The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-08

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We had our studios on different fioooEs Oh
the same house. Bernard Green Deihs
=, ,t. ,,r, eoor YntYss Immediately below.
Il was an Old house ia a quaint ps rec IN
fsaeisaz-a house with strange and ufsex-
s,s.e,ea Y,nslxs aud cranntea. as though the
rooms and staircases mad been designed
.sdsscrsmsnateiy, by different nah1s' ana
had never fitted together properly oh-s
Ttrnr had shaken them together sobe~ha.
ard sfuoothed the anguiarltiss- Ia summer
the river srarkled I'm the sunlight all DAY,
ard Iay all night calm. deep and mystery
hiding sxgEder the moon. IN winter the war
was tossed into whiis-crested waseisAs.
AID ts.s wind ratified the easement ana
naoaning4y whispered Of far-on seas Al
all times we seemed Lar from pusy naunhs
as! practical things.
We both lad dreams OF ali We were to 90
Ia the world of art at that time. j believe
We each saw. IN q sort or mental picture
sSons tablet fixed outside Our respective
windows, proclaiming 10 future worship
ers Of gensns the fact thai we had stamped
cur respective personalities on that partic-
nlar set Of rooms. SO far as i am con-
eerned, the dreams have remained dreanas'
I arn atiI q rank outsider, from my own
yaint of view, though probable admit tne
fact to myself alone in my own severely
practical moments But with Bernard u
was different, as all the world knows; ne
made his own fiery mark on the scroll OK
fan,e-made 10, too. at the eleventh hour.
True IL wal but one sudden flare, comet
ike among the more steadily shining
stars. but It. is remembered still. and its
radiance has not quite died away-prooa-
bly, Il never will lie was always strange
being, filed with many superstitions ana
uncanny beliefs; only those intimate with
him knew anything of the curious lights
and shadows of his character Though
not by any means religious man. In the
ordinary meaning Of the term, his strong
est and most deepiy-rooted belief was in
the existence OF personal devil lie read
with avidity any old monkish chronicle
wherein the reputed acts OF the Prince OF
Darkness were set forth: he was ready 20
talk on the subject for hours together with
any one who would not be likely to scott at
him. But his idea of the form and charae-
ter OF his satanic hero was altogether dif-
ferent from the popular one.
There Is nothing lurid about my
mental picture OF the devil he said once,
as we sat together in his studio. II seem
TO see always the fallen angelthe splen-
did creature who sinned. and. sinned
grandly, and vet was as grandly defiant
who was a. far above the heavenly ground
lngs who merely sang and worshiped as
the lark is above a Gagged canary. piping
It's note In placid contentment In its pris-
on"
you are blasphemous." I said. with
something OF virtuously uneasy laugh.
20, no. he replied, lightly. 1.-THE SUBJ
ject appeals strongly to me. / believe in
a personal devil. and In the personal help
of that devil to those who believe as |
do. And II had TO linn that devil l
should paint woman"
"Ah. now you are growing sarcastic" l
said. laughing.
you do not understand" ne answered.
impatiently. rising and pacing the room.
II should paint a beautiful womaa-a
woman with n facs grandy, pityingly
sorrowful, face scornfully impatient of
the narrow, or the mean, or the sordid-a
face nodded by suffering and passion and
centuries OF splendid. silent loneliness"
He turned 10 me. his face agiow with ear
nestness, his hands outstretched
''in dim way 1t has occurred to others
before me; old legends tell us--in varying
languages and in different forms. yet with
always the same central idea--of men sell
Ing themselves to the devil. Mems minds
mercenary and motive seeking in all ages
have suggested that the bargain has been
for some earthly advantage. Doesn't It oc-
eur 10 yen that II may have been for some
more splendid purposes purpose that the
legends merely suggest? Perchance-I
know you'li laugh az my daring-where
all others have CROPPED. IL has been re-
served for me TO know the truth. IL the
legend Of Faust and Marguerite were true
It would be found that the old phlloso-
phcr sighed for youth. and was willing 10
give all for it--not to charm a meek-eyed
girl. but for the sake OF that sweet fend
to whom he prayed. OF whom he dreamed.
and who might claim him at the last"
But all these things are mere legend"
said.
True" ne exclaimed. smiling. Mems
minds have gone-blindiy groping-so far
and no farther. The idea OF the personality
of the devil is therp; beyond that they
stumble on. with terrifying images OF
horns. and elovsn feet and birthstone
Dear fiend." he added well nigh in a
whisper. ''how they have wronged your
l believe ] thought lie was mad: ] re-
membered the saying that We are all mad
upon ore point Or another But now, after
all these years. ] dare not express an opln-
Ion: I can only tell my story in all it's bare
reality. Up to that time Bernard Green
had given but httie promise Of any real
genius True. he had worked hard. and
he understood thoroughly the teehnicaiities
of his art. Bat he painted pictures "a SO
many others paint them--as I paint them
~ this day-skillful del!neatlons of certain
haekneyed subjects. absolutely correct
from the schools point Of view Of form and
celor. Hut he hunsered for something
more; ne cried that this was not art. And
one night his hunger found expression in
words that VIII haunt me until | follow
With the trembling hope that I may tlnd
him IN the land of shadows.
We were sitting together In the room he
used "a a studio. almost in darkness. Il
was a gusty aight in March. with the wind
from the river hatterins ceasesessly against
the old house and rafting It's crazy win
dows A hundred ghoStly noises seemed 10
We about the place: ! almost thought again
and again that heard zhoss-lke ruEtlng
movements on the echoing stairway out
side The fire burnt with dull red glow
faring NJ now and then and sending the
shadows dancing weirtlIy about the walls
and en- the dlscolnret ceiling. II was a
humor az his 20 sir and dream IN the FIRE
light letting a chance phrase fail now and
again "a some quaint thought occurred %
hisu We had been sitting silently FOR
some time watching the freight. when he
suddenly spoke. with a quick. passionate
earaestuess that Was startling. The raom
Was dark a. the moment; the flames bad
died down, ana could scarce see Ms face.
Tho wind seemed 10 harmonic with ths
rising and falling cadsncsS OF his voice.
like some we3td music.
''oh' Ter the power 20 paint rs man has
never PAINTED yot. II be done with ali the
dtm cSartnc. and striving. and mediocrl-
as "a achieve aHcs-ofsiv ouce~-a triumph
that should make men gasp ana wonder.
ard wornem shudder and Weep. Oh' great
aes,i a. whom ] have crcamt--whofu |
hRVa vor<htped--cauaa % TIE from out Ghe
Rwfu, majesty - tke lcHeiy centuries ard
aM me With the strength 10 iAtne infer
nal powgrN'
fls bad started 70 hss fsrt a. he finished
Speaking wlth hts caunt hands stretch ~
out snap}or4us}y. / saw ;Aas ne was ahso-
ss7xr