The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1907-04-25

noon), nlgn summer, first spring, red
autumn. midwinter, all were there, il
limitably detailed. worked to smooth
ness like glaze and all lovingly done
with unthinkable labor.
After 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 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 beneficiaries 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 Spencerian 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 a student lamp with a green
glass shade and, placing it upon a Ia
BILE beside him, continued to paint
AriePs 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 hov tired he had
grown. 81 suppose sc" he said. Though
it seemed to me was just getting my
hand in" His eyes frightened for
moment. 81 declare, l believe I've
caught it great deal better. Come
and look. Ariel Doesn't it seem to
you that I'm getting it? Those pearly
shadows in the f1esh''-
"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"
mo" he murmured in return. "You
can do much better yourself. Your
sketches show it,"
"No. no." she protested quickly.
"Yes, they do. and l wondered if it
was only because you were young. But
those I did when l was young are al
most the same as the ones paint now.
haven't learned much. There hasn't
been any one to show me. And you
can't learn from print, never! Yet
I've grown in what | see-grOwn so
that the world is full of beauty to me
that | never dreamed of seeing when /
began. But l can't paint it. l can't
get it ON the canvas. All, I think
might have known how to if | hadn't
had to teach myself. if l 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
could have gone away from it and
come back knowing how to paint lift
could have got to Paris for just one
month. Paris for just one month";
perhaps we will. You can't tell
what may happen" 1t 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?"
'In my room. trying to make over
mammals wedding dress for tonight"
"Tonight?"
Mamie Pike invited me to a dance
at their house."
every WELL I'm glad you're going to
be gay" he said, not seeing the family
bitter smile that came to her face.
81 don't think I'll be very gay" she
answered. 81 don't know why 60
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 WELL" Then, as he
made sorrowful gesture, she cut him
off before he could speak. "Oh, it ISM
altogether because we're poor. It,
more 1 don't know how to wear wha.
I've got, the way some girls do. ]
never cared much and-well, I'm no.
worrying, Roger. And l think I've
done a good deal with mammals dress
It's very grand dress. 1 wonder ]
never thought of wearing it until to-
day. I may be'-she laughed and
blushed-"I may be the belle Of the
hall-who knowsp