The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-05-14

.-.a.-. 80 zzl-- =.
demanding may, sumo thoughs Il Whist I
am. and why ! ami Xcus SOULS desire
shan bare fui61lmsnt- md enos
ouiyn shs paused ssd leoked for mo-
msst IN silence At the man who knslt be-
fore her. "And then"--
He did not speak. He bowed his head
md let bis ciasped hands fall between his
knees.
my aid 10 yours--yours must be mine.
Il has been said II may find one human
soul that all unsought shall elect TO go
down the mons with me, shall cast away
all higher things even ss once cast them
away, shall cling to me, seeking nothing
higher, and understanding my need, that
soul shall be truly mine, beyond hope. of
redemption, even as am beyond it. Are
you oontentP"
The man glanced up once and then bow
Cd his head again. In low whisper
caught the words, II am content"
No other word was spoken, the fire died
and fell with little rattle Of ashes upon
the hearth; the wind shrieked outside and
tore madly at the windows. And the fig
ure was gone. The room was In total dark
ness; there was no sound other than the
the little clock on the mantelshelf. Shak-
ing from bead to foot, stumbled to the
door and threw 1t open. The light that
streamed in from the landing outside
showed Bernard, lying prone upon his face
and quito STILL
I got light and raised him up, and
sprinkled water on his face, and he gradu-
ally recovered. For long time, while he
sat in his chair, gripping its wooden arm
tightly, and staring straight at me, neither
of us spoke. At last tried to laugh, but
tho laugh would not come.
"What tricks have You sprung upon mep
What mesmeric business is thisp' ] said
In voice tried yainly to steady.
you doubling fool" he breathed with
scorp, "You saw and heard everything;
Won know-in YOUR heart YOU know and
yet YOU can say thstP How like the world.
But the promise has been given. / shall
conouer: I shall stand out beyond all
men-once and once only But that is
enough. And after that He raised bis
ewes and smiled. y
l left him presently and crept down
stairs to my own rooms, doubling, yet be-
ueyine. perplexed by q thousand shadowy
fears
Thereafter saw but little of Bernard
Green. He was more strange and prcoc-
cupied than ever; he worked necessarily,
worked all dav till the liaht failed in the
late afternoon, and he worked with the
door of tho studio locked. In answer TO
nv questioning, no merely told Inc, with
oniet smile of triumpb, that he had COM
menced new picture; | should see it COM
He came TO nv room one afternoon and
told mo in n low voice that the picture was
finished. then without further word. he
walked ont again. and followed him ST.
lentlv with curious ouickeninp of nv
pulses es I went nm stairs. Inside the
room, he fling buck the covering from the
canvas and stood aside. looking at me with
that stronpo smile had seen So often dur
inc that later time.
All the world knows that picture now.
Earnest and ambitious men have stood be-
fore it md sighed in utter honclessness of
ever attaining its level. or even of reuch-
inc onv odincent .rlanc Tho nicture was
exhibited TINT yenr, r. SET The artistic
world ablozo. IL fluna Bernard Green in
70 tbo very forefront and nlocod him on n
ninnecle arart from all others. Men asked
where this wondrous maaicion of the brush
had been hiding The man only smiled
and waited
In the flusb of bis success If banpened
one evening that wa again sat topether in
his etudio. I remember flint IL was n still
evening in summer. an evening almost
windless Suddenly n wind seemed to
burst on the house, dashinp through the
ono,, ,vindoys cotcbin,, tho lono ct,rtoine
and WHIPPING them futterin0 ebostlike.
against the ceiling. Bernard started M
and waved mo bocl, with nervous hand.
Trembling fell baok within the shadow
of the wall Isny his nrofllc-tbin. eoper.
boorord-outrned ooainst the window
in an instant the figure was again with
in the room-standinp on the snot where
n had stood before Rnt II came in no
sombcr gnise of gray vestments now. If
stood erect triu,nnhont in n yondrons
robo of dead heavy gold color---o robe tb,t
outlined the splendid. wonunly luure. and
seemed n mart of the atmosphero that en-
yeloned II Tho bountinp mpsicol fem
dcrncss of tho voice tbrt was like M cnrthIv
voice broke +ho sti,,nase. Tho wind Ind