Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-01-29
BOOTH TARKINGTON
CHAPTER III.
.HE door which Ariel had enter
Author Of "Cherry," "Monsieur Beaucar Etc

= own room, passing, with face
averted, the entrance to the broad. low
ceilinged chamber that had served
Roger Tabor as a studio for almost
fifty years. He was sitting there now.
in hopeless aud disconsolate attitude,
with his back toward the double doors,
which were open. and had been open
since their hinges had begun to give
way, when Ariel was child. Hear
ing her step, he called her name, but
did not turn, and. receiving no answer,
door close upon her.
Then as his eyes wandered about the
many canvases which leaned against
.le dingy walls he sighed again. Usu-
ally they showed their brown backs.
but today he had turned them all to
face outward. Twilight, sunset. moon
light (the courthouse in moonlight),
dawn, morning, noon (Main street at
noon), high summer, first spring, red
autumn, midwinter, nll were there, IL
limitably detailed, worked to smooth.
ness like glaze and I'LL lovingly done
with unthinkable labor.
After a time the old man got up,
went to his easel neal. window and.
signing again, began patiently to work
upon one Of these failures-a portrait
in oil Of savage old lady, which he
was doing from photograph. The
expression of the mouth and the shape
Of the nose had not pleased her de-
scendants and the beneiciaries under
the will, and it was upon the images
Of these features that Roger labored.
He leaned far forward. with his face
close to the canvas. holding his brushes
after the Spencerlan fashion, working
steadily through the afternoon and
when the light grew DINNER. leaning
closer to his canvas to see. When it
had become almost dark in the room
he lit student lamp with green
glass shade and, placing 1t upon ia.
BILE beside him, continued to paint.
Ariels voice interrupted him at last.
Its quitting time, grandfather" she
called gently from the doorway behind
him.
He sank back in his chair, conscious
for the first time Of how tired he had
grown. II suppose 80, he said. Though
It seemed to me was Just getting my
hand In" His eyes frightened for
moment. II declare, believe I've
caught 1t great deal better. Come
and look, Ariel. Doesn't it seem to
you that I'm getting 1t? Those pearly
shadows in the flesh
I'm sure of It 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 be-
hind him. Its too good for them"
no" he murmured in return. "You
can do much better yourself. Your
sketches show it."
''No, nor she protested quickly.
Eyes, they do. and wondered II 1t
was only because you were young. But
those l did when was young are al
most the same as the ones paint now.
I haven't learned much. There hasn't
been any one to show me. And you
can't learn from print, never! Yet
rye grown in what / see grown SO
that the world lis full Of beauty to me
that never dreamed of seeing when I
began. But can't paint it. / can't
get it on the canvas. All, think I
might have known how to II hadn't
had to teach myself, IL I could only
have seen how some of the other fell
lows did their work. If I'd ever saved
money to get away from Canaan-if l
could have gone away from it and
come back knowing how to paint tiff
/ could have got to Paris for just one
month! Paris for just one month";
''Perhaps we will. You can't tell
what may happen" It was always her
reply to this cry Of his.
You're young, you're young" He
smiled indulgently. "What were you
doing all this afternoon, child?"
"1n my room, trying to make over
mammals wedding dress for tonight"
Tonight"
mamie Pike invited me to dance
at their house"
Every 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 TIL be very gay" she
answered. IT don't know why go.
Nobody ever asks me to dance"
"Why not?" he asked, with an old
mans establishment.
81 don't know. Perhaps It's because
I don't dress very we'll" Then, as he
made sorrowful gesture, she cut him
of before he could speak. "Oh, it isn't
altogether because we're poor. It's
more I don't know how to wear what
I've got, the way some girls do. !
never cared much and-well, I'm not
worrying. Roger. And I think I've
done good deal with mammals dress.
It's very grand dress. I wonder I
never thought of wearing it until to-
day. I may be"-she laughed and
blushed-"I may be the belle Of the
ball-who knows"
you'll want me to walk over with
you and come for you afterward, / ex-
pect."
"Only to take me. 1t may be late
when come away-if good many
should ask me to dance for once. OF
course could come home alone. But
Tn roudon is, 0oinO tn cnr.t If hang