The Van Buren press., 1904-04-30
NOT
BY
JOE ANDERSON NORRIS
loopyrigst, lso4, BY Daily Story Pub. Cob

Copyright, lsi by pslIy siory fHo'O Ool
JUDITH had come from the west to
RI New York with mammoth artistic
ambitions and crude ideas of morality
common to rude, young and unsophis-
ticated countries. She located in a
small downtown studio and becoming
suddenly afflicted with a homesick
loneliness that struck cold to the mar
row of her soul commenced to frater-
nize with whomsoever happened to be
available. This was Louise Markham,
her nearest neighbor, who occupied a
studio on the second floor above.
Clinging to her eagerly she inadver-
tently made study of her life.
This girl painted little water color
sketches Of somewhat impossible heads
with dreamy eyes too close together
and red hats. Sometimes she sold
these little pictures, but oftener it ap-
peared that she did not She kept
house in light way in her studio; and
as is the rule in such cases, unless her
friends took her out to lunch or din
ner, she lived on air.
She was not without certain charm.
Very courteous, with a hOarsely musi-
cal voice in which there lurked consid-
cradle fascination unless heard too
continuously, fortunately for Judith
she was bent upon being agreeable,
upon starting the western girl off in
a society way--if the inhabitants OF
a building of offices and studios can
be called society-advantag as
possible by introducing her as her
friend
Going the rounds with her she last
of all introduced her to Gilbert, an
other artist of male persuasion.
So far as appearances went he was
rather a superior artist. His studio
was furnished in a fashion bordering
upon elegance, in black oak, the
screens and draperies in green tC
match the canvas with which the walls
were covered
AS a matter Of fact, Judging casual
ly, Judith was almost led to believe
that he made money. Either that oil
he had developed skill bordering
upon the marvellous in the way of Dor.
rowing it,
People were never so entertaining tC
her as upon the occasion of talking
about the most interesting possible
thing to themselves; but before she
had been with him ten minutes she
had to acknowledge that Gilbert over.
did It. He was so deeply, so aston
shingly and profoundly interested ir
himself the wonder OF it was to hel
that he found time to paint
And a greater wonder that he coult
have the heart to waste a moment 0.
that precious time on other people.
And yet It seemed that he found sew
eral moments to waste upon Louise
Once, twice, thrice even he paused in hi
subdued monotone relative to his ca
reer artistic, past, present and to come
embracing semi-occasional and bre
illusions to various and sundry ar
editors for whom he had worked, To-
whom he was engaged in working, ant
for whom he expected at some futur'
date to work, to point out the merit
OF his own masterpieces and show he
| how It was done,
When finally they tore themselve
away-he had not half finished his bi
ography, but Judith determined /
should wait--and landed safely in tn
hall, Louise clasped ecstatic hands to
gether and raised her eyes ceilingward
isn't he loyely?" she cried, Love
lyr
Lovely enough" assented Judith
"but there is one serious objection Il
! him"
WHAT" sharply.
"He is too unselfsh He Is wrappe,
up in the outside world to the exclu
sion Of himself"
WHAT" again.
Unhappily Louise did not always un
derstand.
at is my lunch time" explained Ju
dith, "WUl you come out with me-?
NO" refused Louise, with her pc
litely elastic smile Il will have m
lunch in my studio"
Judith suppressed groan at III
thought Of those lunches Of hers,
wafer and q glass Of water, A cracke
and cup OF tea, Worsel one da
she had found her lunching on burn
potatoes
A week later she drifted into Judith
studio, not hilariously as was custom
ary with her but in depressed wa,
as II crushed by something.
Judith looked up from her DRAWN
and back again,
"Why aren't you laughing" sh
asked her Ordinarily she laughed
judith was homesick enough, Some
times she was homesick enough to di,
Cheerful company in SO much as It en-
llvened her was therefore grateful