The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-07-11

Vie uOOr winch Ariel had enter
Ell opened upon narrow hall,
and down this she ran to her
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 and 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 a child Hear
ing her step, he called her name, but
did not turn, and, receiving no answer.
sighed family as he heard her own
door close upon her.
Then as his eyes wandered about the
many canvases which leaned against
the 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 0he courthouse in moonlight),
dawn, morning, noon N1ain street at
noon), high summer, first spring, red
autumn, midwinter, all were there, H.
limitably detailed, worked to a smooth
ness like a glaze and all lovingly done
with unthinkable labor.
After a time the old man got I'D.
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 a photograph. The
80 ~
of the nose had not pleased her de-
scendants and the benefciaries 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 student lamp with a green
glass shade and, placing it upon q ia
bic 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 So" he said, "though
it seemed to me was just getting my
hand in" His eyes frightened for a
moment II declare, I believe I've
caught it a great deal better. Come
and look, Ariel. Doesn't it seem to
you that I'm getting it? 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. cts too good for them.'
NO." he murmured in return. "You
can do much better yourself Your
sketches show it,
"No, no" she protested quickly.
eyes, they do. and I wondered if it
was only because you were young. But
those I did when I was young are al
most the same as the ones I 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
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 I can't paint it. can't
get it on the canvas. All, I think I
might have known how to If I hadn't
had to teach myself, if could only
have seen how some of the other fel-
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 tiff
I 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. 1'What were you
doing all this afternoon, child?"
"In my room, trying to make over
mammals wedding dress for tonight"
'Tonight?'' -..-
'AIamie Pike invited me to a 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 I'll be very gay,' she
answered. II don't know why go.
Nobody ever asks me to dance.''
'Why not?'' he asked, with an old
mans establishment.
II don't know. Perhaps it's because
I don't dress very we'll" Then, as he
made sorrowful gesture, she cut him