Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1899-06-24
Her CONVERSION.
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darling" he begged, "because as long
as you are in your present frame of mind
vel"
1--WE can never be more than what
we are to each other" she interrupted,
rising and looking at him coldly.
Listen, Clare" he said, taking hold
of her small wrist and trying to draw
her down to him. "Can not you see
what it means to me3"
at means lot to your imagination,
doubtless, she replied scornfully, draw
ing away her hand. Here you bring
me quite supposititious case, and make
all this fuss about it. But have stated
my opinions and am not likely to alter
them in any way" Slowly she took the
diamond ring from her finger and held it
out to Ernest, but the hand that offered
it trembled little.
take it," she said. "Our engagement
is at an end You are free"
81 can not take it, Clare. Don't look
at me like that, dearest. Keep it at least
till tomorrow"
She turned and deposited it on small
tray, saying coldly:
at is all the same to me-"
Two minutes later Ernest was gone,
and Clare had thrown herself on one of
the big rugs on the floor, heap of sob
bling humanity. Tie next mornings
post brought back his ring to Ernest
Ward.
~
The Royal Academy exhibition was
over, and Clare Wynnes name was i'll
every ones mouth. She had been con-
graduated ON her extraordinary success
until she was tired of hearing about it.
Her own youth and beauty i'll combina-
ton with her talent were freely dis
cussed in the public press, but praise or
adverse criticism were alike thrown away
upon her. She felt that all was vanity
and affection of spirit, and to no one
could she turn for comfort.
Ernest was gone she knew not whittier,
and her heart was filled with bitterness
against him. She tried hard to find solace
in her work but though she had her
moments of forgetfulness, she could not
obtain any permanent relief.
81 have nothing to live for, " she would
cry out sometimes, and then she would
dash down her brushes and weep tears
hot and vexatious.
Then again she would resume her work
with feverish energy. She was deter
mined that her fame should spread to all
quarters of the globe.
'He will hear of it." she would say to
herself. "He will see that l am quite
independent of him."
1t was during this time that she turned
out some of her best work, and Ernest
heard of it, as she had thought. Poor
Ernest
Two years had winged their way into
eternity when one day Clare received a
letter from a distinguished Catholic no.
bleman asking her to undertake the work
of painting the walls of convent chapel
with certain subjects which he would
choose.
Clare, who was somewhat run down in
health, thought that a few months So
journ in Devonshire would do her good,
so she accepted the commission.
Never would she forget the impression
which her first contact with the nuns and
convent made upon her.
1t was toward the close of autumn, and
the trees and hedges displayed glorious
wealth of crimsoning foliage; as she
neared the convent, which lay at some
distance from the town, a sweet-toned
bell rang out upon the peaceful ART
was the compline bell, she was told.
She could see the gray spire of the
convent chapel rising above the circle of
trees which had hid the rest of the con-
ventual buildings from sight, and she
began to feel soothing calm stealing
upon her wearied soul.
In the space of week she became
wonderfully at home with the nuns, some
of whom were sent to her especially dur
ing their recreation hour to walk with
and entertain her. When the light
waned she would take book and sit in
the small chapel rallied off from the sane
tuary for the use of externs, and pre-
tending to read, would fall into deep
trains of thought, while the nuns in
gentle, plaintive tones chanted the divine
office.
Often, too, she remained for benedic-
ton, and at last was so impressed with
the evident sincerity and deep devotion
of the nuns that she admitted to herself
that this religion which they practiced so
assiduously was if not true, at least we'll
founded.
~
Among the pictures which were to
adorn the walls she left to the last that
of full length figure of our Lord show
ing His Divine Heart, with the inscrip-
ton written below, at is all love and
mercy" This Clare felt was to be her
masterpiece, and she threw her whole
heart and soul into the work. As it grew
under her hands she loved it. She was
irresistibly drawn toward it, and the
words which she was to paint beneath it
/ A..