The Washington herald., 1907-09-27
Romance of a Geraniun Leaf.
By MARY w. MOUNT.

His friends declared that Herbert
Wyndham would one day be recognized
as a great artist. Genius will out" they
insisted, grieving secretly over the un-
disguisable poverty which clung TO man
and studio.
They were jubilant in this declaration
when Miss Ruth Greville sat 10 him Tor
IA portrait She was the first butterfly
who had drifted from the gilded realms
of society into the obscure studio in Her
kimer street With her came a breath
Of luxury from a world which had long
been stranger TO Wyndham-
Her parents arranged with the artist
for her sittings. Now and then al three
turned and looked at her. settling be-
tween them the pose in which she was 20
be painted. The girl herself said little
She appeared sweetly anxious to have
the portrait painted exactly as her par
ents pleased. Of personal vanity she
seemed TO have none. Wyndham stirred
with keen pleasure as he noticed her APP
preciative scrutiny Of his pictures. She
evidently understood something of art
Wyndlam saw behind the roses and lilies
Of her face, in its frame OF curling hair
a mind to be explored. He was eager 10
begin the portrait
When he did his hand was unsteady
To the excitement of a first profitable
order Of the kind he had louged for was
added the excitement Of painting a face
whose hndling beauty badied while il
enchanted him.
Some uniformed idea Of delightful chats
about art had fingered in his mind. 10 be
brushed aside ike a cobweb at her first
sitting She was cold. with a calm
serenity which held him aloof as effec-
tually as some impossible barrier. Moth
ing Of haughtiness tinged her manner
It seemed merely not TO occur 20 her that
any social intercourse could exist be-
tween an aristoCrat Of Elmwood avenue
and dweller in this small studio III the
top of three flights of diugy stairs Her
very youth took of the sting OF this in
science Of wealth. She WAS so entirely
unconscious Of IT,
Perhaps this impalpable barrier Of re-
serve might have been brushed aside 20
some extent had Wyndham been less
sensitive 20 II. He met her UnrespOnsiye-
ness with like reserve, her uncommunica-
tiveness with silence.
But Is he painted I'm the lines of her
graceful figure, and the bloom of her
face grew under his hand upon the can
vas. he was acutely conscious Of every
lovely contour and tint. madly rebelllous
that this girl, with her wide, intellectual
brow and soft sympathetic eyes. never
vouchsafed him a single unnecessary
word, never looked his way with an even
mOmentary sympathy.
Your hair battles me-" he declared
one day, laying down his brush Some
thing in his tone startled her. Are ar
lists always so intense?" she asked her
self
She raised her hand TO the ripples Of
her pale brown hair, where golden lights
shifted and changed with a warm glow
as ailUrin6 rs II was impossible to ex-
press. Her violet eyes widened.
Shall / change my position?" she
asked
He rushed into an explanation Of the
difficulty of painting light in hair. She
looked interested, but made no comment.
Wyndham saw that her observant eyes
noted every makeshift in the studio. II
hurt him 10 feel that she comprehended
every particle of the poverty Of his life
This hurt the more when toward the
last, he thought that he surprised a look
OF pity in her eyes.
He hardly expected her to tell him at
parting that she meant to send all her
friends 10 him TO be painted because
he did it so beautifully But she did
and she kept her word. Wyndham's
friends said that luck had come TO him
in a golden spoon.
To Wyndham. sitting alone in his
studio. pOTing over a delicate sketch Of
a beautiful girl. with eyes of tenderest
sympathy and golden lights in her curl
ing hair, luck seemed to have departed
All that was left of those weeks Of poign- /
ant emotion was this secret sketch of a
girl whose soft eyes looked into his with
an expression which the living eyes had
never worn. This, and a leaf of rose
seranium which she had dropped upon
The floor. She had missed It when she
.eTt. Tor he saw her glance at her dress
ana then about her as though seeking /
something. In a little memorandum book /
IN an inside pocket he kept il. where he /
could peep at IL whenever he jotted in /
a date or looked up a reference.
one day the glory OF life seemed TO !
Hood his world again, fer Ruth GreviHe /
came 10 MS studio. a charity bazaar was /
10 be held, and she had charge of the /
art table. She wanted a picture for IT.
ana she thought he might contribute |
some little sketch. He promised more
man that. He would superintend the
erection of her stall and decorate II
himself She wondered at his enthusi- |
ism. When he refused payment for the
work she was embarrassed. This had
not been what she intended. Nor did
she realize till long afterward that a
BUSY artist could not spend two davs
overseeing the erection and decoration
IF the most beautiful booth in the bazaar
without some pecuniary loss
she was charmed with his work and
1nbent 10 be graciOus-although she had
irst cast a startled glance at the dis
man in evening clothes
Tho approached her, when Wyndbam
became a purchaser at her stall.
Because he read her thought so well |
le made bat a small purchase there-a
rifle decorated by her own hands She
aw him spend freely at another booth
After that Wyndham removed 10
'etter studio. He would try to forget
Ter he told himself He did not spc-
eed. Every frou-frou Of silken skirts
lpon his stairs made his heart pound
xpectantly. one day she came.
He hoped she had not noticed his nal
OF and nervousness when he welcomed