Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1903-08-15

| 'ioh anu hoteu, uecuaulcaHy, tnut she
was little body dressed in black and
that her face was pale and her bow
still, and then he unceremoniOusly
transferred his attention to the pic
lures. 1t Is doubtful II he would ever
have thought of her again had she not
taken 1t upon herself to address him.
| Are you an artist, Mr.-Brown? p
she asked from her place at his elbow,
which was thrust out at right angles
to his body, as he stood there lost in
admiration Of the painting before him.
He turned then and looked at her
with suddenly awakening interest. 1t
was the way she brought out his sur
name that made him do 1t. He Won
dered why she had said it so, and
even while assuring himself with the
rapid, accurate glances Of the artist
that she was pretty In spite Of her
paleness, that her hair was soft and
blonde. her eyes fine and her clothes
| perfectly fitted, he was swiftly calcu-
lating the possibility of her having con-
founded him with the regiments Of the
Smiths, the Joneses and the Greens,
and at the thought he was conscious,
for the first time in his life, of feel
Ing Of repugnance rising in his breast
against his useful, irreproachable
name, and he muttered an imprecatlon
against the fates that had decreed that
by 1t his Identity should forever be es-
tabliShed. 1t took him an unconsc.on-
ably long time to find an answer to her
simple question. .-rad"~:
NO" he. said at leneth "not muc,
one. l daub little, that's all
Are your?
She cast down her eyes with an all
of self-deprecation.
mo; oh, no." she said. 'That is,
daub little, too. 1 do heads mostly"
He looked around the studio to see
If there was any relief in sight. Mrs
Kerr was at the other end of the room
engaged in earnest conversation with q
party of ladies', and 1t dawned upon
him that his passing acquaintance,
whose name he could not remember
he was sure 1t wasn't Br0wn-was
thrown upon his hands for an indefi
mite length of time.
DO you do heads, Mr.-Brown?
she asked, 1everting to the subject
from which she had teen diverted by
his prolonged inspection Of the studio.
| There 1t was again-that same mex
plicable hesitancy which reflected
more strongly than before upon that
combination of consonants and diph-
thong to which he had hitherto cheer
fully responded. He smothered a
groan Of rebellion.
mo" said he, II prefer landscapes"
"Oh, do you?" she uttered out in a
tone of surprise that could not have
been excelled had he told her he was
to be executed on the gibbet within
an hour for the murder OF his mother.
How strange. Now l dOte on heads.
The last piece I completed was New
ton as conceive his facial expression
to have been when he saw the apple
fall. I am now at work on head of
DiOgenes as he looked when expert
menting with the tubs. My studio is
in Unity terrace. If you care to come
around with Mrs. Kerr to see me I
shall be glad to show you what have
done. l am thinking Of entering a
piece at the next exhibition and shall
thank you for any suggestions you
may Offer Oh. Mrs. Kerr is calling
me. Good-by, Mr.-Brown."
Brown had no intention of accepting
her invitation to call at the studio in
Unity terrace at the time it was given,
but at the end Of two weeks, during
which period he had been daily tormen-
ted by disturbing memories of petite
blonde woman in a stylish black cos.
tune and the veXatiOus manner in
which she seemed to catch her breath
before venturlng to speak the detest.
able name Of Brown, he went over to
see Mrs. Kerr and asked her to take
him to call on the pretty artist.
II don't know the name of the lady
l want to see." he said. throwing him.
self on Mrs. Kerr's widespread mercy
"But you introduced me to her over at
the institute about fortnight ago
Don't you remember? She is a blonde
and runs to heads. She hangs out in
Unity Terrace, l believe"
Mrs. Kerr looked at him severely.
Il presume" she said sharply, that
you refer to that pretty young widow
Mrs. Corley. Pray speak more re-
specially Of my friends Carelessness
is fault you ought to have Outgrowr
before this. She may have her odd
ways, but she Is good little soul and
l won't have her trihed with, not even
by you"
Heaven bless me, Mrs. Kerr" he
calculated, fervently, II didn't mean
any offense.. She asked me to come
and If l hadn't taken fancy to her dc
| you suppose I would be wasting al
this valuable time hunting her up.
But IL you don't want to go. it's al
right. Only didn't think you'd serve
fellow such trick"
| There was pleading In his eyes ant
in his voice and they went, of course.
| Mrs. Corley was hard at work OIL
another head by that time.
'I'm glad to see you, Mr.-Brown.'
she chirped out, gayly. II haven
quite finished my Diogenes. l ain II
doubt about one or two strong lines
Can you advise me? Oh, l forget. Yor
know nothing about heads. Just SEE
what collection I have of them"
Browns eyes followed her compre
hensive gesture that took in the whole
room and he surveyed with indiscrim
mate admiration the scores of head.
OF ancient martyrs. philosophers ant
warriors and modern scholars ant
rulers.
Did you do all that?" he gasped In
dismay.
| "All that and more. too she re
sponded proudly. But I am not salts
fed with anything. None of them !.
good enough to enter at the exhibition
l am going to do another for that, ant
intend to cut loose my devotion t.
historical subjects and take my mode