The progress., 1904-04-02
-. An Artists
w Dream.
BY S. RHETT ROMAN /;

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nAvID HENDERSON'S small studio,
u built On the slope Of the mountain,
with its outlook on the distant lake
and background Of great impenc-
trable forest growth, became the scene
Of tremendous activity when Silvia be-
gan to take weekly lessons In drawing
and painting, while listening to
David's desultory talk on art and
things artistic, bright, reminiscent
gleamings of former student days.
while wandering abroad among old
world centers Of ancient and modern
civilization.
At a given hour Silvia would dash
up to the door gay, brilliant and en-
thusiastic, while Gorky followed, smil-
ing and pleased at her delight and
carrying her drawing materials.
And when she was installed before
her easel and David Henderson had
begun his critical and severe fault-dnd-
ing rs to the work done since her last
lesson, Gorky, with a chuckle of de-
light at the bold defense Silvia always
made, would 60 back to his multifa-
rious occupations. reappearing with
unerring punctuality when the stipu-
lated hours had expired.
For the original hour, grudgingly
given by Henderson, had been largely
extended to that unexpected pupil
which fate and accident thrust upon
him in the heart Of the Blue Ridge,
where he had come for rest and recre-
alton and to steep soul and imagina-
tion In the magnificent scenes and
sights of those misty and beautiful
ranges and to get rid of the dust and
chimney stacks, electric cars and the
monotonous pleasures of big city,
where he lived, and sold pictures, re-
ceived a heterogeneous collection of
friends, both of bohemia and the beau
monde, among the picturesque confu-
sion of his big suite of rooms.
Invitations always poured in Oh
David, and many monogramed notes
in feminine handwriting were left in
his letter box, and to secure time for
the splendid work which made him ia
NOUS as one of the foremost American
srtists Of to-day David Henderson's
clever and immovable Japanese serv-
ant had to mount tnard at his door
and lie to all comers that he had gone
out of town.
So, somewhat worn in appearance
and cynically at odds with social exi-
gencies. David Henderson had slipped
away on a southbound train to the
Businesses Of the great solitary noun
tains around Blowing Rock.
1t was only when e summer came.
smoking in contemplktive silence and
sitting on his porch breathing the
ozone of the frs and pines, towering
above his rambling picturesque cot
tage in the divine solitudes and fading
twilight of June, that David Hender-
sons artistic enthusiasm began to re-
vive. with the great undying passion
of the artist and an Indifference equally
as great for his fellow-men, which spe-
cially included womankind.
David Henderson keenly regretted
his promise made under sudden i'm
pulse to give lessons to a presumably
crude country girl, for. the queer rea-
son that her mother, II faithfully por-
trayed by a miniature, had been beauti-
full.
"L'eternel feminin. How unescapa-
ble," David murmured impatiently
while waiting for the advent Of his un-
welcome pupil.
But life holds some delightful sur
prises as well as many pitfalls and
cruel dangers, and the handsome young
girl, whose keen intelligence and quick
artistic sentiment he spon discovered
we're rs remarkable as her beauty was
one Of them.
The original hour. devoted to show
ing Silvia how to seize the wonderful
tones and shades and coloring of the
majestic scenery around, how to fix on
the canvas the paling distances, the
mist of tviHshf and the Skece as-tha
hills, in their suntathed beauty. was
soon drawp out to any length Of time
Gorky would consent to allow before
coming for her to drive her back to
their home in the road to Boone.
David Henderson asked no questions.
and strictly avoiding the village heard
none Of the speculative gossip con-
old Gorky and Silvia, Of whom
nobody knew anything. for all the long
years they had lived their secluded
lives among the mountainous popula-
lion Of the Blue Ridge.
0orhy had reluctantly consented to
Bilvia's going to prim little Miss Hen
bricks school in Boone, but her inter
rourse with the. other children ended
With the school hours. She and Gorky
lived aloof and alone.
She had grown up tall and splendid
y developed, with . wealth Of reddish
brown hair, great hazel eyes, a sweet |
mouth. and . skin whose daz-
hing fairness no exposure 20 the winds
and sunshine Of Blowing Rock could
ian Or impair.
David Henderson sat lazily in q bis |
arm chair and smoked, for was he not |
n the mountains for rest ? and watched |
8flvla - she sketched and drew with |
bold and Successful strokes or painted |
With strange fidelity fair landscape |
sceBes of the country around.
At 1rst they had chatted and talked !
h good co.srsdeship. Silvia Of her
strange studies. and peaceful Joys. and