Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-08-24

and we could have married and lived
on Washington So"
He stopped, for she was sobbing con
vulsively.
"Why, oh why! did you send It Il
them?" she moaned.
Because, Bess," he said, taking ont
OF her limp hands, because felt thai
| must know the worst-that l mus
take my chances along with the rest
Besides, Bess, II wanted-if / should
turn out not to be an artist wanted
to know whether you cared enough
for me-for just me, myself"
"Harry!" she said reproachfully
and looked up at him through her tears
sadly. Harry, did you ever doubt me-
You know my ideal was always to mar
ry real artist and live in Washington
square, but, dear, let me tell you"-and
she nestled close to hint always
knew you weren't an artist and yet
loved you"
And you didn't tell me?" he SAID
with mingled thrill and pang.
Il knew you'd find out-both
things" she whispered. I've seen this
academy bow coming for nearly a
year, Harry-ever since I've known
you"
"Bess, l may yet gain fame and we
may even manage to avoid starvation
Why can't / do posters and maintain
that 1T isn't good art to draw and color
well? l might even be an impression
ist-'
I've set out to be truthful, Harry,
she said, land I'm going to keep it up.
1t isn't that you draw so badly. Your
values and your tone and your atmos-
phere and your foreshortening and
your distance are all right enough
only you haven't got anything to
say"
"Oh, you mean my pictures don't tell
any story" shifted Smudge, scornfully.
That's always the cry of people who
don't understand art"
NO, Harry" she went on. ct will
be seen that Miss Trilbycroft was a
very superior young PERSON. "No
Harry, motive and plot are very diff
ferent things, and you have never
worked with any other motive than
just to paint a picture. Art is merely
a form Of expression of something you
want to say, and some people say it
with pen and some with a brush and
some with a chisel and some talk and
paint and sculpt and don't say a single
thing"
His head was again buried in his
hands-buried under the weight of her
memorable logic.
Il know you're right" he said at
last. Il was only arguing / am use
less. This acceptance settles it. l do
not doubt / could make a good living
at the work, but Bess, it would be a
degradation of art; and then, you
wouldn't love me"
mo, Harry. Frankly | could not
love a man so conscienceless as to
paint on after such rebuff as you
have received; but we need not starve.
You know my sister works at Schoen-
field & Bippelmeyer's. The clerk in
charge of her counter has just left
and"
An hour later happy couple were
walking arm in arm up Sixth avenue.
Yes, they took me at once for S799
a week, and | am to arrange the win
dow display. Bess, feel like an hon
est man again-and it's all through
YOU"
No, Harry" said she, blushing an
approximate red lake, cit is you who
deserve the credit. / always felt you
were brave and strong enough to give
up your wrong-doing when you had
come to realize it, and oh! I'm so glad
you did realize it,"
Il couldn't very well fail to, under
the circumstances" said he, smiling
gayly.
Lots Of people don't" said Bessie,
and they turned off into a side street
and I=ssed from view.-Duffield Os-