The San Francisco call., 1906-11-04

PURPOSES
to accept them, leaving them upon their
makers hands because the likeness had
failed
After a time the old man got up.
went TO his easel near a. window, and,
signing again, began patiently to work
upon one of these failures--a portrait
in oil of a savage old lady. which he
was doing from q photograph. The ex-
preston OF the mouth and the shape OF
the nose had not pleased her descend
ants and the beneficiaries under
the will and Il was upon tho
images OF these features that Roger
labored. He leaned far forward, with
his face close to the canvas, holding
his brushes after the Spencerian fash
ion, working steadily through the aft
ernoon, and when the light grew
DINNER, leaning closer to his canvas
to see. When 1t had become almost
dark in the room he lit student
lamp with green glass shade and,
placing II upon a table beside him.
continued to paint AriePs voice in
terrupted him at last.
ITS quitting time. grandfather she
called gently from the doorway be-
hind him.
He 1ank back in his chair. conscious,
for the first time. of how tired he had
grown. Il suppose so, he said.
though ii seemed to me that I was
just getting my hand in His eyes
frightened for q moment. II declare,
! believe I've caught 1t a great deal
better. Come and look. Ariel. Doesn't
1t seem to you that I'm getting It?
Those nearly shadows in the flesh"
I'm sure of 1t. Those people ought
to be very proud to have it, She
came to him quietly. took the palette
and brushes from his hands and began
to clean them. standing in the shadow
behind him. Its too good for them"
u wonder IL II is. he said. slowly
leaning forward and curving his
hands about his eyes SO as to shut off
everything from his view except the
canvas. II wonder IL IL isr he re-
peated. Then his hands dropped sadly
In his lap and he sank back again with
a patient kind OF revulsion. mo. no.
1t isn't, / always think they're good
when I've just finished them. I've been
fooled that way all my life. They don't
look the same afterward.
They're always beautiful" she said.
softly
"Ah. ah.'' he sighed.
Now. Roger!" she cried, with cheer
full sharpness. continuing her work.
II know he said. with a plaintive
laugh--"I know Sometimes / think
that all my reward has been in the few
minutes I've had Just after finishing
them. During those few minutes
seem to see in them all that l wanted
to put In them. see 1t because what
I've been trying to express is still so
warm In my own eyes that l seem to
have got 1t on the canvas where |
wanted it,
But YOU do she said. You do get
ii there
NO" be murmured in return. II
never did. ! got out some of the old
ones when ] came in this morning.
some that hadn't looked at for years,
and it's the same with them. You can
do 1t much better yourself--your
sketches show IT."
No. no." she protested quickly.
YES. they do: and l wondered
IL 1t was only because you
were young. But those I did when
! was young are almost the same
as the ones paint now.
haven't learned much. There hasn't
been any one to show mel And you
can't learn from print. never! Yet I'VE
grown in what I see--grown so that the
world is full of beauty to me that
never dreamed of seeing when I began
But / can't paint it-I can't get it on
the canvas All. think I might have
known how to. IL | hadn't had TO teach
myself. if 7 could only have seen how
some of the other fellows did their
work. Tf I'd ever saved money to get
gone away from 1t and come back
knowing how to paint-if could have
got to Paris for just one month. Paris
for just one month.
Perhaps we will: you can't tell what
may happen" IL was always her reply
to this cry of his.
"Paris-for just one month"; he re-
peated with Infinite wlstfulness. and
then realizing what an old, old cry it
III lac chn 4, -
patiently SHINING out a laugh at him
SELF rose and went pottering about
among the canvases. returning their
faces to the wall and railing at them
mutteringly.
whatever took me into it, I don't
know. / might have done something
useful But / couldn't bring myself
ever to consider doing anything else
couldn't bear even to think of 1t!
Lord forgive me. even tried to en-
courage your father to paint. Perhaps
he might as well. poor boy. as to have
put all he'd made into buying Jonas
out. All, me! There you go, Flower
Gir1s'i Turn your silly faces to the
wall and smile and cry there till I'm
gone and somebody throws you on
bonfire. I'll never look at you again."
He paused, with the canvas half turned.
"And vet" he went on. ref1ectiyely, "a
man promised me thirty-five dollars for
that picture once. painted it to order.
but he went away before I finished It.
and never answered the letters / wrote
him about It, wish had the money
now--perhaps we could have more than
two meals day
1--WE don't need more" said Ariel,
scraping the palette attentlveiy. Its
healthier with only breakfast and sup
per. | think I'd rather have a new
dress than dinner"
II dare say you would" the old man
mused you're young-you're young.
What were you doing all this after
noon, child?"
I'm my room, trying to make over
mammals wedding-dress for tonight"
''1onight7"
Mamie pike invited me to dance at
their house"
Very we'll; I'm glad you're going to
be gay" he said, not seeing the family
bitter smile that came to her face.
II don't think I'll ce very gay she
answered. II don't know why / GO
nobody ever asks me TO dance
"Wbv not?" he asked, with an old
mans astonishment
II don't know. Perhaps it's because
| don't dress very we'll" Then, as he
made a sorrowful gesture she cut him