Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-07


brazier faint glow from the few live
Goals was reflected on her face. illuminat-
ing fts perfect oval. and on the slender.
graceful hands which held the bellows. Il
envy YOU your opportunities. May" she OBJ
served but not your braZters
MAY Hadding was painting picture. 1t
was one Of many and all were equally bad.
She deliberately squeezed some white paint
on her palette and blended 1t with yellow
ochre before she answered Her broad face
was colorless and her hair a dull brown;
she had crow's-feet at the corners Of her
eyes though she was not yet twenty-eisht,
and the eyes themselves were a pale blue
I don't look at 1t as an opportunity,
she said at last: II prefer 10 stay here IN
Paris and study. I can imagine what Aunt
Whiting Is like and this tardy recognition
isn't acceptable She never had anything
to do with my mother"
"Ah I understand" murmured Mary
Lang.
Nothing could have been greater than the
contrast between the two She was
straight and perfect In outline. and her
face had a charm more subtle. more elusive
than beauty. People stared at her on the
boulevards and in the cheap cafes where
the art students Iunched. In clothes which
and with an absolute simplicity Of man
ner. Mary Lang was easily a conspicuous
figure anywhere Her graceful movements,
the pose OF her head. the charm of her eyes,
which might have been almost any color
under their thick straight lashes, made
her something more than mere beauty;
she had an air of distinction which differ
entiated her at once from the common
type making ordinary women seem small
and insignificant beside her. Her fine SEN
sitiveness responded to May Haddings
mention of her mother with keener feel
ing than that which stirred the other girls
blunted consciousness. She fancied just
resentment which her companion had never
even imagined. May was simply carelessiy
angry at her aunt; she did not take up the
cudgels for her mother at all and Mary
I.ang's quick sympathy fell short 1t was
like stretching out a hand and cropping In
the dark to find only vacuum. She feit
at once that she had not touched a re-
sponsive chord. that May was entirely I'M
moved and she drew back with new
recognition of the futllity OF trying TO be
on the same mental level as her COM
panion.
Haddiug's next remark
TT has occurred to me-" that young per-
son said that you might go in my place.
Miss Lang smiled. "A delightful idea
che replied, but rather wild one Tor you,
May. l always expect you 10 Dc emiheh'S
sane"
ITS a perfectly sane idea" replied May
Hadding unmoved; why shouldn't you got
No one there has ever seen me. Really
Mary, / believe it's an excellent plan.
Excellent Knocked Mary; "tableau-
aunt recognizes the impostor and orders
her from her doors
she wouldn't" said Mary composedly;
"she's prepared to see you the fact Is
She stopped. flushing little under her
companions amazed look Then she
10 write me in September? Well. she did,
and she asked for my photograph
You haven't one. have you?
No" May Haddings smile broadened
"I'H confess Mary; you know that charm
Ing sketch Of you that Leonard Bishop
made In black and whittier
And I lent you?'' Mary said IN pecu-
liar tone: yes, / remember.
May Hadiing laughed nervuusiy again
II sent it to Aunt Whiting as my picture,
Mary Lang said nothing: her glance was
luminous and searching and she let 1t rest
on the culprit. Her silence more than her
look embarrassed Miss Hadding: she
painted furiously. putting In more yellow
ochrss clouds in patches. The cold northern
light of the studio made her look sallow
and old.
1T brought a letter" she said, attempt
ing gayety: "she sent me q check for SEQ
to get some clothes and come over It's
really YOU she wants, Mary
Miss Lang turned her attention to the
brazfer: a delicate flush had mounted to
her hair. She looked like q fine sketch by
Reynolds What possessed you. May?'
she asked with forced composure.
Miss Hadding made a grimace. why
the devil I suppose. Mary" she said, be-
cause. OF course. she'd fare up when she
found 1t out. 1 fancy she's an old Turk in
petticoats anyway. l shall not go: can
leave Paris now.
Mary Lang glanced at her. amused in
spite OF her resentment. II suppose you
think 1 don't know why" she said de-
murely.
The other girl blushed; oh: of course
mean to go while Gus Schulze is here"
lis he worth losing rich aunt for.
May?'
II shan't lose her. I'll lend her to you
for three months; that's my plan. You're
to win her over: you're smooth as spun
candy, Mary. She'll never know the diff
ference and II she does-well. it's only a
bit of fun at the worst
she wouldn't look at 1t in that light,
said Mary Lang.
Her companion glanced at her keenly. Il
believe you're going" she said triumphant
ly.. Il knew you would!
Mary Lang leaned over, her elbow on her
knee. her chin In her hand. you're offer
ing me great temptation" she admitted
dreamily.
She was poor and her life had the most
meager limits. She boarded in the convent
WleIe she lau DSen Ut SCHOOL, she Ildu ITO
relative on earth who had ever acknowl-
edged her. Her life one continuous
struggle with poverty and the encroaching
admiration OF men whom she despised.
She had dreamed OF the stage-her mother
had been great actress. but even there
poverty had raised obstacles; poverty
grlpped her hard and she hated 1t. May
Haddings rich aunt in Washington. a visit
to the United States, where she had never
been. though an American by descent. op-
portunities ease. some beautiful gowns
like other girls. 1t all appealed. Her first
disgust at Mays dishonest appropriation
OF her picture yielding 10 a tempta-
ton keen because unusual; the novelty
OF II and the risk. too. had their attrac-
tons. There was a daring element in her
blood. a love of adventure. She looked
around the studio thoughtfuily. Its gay
draperies. It's bits OF fragmentary painting.
Ats easy chairs. the tea table In the corner
all these things had often pinched her
with feeling that was almost envy. her
own life was stripped bare of these lit
tie accessories and comforts a mulberry
tree is stripped OF its leaves by frost. Her
room at the convent q mere cell. 1t
had "a narrow. hard cot-bed. a crucifx. q
chair and wash-basin stand. and she had
a peculiar love for the beautiful and the
luxurious! Even Mays kettle singing COM
fortably over Its little alcohol lamp. and