Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-07-08

man laying his hand OF the reins.
mo, thank you," replied Cicely.
firmly. I'm used to driving, and used
TO the horse. And. besides, know the
road better than you do. There isn't
any danger"
Her companion laughed. Il didn't
imagine there was" he said. with an
amused look at Sorrel Pardon me for
Offering to relieve you. did not know
that you were accustomed to driving"
Cicely cast a curious side-glance at
the young mans face. She could not /
make out whether he was laughing at /
her or not. What strange man he |
was! And yet rather interesting.
Amos was leaning over the fence l
watching for them when they finally /
appeared. dragging slowly along !
through the shadows. He opened the /
gate for them. and as they passed /
through, Cicely said. with perfect /
frankness, and without any attempt at /
privacy:
Il couldn't help it. Amos. He didn't |
come when he said he would"
mo; missed my train. and had TO |
come on the next" added the summer !
boarder But. thank Heaven, I've got /
here at last, Are you Mr. Judson?"
No said Amos. CURLY. There's !
Mr.. JudsOn. just coming out on the
porch. I'll bring in your luggage
Cicely went into the house with
I curious intermixture OF feelings-part-
" amusement. partly exultation. partly
regret 1t was new and not altogeth-
er unpleasant sensation to her to feel
that her lover was Jealous OF her affec-
i tions. even of her civilities TO another
man. II amused her to think that
| Amos should be so sensitive and so
/ foolish. But she was sorry that he had
suffered on her account. even while
~1-A IL
the least bit wrong. AS for there being
any reason for jealousy-that of course
was absurd.
The young artist proved to be a very
agreeable summer boarder. He was al
ways courteous. good-natured. easy to
please, appreciative, entertaining and
lively. Mrs. Judson liked him because
he was always on time at his meals
praised her cooking, both by word and
deed, made no extra work even in the
small way OF putting up lunches, and
could talk intelligently of Jersey cat
tie, which were the pride OF the good
woman's heart. Mr.. Judson liked him
because he smoked choice cigars and
shared them generously, and was a
good companion to talk with on the
porch after supper. Cicely liked him
well, she couldn't tell just why. And
Amos disliked him for the same excel
lent reason.
1t did not seem to very much concern
Mr.. Blake. the summer boarder. wheth-
or his natural ways proved agreeable
to others or not. He went and came
in quiet manner, going out almost
every pleasant morning to sketch or
paint, and spending his afternoons at
home reading. writing, or at work with
brush and palette Ia his room. But
whenever Cicely was around. n close
L ~,
Blake was less absorbed in his book
or his picture than at other times. The
girls fresh rosy beauty evidently
caught his fancy. His artistic tempera-
ment could not help responding to the
charm OF form and color embodied in
her face and figure
by Jovei what model she would
makei" he said to himself one day. as
through a vista OF orchard trees he
saw Cicely hanging out the weeks
snowy wash. I'D like to paint her in
that very attituce-and by Jove. I
, witt iii get my pad and ask her TO let
, me sketch her while she hangs out
/, Amos checkered shirtsl"
: Thus it came about that Cicely crept
into good many of the young artists
pictures that summer. At first the girl
a was reluctant 1t made her feel awk-
! wardly i'll at ease TO pose. and, besides.
? she wasn't sure about its being Just
right. Then there was Amos: how it
n did disturb Amosi She couldn't helm
: smiling over that sometimes. Il was so
D foolish But the young artists fattery
2 and the irresistible way he had about
him, combined with that shy vanity
2 which is as natural to a young woman
as strutting to q pigeon, gradually
overca1ne the girls objections. and she
e yielded to the strange new delight OF
4 recognizing in herself an artists inspi-
A ration. What romantic, almost incredi-
!. BILE JOY for this young girl. who had
n always admired pictures above every
a thing else in the world, to find herseii
y the heart and soul of an artists best
y creations. Was * not even better. she
reflected, than the power to proCace Z
picture, this real power and privilege
= TO be the picture itself?
AS the weeks sped by. Cicely became
a more and more absorbed in this new
- and wonderful romance that had come
: into her life. 1t opened up an un-
a dreamed-of world to the longing coun.
. try girl. To be able to contribut,
. something to art-and something 81
, rare and precious as an ideal-surel,
:, this was grander and sweeter thar
anything she had ever imagined TO-
- herselfi She lived in a world O
visions from morning till night; ant
: every time she stepped out under tn,
- sky, away from the dingy farm-hous,
and its duties, she seemed to be walk
ing upon the air. And yet not one
lie did she seem to realize that the youn,
r. artist himself formed any part of tn
70 fabric of her dreams. 1t was art tina
lie she served, art that she worshiped
q, and art that she was beginning Il
er love with such a passionate absorbin
10 devotion.
- But Amos looked upon the infatua
. ton of his sweetheart with other an
more practical eyes. When she woul
- bring him some of Blakes sketche
OF herself to admire, he would tur
" away with a shrug OF the shoulder
=. and an inarticulate exclamation. hal
Is OF CONTEMPT half OF mental anpni Oh