The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1907-02-23

tue christians have taken to it there's
good deal too much hocus-pocus."
/ L simply can't go on this way.
nave to pay 300 francs for my rent TO-
morrow, and shan't have a penny left
to buy myself 'bread and butter for the
next month. No one will buy a pic
tpre''
Monsieur Leir looked at him wifi
| good-nattlred eyes, but he said nothing
Charlie glanced at the portrait of =
very pretty girl which stood in soil
tary splendor, nagniicently framed or
the chimney piece
! Il had letter from Rosie this morn
ing. Her people want her to give me
up. They say there's not, the least
chance of my ever earning any money. .
But will she do that?' asked the
dealer.
mo, of course not" answered Char.
l1e, with decision. "She's a Aood girl
But it means waiting, waiting, wait.
ing; and our youth is going, and we
shall grow sore with hope deferred
When at last we marry we shall be
; disillusioned and bitter.''
! lie sighed deeply. He brooded with
despair on the future, and the old man
did not venture to , disturb him. He
F.! watched the painter with compassion.
! At last, however, he spoke.
; what are the exact conditions on
which the father of your fiancee will
allow you to marry herr"
STThnv:ro ipcopo W.,
five thousand pounds of her own. He
refuses to consent to our marriage I'm.
less 1 can produce the same sum or
show that I am earning two hundred
! and fifty year. And the worst of it
+: is that 1 can't help acknowledging he's
right. I don't want Rosie to endure
hardship"
You know that my daughters hus-
band is a dealer in New York. re-
turned Monsieur leir. presently. Il
vowed, when I sold off my stock that
would never deal in pictures again,
but I'm fond of you, my friend, and l
should like to help you. Show me
your stuff, and I'll send it to Rudolf:
he may be able to sell it in America. -
'That would be awfully good of
you" cried Charlie.
The dealer sat down, while Bartle
! placed on his easel one after the other
: his finished pictures. There were, per-
; haps, dozen, and Monsieur Leir
looked at them without a word. For
! the moment he had gone back to his
; old state. and he allowed no express
sion to betray his feelings. No one
could have told from that inscrutable
gaze whether he thought the painting
good or bad.
''Thats the lot," said Charlie, at
length. "D'you think the American
public will seize their opportunity, and
: allow US to marry?"
what is th:t?' asked the >dealer,
quietly, pointing to the last canvas. it's
face against the wall, which Bart]e
had not shown him.
Without "a word the painter pro-
duced it and fixed it on the easel. Mon
sieur Eeir gave slight sta-:, and the
! Indifference OF his expression vanished.
"Watteau"' he cried. "But, my dear
fellow, how did you get that? You
talk of poverty and you have Wat
teau. WHY, can sell that for you in
America for double the sum you
want"
look at It carefully" smiled Char
lie.
The dealer went up to the picture
and peered into it. His eyes glittered
with delight. 1t represented a group
I of charming persons by the side of a
lake. It. was plain that the ladies,
SO decadent and dainty, discussed pre-
ciously with SWANS, all gallant in null
ti-colored satins, the verses of Racine
or the letters of Nine. de Sevigne. The
placid water rejected white clouds,
and chc trees were russell already with
approaching; autumn. It was state
ly scene, with itG green woodland dis
lance, and the sober oprlence of oak
and elm, and it suggested ease and
long tending. Those yellows and
green's and reds glowed with mellow
light.
"It's one CT the few Watteaus I've
ever seen with a Signature" said the
dealer. -.
You fatter me-" ssid Charlie. "Of
course, it's only copy. The original
belonged to some ole ladies in England
whom knew; and last summer. when
| it. rained. l spent my days in copy
ing it. I suppose chance guided my
hand happily; every one agreed it was
not badly DONE" &c. >~:
I "A%copy:" cried Monsieur Leir. "a
copy? Where is the originate. Would
your friends sell .it?"7 =: ." ~
I. '"The ruling instinct is as strong as
ever" laughed: the painter |T9*tUnfor-
tunately, month after: I finished this
the house was burned down;zand every
,, thing was destroyed ~ " 4a ,: 81 .s { q
J. The dealer drew a deep breath. and
for moment :meditated. 5: He looked
at, Charlie sharply. 5 !. !, ,ss, - a. : +
Didn't you say you wanted three
hundred francs for your ..rent?'' he
asked very quietly. %"Hn buy 7that copy
off you" .' s 5@ i u; T.: .
y: g. Nonsense, I'll give III. you. You're
taking no end Of trouble for me, and
! you've been aWfully kind. 8. z:jt i.