The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-02-26
CONTINUED
CHAPTER III.

III hopeless ana QlScOnSOI2te 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 q 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 mOonlighO,
dawn, morning, noon Main street at
noon, high summer first spring, red
autumn midwinter, all were there, IL
limitably detailed, worked to a smooth
ness like a glaze and all lovingly done
with unthinllable labor.
After a 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 q 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 benefciaries under
the will, and 1t 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
o.
when the light grew DINNER, leaning
closer to his canvas to see. When it
had become almost dark in the room
he lit a student lamp with a green
glass shade ard, placing it upon a ia
bic beside him, continued to paint
Ariels 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. Il suppose So" he said, though
it seemed to me was just getting my
hand in" His eyes frightened for
moment. Il declare, 1 believe I've
caught it q 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 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"
NO" he murmured in return. You
can do much better yourself. Your
sketches show it,"
mo, no"' she protested quickly.
Yes, they do. and 1 wondered if it
was only because you were young. But
those 1 did when I was young are al
most the same as the ones l 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 so
that the world is full of beauty to me
that never dreamed of seeing when l
began. But I can't paint it. l can't
get it on the canvas. All, I think l
might have known how to If I hadn't
had to teach myself. if I could only
have seen how some of the other fell
lows did their work. If I'd ever saved
money to get away from CanHan-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 viii. You can't tel
what may happen" 1t was always bel
reply to this cry of his
you're young, you're young" He
smiled indulgently. What were yoU
doing all this afternoon, child?"
In my room, trying to make ove'
mammals wedding dress for tonight"
"Tonight?'
mamie Pike Invited me to a dance
at their house"
Very well. I'm glad you're going t.
be gay" he said, not seeing the family
bitter smile that came to her face
7 don't think III be very gay" sht
answered. "I don't know why 1 go
/ Nobody ever asks me to dance"
'Why not?" he asked, with an OH
mans establishment.
1 don't dress very well" Then, as b
made a sorrowful gesture, she cut hin
I OF before ne could speak. "Oh, it ism
altogether because we're poor. I'll
more l don't know how to wear wha
I've got, the way some girls do.
never cared much and-well, I'm no
worrying, Roger. And I think ",
done u good deal with mammals dress
It's q very grand dress. l wonder
never thought Of wearing 1t until to
day. I may be'-she laughed ant
blushed-"I may be the belle of til,
ball-who knows
You'll want me to walk over witt
you and come for you afterward, I ex
pect"
Only to take me. It may be lat
when I come away-if a good man,
should ask me to dance for once. o