The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-14

the auditorium, and expressed their ad-
 mlration in loud voices.
 The nearest view showed a vast plain ! overgrown with high grasses, burdocks and gympsum weeds; d little further, a deserted town, all covered with mosses
 and further again, the gloomy hills
 mournful and sinister-nothing but an infinite stretch menacing and fantastic vast plain of the heroic and legendary time where no road could be traced where no living being ever was. It seemed that
 at that moment Ella Maurowltz Ca legen- dary heroine) would land, crying in loud , voice:
 Does anyone live in this vast wilder ness?"
 But the sombre steppe kept it's silence terrifying silence. On the horizon sep arating itself from the graves of the dead and above the aspect of the clouds appearing fantastic and malevolent. And these clouds and those sepulchres seemed to multiply without end. The whole land- scape gave one the impression of funereal fatality; 1t oppressed the heart; it seemed something terrible must necessarily hap | pen there and the multitude of these hll- locks and the covering of clouds took to themselves symbolcal meanlng-they ap- peared to live life tragically supernat- ural
 Close to it. one distinguished only a
 
 convulsive zlgzag, as if put on under the frenzy of drunken brush. But at a distance, the obsession of the immense steppe which the creator genus had made live, showed up more despoti- cally. The more one looked the more one felt feeling of oppression dominate hlm Everybody heaped praise on the artist.
 "Oh. this Kostovsli." they cried. Bra vo! What talent! What sorcery'
 'Oh. well, what matters it?'' answered
 he naively.
 we are only workmen, and We must work, and if we can amuse ourselves, we
 amuse ourselves. We are born that way. All praised him; they talked of him all day because of truth, never before had
 he distinguished himself to such q degree. As for Kostovski. he went back to his labor with d desire to do greater things He came and went In his studio more disordered and dlrtier than ever. lie painted in the ecstaey of the creation His whole being deranged by sleepless
 night expressed exalted force and energy his pale face with the blue mark under the eve the disordered mass of hair, the flame in his eyes which threw out rays of light all these manifested the spirit
 and industry of this proud creature. | He was thus completely absorbed when he heard light footsteps and smelt deli 1 cate perfume. He turned around; Julie
 
 ing costume. She was charming little brunette in a pink bodice, white shoes, with short skirt of mousselne. Her firm throat rose regularly and peacefully her fresh face with its olive tints smiled; her almond shaped eyes, black and humid regarded Kostovski tenderly and seemed to promise him everything. She seemed a fairy of some story. It would be difficult i to- imagine little being more dissimilar from the painter; she, all beauty and charm, and he, tinid, with his awk- ward gestures stood before her without knowing what to say and regarding her with admiration.
 Kostovshi thought no more of his work and the long brush which he held in his hand slipped from his fingers and fell at the fairys feet. She burst into silvery laughter which uncovered her brilliant and tiny teeth. Coming near to him lightly and gracefully, she gave him her little hand and boldly said: How do you do, >ostovski! Several months had passed by; the pub lie filled the amphitheatre. Behind the curtain they worked with fervor. Through the curtain one heard the noise of the crowd, at the same time the orchestra began the overture with majestic harmo- nes.
 The worlmen hurried to place the seen cry: the audience cried out; in the dark ness of the Seml-clrcie uescenueu tiie large scene on which was the palace, the tow CTS. the forest and the vagueness of the sea.
 All the mechanical appliances were con- trolled by Kotovslii. He was unrecogniz-
 able. his face seemed to be rejuvenated. illuminated, his blue eyes shone with happiness, his shoes were elegantly pol ished he wore a velvet coat, and his un- tidy hair was combed.
 tInx hp ringing voice, and gigantic curtain came down representing the bottom of the sea. The painter withdrew and regarded it wilA affection. It was his newest work. Listen. Paulr' exclaimed he. when the sirens begin to swim, manage 1t so that Julie is lying on the bottom. The scene shfter saw that everything wa in place. .'tIo. the angels, the devil take you" he exclaimed in hoarse