The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1904-09-02
The Spark Divine.
BY JULIAN SPENCER.

RY JULIAN SPENCER.
But, Elizabeth, that figure in the back
ground is superb, while the rest of the
picture is weak and utterly worthless
There is something wrong with the man,
though his genius-still visible through
the profound discouragemento of his work
is uuquestionab!c."
Ayoung, enthusiastic woman, with her
more sedate elder sister, stood before an
art dealers shop on busy thorough
fare, and she was criticisng the picture
of a young artist whose work had often
attracted them before.
Il know what YOU would say" Mar
! garct continued, smiling at her sisters
expressive face. But assure you that
my interest is impersonal. 1t is the
spark divine tlickcring out through lack
, of recognition which appeals to me and
not the man himself Jnbeiever. Have
/ we not been his ncighbors for the past
six months, and though we have con-
stairs, have we ever exchanged more than
silent greeting in passing? And SO we
/ should go on to the end if he were an or
binary man.
! "Rut, after all, We are iellow-workcrs
/ in 4 stIangc land. | heard today that
he studied under Y and gave
! great promise, but finally he dropped out
and down, down, until few OF his old
companions know where or how he
lives. Evidently he is under a cloud. but
we will not inquire further about the
man. As for the artist. the spark divine
is there, smoldcring, choked with ashes,
but how | would like to fan it into i glo-
rious bIaz. and prove to you and to all
the world that am right ~
can you indeed separate the genius of
/ the artist from the man." the older
woman quericd doubtfully.
Can indeed Oh, that might prove
it to YOU. Sometimes feel that have
mistaken my calling, for | am mott
never can bean artist, while nv critical
faculty is intensely developed. should
be an 'encourager Of art" But. then,
| love the very smell of oils, and SO l go on
in my ordinary little daubing way, Ger
tain never to attain even a decent medi-
ocrty, while it cuts me to the quick to
see real genius languishing in chains"
well, here comes the subject of your
enthusiasm said Elizabeth. And since
it is only the spark divine which inter
ests you, am ready to second you in the
tanning process-if You think that the
feu sacre can be made to burn clear with
out getting scorched by it ourselves"
All unconscious of the interest which
his picture had awakened, the man of
whom they had been speaking came
slowly down the crowded street.
He was about to pass them with I'M
seeing eyes when Elizabeth's sudden
greeting caused him to look up, surprised.
MIR Melville, we have been picking
your picture to pieces with the freedom
of sisters in the craft" said Margaret
And have just pronounced judgment
that if all your work was up to the level
of that ono figure it would have found a
purchaser long ago
\ slight sErug was Melvillc's only an
swer, and flash of Scorn at his indiiitr-
ence appeared for n moment upon Mar
garet's mobile face.
The three walked on together toward
The gloomy building i'll which they and
many other struggling artists and stu
dents made their home.
"Of course, YOU are going in for the
Werner prize" Margaret continued,
after short pause.
~ had not thought of entering he
competition" Melville said, lstlessly.
With swift upward glance Margaret
said That's lucky--for the rest of us"
what do You mean ?" he asked, with
faint surprise.
"Oh, the rest Of us would stand a poor
chance if you did go mat your best"
He shrugged his shoulders again. you
are mistaken. There is no use Should
stand no chance at all
Margaret turned to him with sudden
flash of enthusiasm: II know Il subject
that would suit you admirably Do YOU
know the story OF the 'Nu!turc Maiden
whose father had her lowered by a rope
down the side of the cliff to get the Young
bird from the vulture's ncst-when none
of the bows in the village dared to 90 !?
And You remember, when they were
drawing her up again with the young
vulture i'll her arms and the old bird came
Swooping down and attacked her she
turned her face to the cliff to save her
eyes and fought blindIv with her one free
hand until her knife wounded the old bird
and it fell-oh, that would be a grand
and glorious picture, The straight cliff
against The clear blue of the atmosphere,
the empty nest below, the vigorous
young peasant girl suspended i'll midair,
the Young bird struggling and screaming
to its mother, the vulture poised for the
attack-can't you see it You read Ger
man: You shall have the book tonight
You must do 1.-THE figure lifesze! 1t
will take the committee by storm, and it
will giveit the place of honor in the north
gallery"
He had caught something of her enthu.