Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-06-19

filing in my Black Rock sketches for
the railway people who would still
persist in ordering them by the dozen,
the memory of that stirring life would
come over me, and once more I would
be among the silent pines and the
mighty snow peaked mountains, and
before me would appear the red shirt
ed shanty men or dark faced miners,
great, free, bold fellows, driving me al
most mad with the desire to seize and
fix those swiftly changing groups of
picturesque figures. At such times I
would drop my sketch and with eager
brush seize a group a face, q figure
and that is how my studio comes to be
filled with the men of Black Rock.
There they are about me-Graeme and
the men from the woods. Sandy, Bap-
tiste, the Campbells and, in many atti-
tudes and groups, old man Nelson;
Craig, too, and his miners, Shaw, Geor-
die, Nixon, poor old Billy and the keep
er of the league saloon.
1t seemed as if l lived among them,
and the illusion was greatly helped by
the vivid letters Graeme sent me from
time to time. Brief notes came now
and then from Craig, too, to whom l
had sent a faithful account of how l
had brought Mrs Mavor to her ship
and of how l had watched her sail
away with none too brave a face as
she held up her hand that bore the
miners ring and smiled with that deep
light in her eyes. All, those eyes have
driven me to despair and made me
fear that am ne great painter after
all, IN spite Of what my friends tell
me who come in to smoke my good
cigars and praise my brush! l can get
the brow and hair and mouth and
pose, but the eyes-the eyes elude me.
And the faces of Mrs. Mavor on my
wall, that the men praise and rave
over, are not such as I could show to
any Of the men from the mountains.
Gracme's letters tell me chiefly about
Craig and his doinSs and about old
man Nelson, while from Craig hear
about Graeme and how he and Nelson
are standing at his back and doing
what they can to fill the gap that new
er can be filled. The three are much
together, l can sec, and am glad for
them all, but chiefly for Craig, whose
face, grief stricken, but resolute and
often gentle as woman's, will not
leave me or let me rest in peace.
The note Of thanks he sent me was
entirely characteristic There were no
herocs, much less pining or self pity.
1t was simple and manly, not ignoring
the pain, but making much of the JOY.
And then they had their work to do.
That note, so clear, SO manly, so nobly
sensible, stitfens my back yet at times.
In the spring came the startling news
that Black Rock would soon be no
more The mines We're to close down
on April ]. The company, having al
lured the contiding public with entic-
ing descriptions of marvellous drifts,
veins, assays and prospects and having
expended vast sums of the public's
money in developing the mines till the
assurance Of their reliability was abb
solutely final calmly shut down and
vanished. With their vanishing van
lshes Black Rock not without loss and
much deep cursing on the part of the
men brought some hundreds of miles
to aid the company in its extraordina-
~ and wholly inexplcable game.
Personally it grieved me to think
that my plan of returning to Black
Rock could never be carried out. 1t
was q great compensation. however,
that the three men most representative
to me OF that life We're soon to visit
me actually in my own home and den.
Graeme's letter said that in one month
they might be expected to appear. At
east he and Nelson were soon to come,
md Craig would soon follow.
On receiving the great news at once
looked UP young Nelson and his sister,
and we proceeded to celebrate the Joy.
full prospect with a specially good din.
ner. I found the greatest delight in
picturing the Joy and pride of The old
man In his children, whom he had not
seen for fifteen or sixteen years. The
mother had died some five years be-
fore. Then the farm was sold, and the
brother and sister came into the city,
and any father might be proud of them.
The son was well made young fellow,
handsome enough, thoughtful and solid
looking. The girl reminded me of her
Gather. The same resolution was seen
IN mouth and jaw, and the same pas
slon slumbered in the dark gray eyes
She was not beautiful but she carried
herself well and one would always
look at her twice. 1t would be worth
something to see the meeting between
father and daughter.
But fate, the greatest artist of us ALL
takes little count of the careful draw
Ing and the bright coloring of our fan
cy's pictures, but with rude hand de-
ranges all and with one swift sweep
paints out the bright and paints in the
dark, and this trick he served me when
one June night, after long and anxious
waiting for some word from the west
my door suddenly opened and Graems
walked in upon me like specter gray
and vOiceless. My shout of welcome
was choked back by the look in his
face, and l could only gaze at him and
wait for his word. He grlpped my
hand, tried to speak, but failed to make
words come.
''Sit down, old man." said, pushing
him into my chair, land take your
time"
He obeyed, looking up at me with
h.. .t..x- .VIr... l.