The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-10-19
IN ARTISTS TRAGEDY.
The Story of Picture and What
1t Was TO the Man Who
Painted 1t.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

The speaker was man not yet 40,
yet his hair and beard were white as
snow, his black eyes sunken, and a
strange and peculiar look of age and suf-
fering was on his face. lie seemed like
fire burned out. So far as any interest
or enjoyment to be found in this world
was concerned. it appeared that he might
MS well have been dead.
1t was in one of those old towns on the
Rhine. l was travelling, and chance had
thrown me in the way of this man, for
had stopped for weeks at this quaint
place, huding n charm every day that
still held me-
We were both English. That | was a
compatriot may have been the reason
that Ralph Curzon had been casually
kind to me.
lie had for years lived in n few rooms
in an old chateau that stood little back
from the river. The house had been
partially destroyed by fire. Instead Of
repairing it Curzon had fitted up these
rooms and dwelt there with one servant.
was standing in the sumptuously fur
nished inner room where | knew that he
passed most of his time. The windows
overlooked the river. 1t was a prospect
that might have charmed any one. Did
it charm him?
The picture at which | was looking
was hung in perfect light. 1t was
draped in folds of perfect velvet. In
spite of its sombcr surroundings the face
looked down with what seemed an i'm
MORALLY radiant smile. 1t was the face
Of woman-blond, glowing, beautiful
enough TO haunt one.
! stole glance at Curzon as he stood
looking at it. Plainly he had for the mo-
ment forgotten that any one was with
him. His eyes told that he was living
over again some time in that unforgottcn
past. | made a movement, and he start
ed suddenly and turned toward me.
Some men seem to have the power of
loving n score of times" he said. with a
bitter smile, but | spent all my heart
here. This is faint hint of what Laura
Stanton was" motohing toward the pic
ture. "Odd that | should feel IA desire
TO tell you that part of my life Sit
down"
As we sat by the window he began:
Eighteen years ago ! came to this
town and became acquainted with the
STATIONS, an English family who had
settled IN this chateau.
"Tho father was genial. cosmopolitan
sort Of fellow, much given to patronzing
poets and artists. | got my living then
by painting. and | was in love with my
art. So lily did read Mr.. Stantons
character that | thought it possible he
would consent to my marrying his daugh-
ter. Whether he consented or not | in
tended to have her.
How l loved that woman. 1t seemed
to me that never mortal was so blessed
as ] was when | found that she returned
that love. For two weeks | was utterly
happy; for two weeks we lived in the
knowledge of each others love. Laura
had begged me not to tell her father-to
leave it to her, and as soon as she found
a fitting time she would tell him and beg
him to consent to our union.
"In that time of two weeks-ah could
human being hope for more happiness
In a lifetime than was crowded into those
days? In that fortnight | painted her
portrait. That is it. All that oil and
canvas could do toward Inning that face
| believe | did. | was inspired. Never
had | done work so satisfactorily.
AT the END Of that time, by accident,
Mr.. Stanton discovered the existence of
love he might have suspected. He was
furious. y poor painter to think of as
piring TO the hand of his daughter! Then
it became known that he had promised
her in marriage to the son of u wealthy
and titled friend in England.
Laura had heard the talk concerning
such a match. but had laughed at it. Not
until she knew what love was did she
think, with horror, of her fathers wish.
Now the tyrant in Lester Stanton be-
came unsheathed. He did not hesitate.
In one week from the time when he first
knew that his daughter loved me this
young Englishman was sent for and ;
came.
'Their marriage was appointed for the
following week. Mr.. Stanton was not
going to leave any chance for his daugh-
ter to escape. He would have no folly,
he said
"What did do? you ask. | was wild
with suffering. ! knew now what sort Of
a man | had to deal with. | was dcsper-
ate. knew could make Laura happy.
/ earned sufficient income already to live
in comfort, and my fame was growing.
! watched necessarily near the grounds
here until | gained an interview with
her. pleaded as man who loves and
is determined can plead. All, she loved
men
Curzon paused a moment. His gloomy
face was still more pale, his eyes emitted
n strange light. He went on:
'She consented TO my request, and she
only stipulated that she would not go
away with me directly. She loved her
father. and she longed TO be reconcied
to him. The next night she met me- and
we secretly rode to the next town below
MS on the river.
1--WE were not gone three hours, and
when we came back no human power
could give her to any other-she was my
wife. promised to wait n month before
claimed her, and in the meantime was
to keep out of the way, to do nothing TO
aggravate her father.
"She said she would alone bear what
ever might happen when Mr.. Stanton
urged on the marriage, which has been
appointed for the next week. 1t WAS
hard for me to bear but there was every
thing to comfort me. She was mine
she loved me!
"Afraid that l might meet her father
and increase his animosity, for he was
inconceivably infatuated against me, and
thus make her lot still harder, for | was
not afraid of anything he could do to
me, left the town, thinking l would re-
main away some days.
81 did not know myself. l could no
more have staid away than could have
done any other impossible thing. came
back that night.
Il did not go to bed until late, and l
had hardly fallen asleep before / was
awakened by cries which startled me into
snrin cling from my bed Ny first glnnnn |