The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1907-04-18

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 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 (the courthouse In moonlight),
dawn, morning, noon (Main street at
noon), high summer, first spring, red
autumn, midwinter, all were there, L.
limitably detailed, worked to a smooth.
ness like a glaze and all lovingly done
with unthinkable labor.
After q 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 a1d the benefciaries under
the will. andsit 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 1t
had become almost dark In the room
he lit student lamp with green
glass shade and. placing it upon Ia
BILE beside him. continued to paint.
Ariers voice interrupted him at last.
Its quitting time. grandfather" she
called gently from the doorway behind
him. .s.
He sank back In his chair. conscious
for the first time of how tired he had
grown II suppose SO" he said. though
1t seemed to me was just getting my
hand in." His eyes frightened for
moment. 81 declare. 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 flesh"-
"I'm sure Of it. Those people ought
to be ve-y 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. "It's too good for them"
"No," be murmured in return. "You
can do much better yourself. Your
sketches show it." =
"No, no" she protested quickly.
Eyes, they do. and l wondered II 1t
was only because you were young. But
those / did when 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 l see-grown 80
that the world Is full Of beauty to me
that / never dreamed Of seeing when /
began. But can't paint 1t. I can't
get it on the canvas. Ah, / think !
might have known how to If / hadn't
had to teach myself. If I 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
] 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" BE
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 dance
at their house"
every we'll. Pm 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. II don't know why / go.
Nobody ever asks me to dance"
"Why not?' he asked, with an old
mans astoniShment.
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 isn't
altogether because we're poor. It's
more 1 don't know how to wear what
I've got, the way some girls do. l
never cared much and-well, I'm not
worrying, Roger. And l think I've
done good deal with mammals dress.
It's very grand dress. I wonder /
never thought Of wearing 1t until to-
day. l may be'-she laughed and
blushed-"I may be the belle Of the
ball-who knows"