The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-06-07
CHAPTER III

own room, passing. with face
averted. the entrance to the broad, low
eeilInged chamber that had served
Roger Tabor as u studio for almost
6fty 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 dlngy 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. IL
iimitably detailed, worked to smooth
ness like a glaze and all lovingly done
with unthinkable labor.
After time the old man got up,
went to his easel near a window and,
signing again, began patiently to work
upon one of these faiIures-a portrait
in oil of a 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 and the beneficiaries 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 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.
Ariel's 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. 81 suppose so" he said. though
1t seemed to me I was just getting my
hand in" His eyes frightened for
moment Il declare. | believe I've
caught 1t a great deal better Come
and look Ariel. Doesn't it seem to
you that I'm getting it? Those pearly
shadows in the fesh"-
I'm sure of 1t. 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. IT'S too good for them"
mo" he murmured in return. You |
can do much better yourself Your /
sketches show it,
"No, no"' she protested quickly.
Eyes, they do and wondered If it |
was only because you were young. But |
those did when was young are al I
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 ! see-grown so
that the world is full of beauty to me
that never dreamed of seeing when /
began. But | cant paint it, | can't
get 1t on the canvas. All. | think |
might have known how to If hadn't
had to teach myself, if I could only |
have seen how some of the other fell
lows did their work. II I'd ever saved
money to get away from Canaan-lf
could have gone away from it and
come back knowing how to paint tiff
l could have got to Paris for inst one
month Paris for just one month";"
Perhaps we will You can't tell
what may happen" 1t was always her
you're young, you're young. lie
smiled indulgently. What were you
doing all this afternoon, childW /,
"In my room, trying to make over
mammals wedding dress for tonight"
"Tonight?'
mamie Pike invited me to dance
1t their house." t4
Every well. I'm 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 establishment. Il
81 don't know. Perhaps it's because
| don't dress very we'll" Then, us he ,
made n sorrowful gesture. she cut him
I 0erore ne could speak. oh, It Isn't
together because we're poor. It's
more don't know how to wear what
I've got the way some girls do. l
never cared much and-well. I'm not
Roger. And | think I've
lone good deal with mammals dress. {
It's very grand dress. | wonder / |
never thought of wearing II until to-
la. | may be"-she laughed and I
1lushed-"I may be the belle of the c
knowsw
you'll want me 10 walk over with 9
you and come for you afterward, I ex- g
Anai n