The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-03-23
By MARIE FRANCES UPTON.

touseled his yellow hair, put his hands In
his trousers pockets, and strobe up and
down the studio.
/ He was quite young, quite successful
and it was impossible to him that his
ideal of what art meant should suffer at
his hands.
Before the next lesson he had conclud-
ed to write to Miss Grey.
He stated the case as delicately as pos
! sible, but wrote that ii would be sheer
insincerity on his part to accept his price
( for lessons that he felt could not be of
any material benefit to her. and he looked
to her generosity to pardon his saying So.
The result was that when Miss Kitty
Carter went fer her next lesson Miss
! Cecilia Grey was not there. Mr.. Archer
was determined but nervous.
| He. somehow, found it difficult to deal
out the truth to Kitty. She was bewitch-
ing in a simple little gown of gauzy gray,
with a girdle and wide collar of violet
such as only her clear pretty complexion
could bear. Her costumes were artistic,
if she was not, Mr.. Archer observed to
! himself
y,
and her small cars were very pink, not
withstanding the shadow of her curls
Some way, he couldn't just remember
what 1t was he had decided to say to her,
until she had her palette set and was
placing her easel for renewed effort at
still life
Kitty herself was chatting away. mean
yyh
1T isn't nice for her to leave me here
unchaperoned," she said though really
l don't mind about those petty conven-
tionalities,' and Kitty looked up and
laughed, assidously palette knitting her
colors to an unacceptable mass the
while.
Then Mr.. Archer's conscience smote
him afresh, and he said: There's some
thing I ought to speak to you about, Miss
Kitty"
| Kitty turned about with the knife in
midair, surprised at his deeply serious
| tone.
What is t." she asked waiting.
NO" Mr.. Archer hesitated, that is
it can wait till your lesson is over. Don't
interrupt yourself now
An effort toward adjusting her canvas
served to do away with his confusion
After nearly an hour of desultory dabs
at the defenceless canvas Kitty gathered
| up her brushes. turned about and asked:
What is it, Mr.. Archer? Tell me, please.
! Is it about my work."
Mr.. Archer walked up to her chair and
laid a fatherly sort of hand on her curls.
ITS just this, Miss Kitty" he said !;
you'll never be an artist. You can paint
flower bits, or do plaques or decorate
! screens for your parlor, but l cant let
you go on expecting to paint. lit
wouldn't be honest
| He waited a moment. then turned and
walked to the farther end Of the studio.
Kitty sat there. 1t seemed incredible
| to her that it had been for nothing all
those months she bad worked trying to
| see the mysterious quality that lurked
in tin pan. dish of apples, or group
| of books thrown down at random.
So she sat there-desperately
You'll pardon me, Miss Kitty" Mr..
out his hand to her.
II,
feeling an overwhelming impulse to cry
she arose, took her hat hastily, saying,
"Good-by, Mr.. Archer" and rushed from
the room. her cheeks afame.
After an hour she came back, her
cheeks still aflame, but all the resolu-
ton of Plymouth Rock on her pretty face.
i've come for my colors, Mr.. Archer"
about her manner; she seemed hurt, but
intense withal.
She was so funny trying to be heroic,
with that stubborn look in her eyes,
that Mr.. Archer wanted to laugh, and
yet he was conscious of a desire to
comfort and caress her round, troubled
face.
While she was picking up her colors-
he didn't know just how it happened-but
going up to his injured disciple he took
her right in his arms.
Kitten" he found himself saying, "if
I can't teach you to paint, can't l teach
YOU to love me? You might do that bet
ter-much better" and he would have
kissed her, but she buried her face tight
against his shoulder.
He waited blissful little while. when
suddenly Kitty pushed away from him
quite out of reach. and said. mo, Mr..
Arches-you mustn't can't. will paint
Pm-going to Paris" she concluded pre-
cipitateIy. sat down. and was crying into
her handkerchief.
Mr.. Archer never for moment doubt