The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-03-25

was toiling away at her governess work
in st. Petersburg. saving all that she
could toward the home which we had
set our minds upon making in England.
At that time she used to write me the
most CHEEKY of letters-always bidding
me hope and trust-the kind, SYM
pathetic, helping sort of letters that
good women write to the men they
love. Sometimes she used to blame her
self for living in such luxury as she
did Cshe was Govcrness TO the family
Of a Russian prince who lived in a pal
ace), while | was shaving in dreary
London chambers. But, she would
naively add, her salary was so good
that she could save n great deal of
money out of it and every pound saved
brought nearer the happy time. After
I read one of her letters used to work
feverishlv. for I wanted her to come
to me and | had made up my mind
that I would never ask her to do that
until felt sure Of success.
At last--what long time it had been
and yet how quickly we forgot it when
ii was once oVer-thc time of waiting
came to an end and our happiness be-
gan. At last my success was assured
and the people who had nouted or
scorned me began to speak of me re-
spectfully as a rising artist. There was
no moro need to execute potboilers.
Success became a certainty. 1t was no
longer matter Of speculation, hut
rather a question Of degree. had
both feet firmly planted on the ladder
the only problem now was how far l
should climb toward the top. And So.
Helen and I were married and settled
L-.ngInCtnn In n
work a It my art and she to direct, coun
sci and inspire-al of which womanly
duties came to her with natural lavish
moss.
What children We were in those first
happy days and what a paradise our
small establishment seemed to our eyes,
blinded by loves roseate tints, think
wc played at life for the first few
weeks but after that We awOke to
realize that life is a matter of variety.
and SO camC sober reflection and steady
work in it's train. It was at that period
of my career that painted my picture
Of the balcony scene in Romeo and
Juliet" Helen sat to me for Juliet. |
had never seen a woman's face that SO
adequately realized my own conception
of ShakeSpearG'S girl l-hcroinc.
There were people who objected TO
my picture when it was finished be-
cause Romeo's face was not seen. He
stood with his back to the foreground,
showing no more than the contour of an
olive tinted cheek. 5ut there was design
i'm that. for | wanted Julict'S face To
dominate and light the whole picture,
oven as its original had lighted my own
life. So, though it was entitled Romeo
and Juliet" II was really Juliet and no
more. l had never a doubt of its suC-
cess. 1t seemed t. me as ! worked at
it with Helen's face bending toward
me from the improvised balcony which
! had built up in my studio that the
people would crowd about it and won
der And SO it was no surprise TO me
when the hanging committee Of the
Royal Academy gave the picture a
place on the line and the first visitors
began to crowd round it with eyes and
voices expressive Of admiration.
Had that picture never been painted
it is possible that Helen and | had os-
capped a long year Of sickcning an
Euish.
| was strOllng through the rooms OF
the Royal Academy one afternoon
some weeks after the exhibition open,
cd and went round to my own picture
with d vague curiosity to see whether
people still clustered about it. 1t haC
been so popular that the authorities
had placed "A policeman before it, anC
on this particular afternoon he stood
there looking intensely bored, fol
there was absolutely nothing to occu
ny him. only one person stood before
the picture-a man, evidently a for
cigner, clad in garments that were
presentablc and no more. 1t was hi!
evident poverty that first attracted m,
to the man, but presently my interes
transferred itself from his general ap
pearance to the look in his eyes. III
stood a little distance away from tn
picture, his arms folded over his tight
ly buttoned frock coat, his whole bod.
rigid and mutionless, his eyes cOncen
trated on Juliets face, They wer
Orange eyes-wild, fiery. keen-ant
just then they seemed to fasten them
selves on the picture with a devour
ing interest.
The policeman on duty knew me an
saluted me with respect. l nodde
and passed on. At the door of tn
room | turned and looked back. TIL
man with the strange eyes was talk
ing to the policeman and as | glance
at them ! saw the officer nod his hea
in my direction. The stranger turne
and looked at me, and it seemed to m
that our eyes met across the Ion
room. | caught at any rate a peculia
glitter from them; then | turned ava
and professed to be intent on a pic
ture close by. When l had locke
around again the man had gone-theI
was no one in the room but the police
man and myself. | sauntered aroun
the room again and stopped near m
own picture. The policeman was lool
ing at something which he held in h
hand. He saluted me conhdentially
almost appealingly. Beg pardo
sir" he said, but what might tn
here be? It's money O. some sort, bl
l don't know what It's. That foreig
cove that's just gone out dropped
into my hand as he VENT reckon it
not worth much-looks like a bit o. di
ty brass"
| examined it carefully 1t was dir
and a little worn, but ii was a Ru
sian imperial ruble for all that THAT
a very nice tip my man." said I, han
ing the coin back. IT'S a Russian go
coin and its English value is abo
thirty-two shillings"
The policemen stared from the coin
me and from me to the coin.
1T must ha' been mistake"
gasped. And yet-why, he took out
reg'lar handful Of 'em and just pick
that out as if t was a penny"
II suppose the man thought he W