah he slhonld 90 yol