Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-07-08
| THE VISION SPLENDID
JS55ltI5|5y555l5}5J ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

he came to the world again. He was
walking rapidly through the heart of
the West. End. AS he walked, lie be-
came conscious of the great houses,
piled on each side Of the square-no-
BILE mansions occupied by the wealth
and fashion of the town. Many of
them were closed, for the season had
not commenced. Some, however, were
lighted and showed signs Of occupa-
tion, and, as he walked, one house
stood clearly in his memory because IT
gave picture to his receptive senses.
1t was a huge house, cold and gray.
but the room overlooking the square,
on the ground floor, was blaze Of wei
coming light. The details were hidden
by the window draperies.s They were
Of curious gauze-llke whiteness
throwing a film over the interior. LII
the light woman stood for moment,
the shadow Of her figure and face
thrown sharply on the gauze In silhou.
cite. The woman was plainly visible
regal figure. In white evening dress
But, though plainly visible, ,alluring
with the fascination Of her gaze, the
hlmy draperies hid the details; giving
only hint of the womans beauty
hint no sooner given than It was COW
cred and hidden again by the elusive
fabric Of the drapery. For a moment
the figure remained there, like a grace
full reckoning phantom. The artist
stood looking, eagerly, taking in the
possibilities.
'Famethe elusive goddess Fame
he said.
Ere the words had escaped him the
figure stepped from underneath the
light. in the direction Of the. door, and
as she passed out OF sight, the light
was switched OF, leaving the somber
house in darkness.
4Fame elusive; Fame seen-Fame
almost grasped. And when you stretch
out a hand to hold the garland, there
II nothing -only darkness" the artist
said aloud.
30 the great symbolic painting,
Fame, the Elusive, was born.
1t is not for mere writer to de-
scribe in awkward words a masterpiece
that can be remembered and Is still to
be seen. When 1t hung, completed, in
the Academy. year after Its compile
ton, 1t held crowd each day. Critics
debated and explained 1t, some raved
about 1t, some disliked It, But all the
men who paint and talk about painters
In the studios allowed that as paint
ing 1t was sheer masterpiece.
1t brought fame to Ralph Taunton's
studio doors; fame no longer elusive |;
3 fame that materIalized in the postal
delivery In fashionable correspond
ence; fame which took shape in the
press in criticism; fame which was
yisualized by the visitors who mounted
the studio steps. Society seemed to de-
eide that life had not exhausted Its
possibilities until Taunton had painted
Its portrait
Many time Ralph left his studio
( and walked the old promenade down
the Kings Road to the great squares,
contrasting the earlier days Of his ar
tistic career with the present. Many
times he sought the gray house In the
square at night for glimpse OF his
elusive mascot. But the house remain
ed closed and no light ever flashed
, from Its upper windows.
Two years later, in the early au-
tumn, he was crossing the channel. The
night was raw, cold and dark, and the
decks were deserted. Taunton paced
the forward deck alone, watching the
great boat leap through the darkness
to the song of the protesting waves.
His aimless musings were suddenly
broken. Along the deck, leading past
the upper cabins, woman moved out
Of the darkness beyond Into the light
swinging over the cabin entrance. Fo,
moment she stood In the white halo
regal figure In the blazing circle Of
light.
The painter started to his feet. and
his hand swept across his eyes. II
seemed like trick Of vision-some
strange phantasy played by the brair
on the eyees. The figure standing II
the light, sIlhouetted for few seconds
like statue, was real; but the face
looking from the awning out to sea
might have come straight from the pic
ture hanging on the studio wall
Madam one moments" he said, hi
voice sounding strangely hoarse.
"Well7' she asked, curtly and coldl,
at sounds futile. know" RALPH
said "but for "A moment thought 20,
we're not real-were vision out o
the mystic night"
The woman's fine eyes smiled for I
H,oment into his.
"a vision! Why yision7 What ,
strange thing to say! Do I look I'm
palpable7 Surely woman's creates
failurs!"