The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-16

ting out the sweet breath of the sum-
ner afternoon and then, closing and
! locking the studio door after him, he
called his valet, and sent him with a
written message to famous surgeon.
Next morning the pupil called. To
her inquiries the old housekeeper shook
her head dismally.
1.-The doctor has ordered him COM
plete rest she said, and his room is
darkened."
'Is-there-hope?'' faltered the girl.
There is always hope while God is
merciful'' returned the old woman
I gently. And the poor gentleman keeps
saying: 1t is for the best; it must be
for the best -
Say that I called. and-and-that I
am so sorry-so very, very sorry"
And the pupil went away with her
head bent down and fearful of the
passers-by seeing her eyes.
And every morning after she called
the same tremulous question on her lips
and the same dull pain in her eyes. And
every day the world grew DINNER and
DINNER to the great painter until it
closed on him entirely and the perpet-
ual night descended.
The doctors had not been able to do
anything for him. So one morning they
told him he might leave his room. And
when he had been dressed, he once
more entered the studio, where the we'll
nigh finished picture stood, and only
knew that it was day because he felt
the warmth OF the sun upon his sunk
en- cheeks.
AS he sat there, with one hand resting
lovingly on his easel, he heard a voice
that thrilled his soul.
Hastily rising from his chair, and
stumbling in his poor, blind way across
the room, he called into the hall:
SHOW Miss Carthew in
Then, with arms outstretched, he
waited until two soft, small hands were
laid in his. and gently led him back to
his easel Thus the master and the pu-
Pill met again.
tween them, broken only by the beat
ings of their own hearts and the thrOb
of summer life as it filtered through
the open window.
Then Robert Seton said:
Draw away the veil, my dear"
The girl uncovered the canvas and
exposed its beauties to the glowing light
beauties patent and convincing to the
eyes OF all but him whose genius had
called them into being.
"HOW does it look?" he asked sadly.
And with the old reverence and awe
she answered
''It is glorious, master" Then with
a burst of uncomfortable and passion
ate grief: And to think that it should
lie dead and unfinished, and that the
hands of the dear master should be
powerless to call it into perfect lifei"
The man WINGED as though she had
STRUCK n41lls ana lot d lew 1lOAlElLS
he remained buried in sombre thought.
Then he said quickly, almost hopes
fully:
1T shall be called to perfect life.
my dear, even though these poor
hands of mine are powerless to COM
plete the task"
ooh, master" said the girl rever-
emily, whose hands other than yours
are fit or capable to consummate so
great a task %
Yours said the painter simply.
"Mine?"
"Ay, yours. You are my pupil. You
understand my method, and have
watched the picture waken into life.
You love it even as I love it. You
shall make Ophelia live and love as
have made Hamlet"
"Oh, I dare not. master! Another
touch than yours would be sacrilege.''
'Then the picture must die
Better so, master than it should
live a manned thing"
But you will not MAIN it, my
dear" cried the painter earnestly. Y GU
are my favOrite pupil and my most
promising. Others whom 1 have
taught have names in the art world,
and their pictures are lined in Burling-
ton house and sell for great sums. But
none of them showed the promise that
you ShOW-nOne Of them understood
me as you understand me. Otherwise
should / have allowed you to keep me
company in my work, and study my
method, and watch me in my mo-
ments of hope and fear, of delight and
deSpOndence2
1T shall be as you wish" she said
slowly, though you may live to hate
me for it after
Then he dropped the knife. sat
down, and, with q smile Of satisfac-
ton. said:
Take time. my dear. Make your
sketches Think out your subject. I
will sit here day by day and watch
you"
And as he spoke the sightIess orbsl
under their quivering lids looked as
though they could watch.
So, with fear and trembling, Ellen
Carthew passed the day with pad and
pencil, sketching and tearing up in
her endeavors to create the face of an
Ophella worthy to be loved by the
Hamlet of the master. And all the
while the master sat by silent, and
seemed to watch with his sightless
Orbs.
So a week passed. and still the time
had not come for the colors to be mix
ed and the life OF the picture COM
pleted.
One day she threw away her pencils
and feeling her utter inability, burst
into tears
The painter laid his hand upon her
shoulder tenderly.
What is it. my dear?" he asked.
is the task so hard ?"
"Oh, MASTER she cried 81 am con-
fronted with the same difficulty that
proved stumbling block to you"
And that is2"
That can not make Ophelia beau
tiful enough"
"Why. then said Robert Seton,
don't you try to make her beautiful.
Make her only human"
May I really paint her as would
have her be2' she asked breathlessly.
Not in the least beautiful-nOt in the
least beautiful
Paint her, my dear, as you would
have her be, so long as she be hui
=, Oh. yes. cried the girl earnestly,
"she shall be human, she shall be
real"
And with flushed cheeks and spark
ing eyes she once more took up her
craving pad, and worked until the