Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-09-26

know what an inspiration yau have been
to me. l came to you this evening, feel
ing like a mechanic, as I said, and al
ready there is a sense of power upon me.
and l could do wonderful things with
colors. What is the secret of it, do you
think?'
But she shook her head and was silent,
holding the paper between herself and
the light. She did not know the secret
of it. 1t amused him to think that she,
so quick to divine other things, so wise
in larger matters. should have failed to
discover a secret which, he had learned
long ago., without puzzling over it in the
least.
"Oh, how dull you are-you. women!'
he said smilingly, with his hands
clasped behind his head. why, it is all
because we are 50 entirely congenial.
don't you see? 1t has often seemed to
me that WE think with the same mind
and see everything from the same point
of view. What could make things pleas
anter or more helpful to a man h to
LAY a friendship like this?'
He fancied that a shadow was on her
face, and he was bent on showing her
what d good friend to her he really was.
She certainly could not oub his friend
ship after this.
His eyes. being made for seeing the
outside of things alone. saw the girl sit
ting quiet. with both hands in her lap,
now: and he thought how reposeful she
was. and how it rested a tired man to be
with her.
And what makes it n of the
amusing problems of life" he went on,
lis that the girl 1 am going to marry
doesn't care for my art in the least. She
would rather go to a matinee than see
the finest picture gallery in the world:
and she suggested to me the other day
that it would be so much nicer if 1 We're
a banker than an artist. Now that really
is amusing. isn't it?o
The girl did not move-her hands lay
still in her lap. What a pretty 'Medita-
ton she would make, thought the artist
opposite. There was something so deeply
drop of the long lashes toward the cheek;
something so delicate in the curve of
the lips and the moulding of the chin
and neck.
1T has just been settled about my mar
riage," he went on. with complete self
understanding. You know her; you re-
membe the pretty girl we both met at
Mrs. Mooring's. I have told her all
about you, and she his agreed that I am
to keep my friend, just the same-the
friend whose help and sympathy have
meant so much to me. And you'll go to
see her, won't you--and try to teach her
a little of your calm sedateness? She's
such a child. you know. Not that I'd
nave her changed much, though, for
these little dainty, butterfly women are
the dearest creatures that ever came
into a mans life"
IT will go to see her-and be her
FRIEND" she said, smilingly, rising as he
arose; but I wouldn't have her be like
me-
Was there a shadow on her face? Was
there a sharp something in the under
tone of her voice hat made him cry
as though she had spoken quite Other
words?
."Oh, but you are the dearest friend il
the world-and Icould not lose you
Think Of one man having a wife and sucl
a friend! Was any other mortal ever 81
favored Of the .gods?'
n he told her goodbye and went
but on the step he remembered some
thing more he wished to say, and turned
back.
AT the open door he paused and looked
in. When he came back presently h
was white to the lips-but he had hi
inspiration.
He held the picture back for a lon.
time; but then she went away, hal
across the world;-and the little butter
fly was a costly butterfly to keep-an,
what would you?
The success of the academy that yea
was a picture called Broken on tn
Wheel" It was a picture of a girl lean
ing against a table-a girl in modern
dress and amid modern surroundings
but it was the look of helpless, silen
agony on her face that made the arts
a famous man.