The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-08-23
THE AIR l@77 WHO
PROMISED WELL.
BY JOHN H. RAFFERTY,.

He was poor when he came. and what
with buying colors and brushes. paving
models and scraping together his tuition
fees he grew poorer month by month.
He tried to learn French, but couldn't
and finally, in his hot tempered, brusque
way gave it up, with an oath and swore
he'd never waste another hour upon it.
He was "a, giant in physique, boy in
temperament, sudden and quick in quar-
rel, already bearded like Vandyke and
already his masters favorite pupil.
When he began his first trial for the
salon, he owed his landlord 240 francs:
he was living on potatoes which he cook
ed over little gas stove in his own stu
do: he was reduced to a maximum of
ten cigarettes day, and he had not
tasted meat for eight days. He had no
credit with the cafes in the Quarter be-
cause he had thrasheq half dozen of
their surly walters and was in bad odor
with the proprietors. He had enough
friends among the American, Scotch and
English students, but most Of them were
almost as poor as himself, and he scorn-
cd to borrow so long as he could get a
few francs for sketch. His friends
called him ''the Buffalo" and often urged
him to join their periodical drinking
bouts: but, though he loved a frolc al
most as well as a good picture, he CON
triyed to convince his friends that he
could not be inveigled into their gayeties
I'll! he was in a position to reciprocate.
So lie had bolted along, working like
fury, studying necessarily and hoping
against hope in his headStrong way till
tie day came when he must begin his sa-
Pm Offering or be left out of the comne-
rion.
"MSicu Lcfchvre," he said buutly to
lie master at last, I'm afraid / shall
nase to give it up. l can sell enough to
got materials for my picture. but I will
have Mile, Courbois for my model or none
ata all. She musthave % francs the Sit
ting or She will not even look mt me- She
IS demon after money. She trusts no
one, butt will have nobody else"
"Ah, mon pauvre Buff'loo," said NJ. Lee
felyre, laying his hairy hand on Harker's
tgQal shoulder, Il can max ze arrange
WIS Msell Courbois on one condition.
zat You will not max re loaf wis hair"
Make love to her! To herr" laughed
Tie biz American. ''Td as soon think of
making love to a she lion. Why, every
man know has tried it. She is incapable
Of being loved She is an iceberg, a cold
b1aded, mercenary"-
Tut 500 var, infinite, beauty fool.
* young man he cannot rCzeest. But
eef You viii promees | shall sent hair to
you on re morneeng."
Harker was up with the sun the next
morning, making ready for the momen-
tous sitting. He gathered up hundred
cigarette butts, saved for the rainy day
when he might not be able to buy fresh
ones, arranged his platform, assembled
his utensils, set his palette and, restless
with Il fierce energy, began to walk from
his single window to his door, eager for
the Courbois to appear.
She came at last, in a cabriolet with q
smart little maid bearing her draperies
and her few toilet articles in a tidy leath-
er bag.
Theriot, the landlord, was at the door
almost before the cab stopped. He was
bowling and scraping as she set her tiny
foot on the pavement, and he escorted
her up the rickety stairs to the top floor,
where IIarker met them, bowling, at his
door. When the visitors entered, Theriot
fingered in the doorway, leering at the
Buffalo.
well, what do you want?" said Har-
ker trying to modulate his voice
MY dear Msieu Harkair, could you
not let me have something on re rental.
Eet is now more than
Get out" growled Harker, "and don't
come back till you're sent for"
The landlord shook his head threaten
ihgy bat the door was shut in his face,
and away he went as mad as wet hen.
Meanwhile the Courbois, who knew ex-
actly what to do, had taken her position
on the platform. The maid was dis
missed with permission to return in an
lour, and the painter sat down to his
work. She did not speak to him after
the first salutations had passed, and he,
astonished in spite of himself at her
Splendid beauty, worked with fierce speed
as though afraid that some poise of her
%ndrous head and neck or some tint of
aer radiance should escape him. She
watched him narrowly with her sea green
eyes tanning herself lazily and in abso-
Lutte silence.
II. bet she is a devil" the Buffalo
was saying to himself, "a selfish, grasp
Mg. hcartess, plotting fiend, but, gee
,m,llllkens, Caesar can hardly be blamed
if Cleopa"-
Times up" Mile. Courbois suddenly
broke in Mr.. Harker'-with a win
Jung smlle-"you are an eager workman"
II seems about five minutes since you
valne, he blurted, ready to get angry
WIN his model, but glancing at the clock.
ana then, as he thrust his brushes back
l'o jar, but / suppose beggars can't
pe choosers,"
She laughed a merry note of admira-
English: W D''''' =
Why, Pm afraid you're mad with
ne ~e' Come, now, you enthusiast, I'll give
ipu I'VE minutes more" And she bounded
s sevA upon the platform with the pref
Sest gesture of fright possible. He
~uShed IN spite of himself. and when she
IePped down again another half hour
s sau sped. She praised his first rough
, rs with rare judgment and many
Ttssestions, modestly and naively given.
we wen the maid came in, and in five min
Sos. they were gone. Harker bowed
I.l u cut as Raleigh might have bowed
@ t,uIe Elizabeth, but already in his heart
hSS, was something more poignant and
hnI.o than the surface worship of a
awning courtier.
a,%fy lingo. I'm half sorry promised
.'lebyre," he growled, pulling his beard
~ le watched the cab disappear around
,, SH ne stuck to his promise. For weeks