Evening star., 1909-04-17

ent colOrS - and q
sa die horse on
- = which TO exercise
~ his tired body after
a mornings work at his easel and a box
of-a-place up in the woods where he
spent a few weeks in the early summer
before he went over to see what was
going on at the Royal Academy and at
the Salon.
None of these things belonged to Marry
at this time. Even his milk was left
outside his studio door. and his paper
bought at the corner. 1t was when pull
ing In this milk one morning that he
first made the acquaintance Of ''Old Sun
shine" The cans had got mixed. Marny's
pint having been laid at the old mans
door and the old mans gill ut Marny's,
and the rectifying of the mistake-"Old
Sunshine" did the rectifying-laid the
basis of the acquaintance.
Everybody, Of course. in the studio
building knew him and his old sister by
sight, but only one or two well enough
to speak to him; none of them to speak
to the poor, faded old woman. who would
climb the stairs SO many times a day.
always stopping for her breath at the
landing. and always with some little
package pinch of tea, or a loaf of
fpoo NJ nhnN-uyhfNh
hid under her apron if she heard any
ones step She was younger than her
brother by a few years, but there was
no mistaking their relationship: their
noses were exactly aiike-long. semi
transparent noses. protruding between
two wistful, china blue eyes peering from
under eyebrows shaded by soft gray hair.
The rooms to which the old sister
climbed. and where the brother worked.
up under the corridor skylight, the iron
ladder to its trap being bolted to the
wall outside their very door. 1t was
summer up there, the old brother said.
One Of the rooms he used for his studio.
sleeping on cot behind a screen; the
other was occupied by his sister. What
little housekeeping was necessary went
on behind this door. Outside, on its up
per panel. was tackled card bearing
his name:
ADOLPHE wOOLFSEN.
The agent who collected his rent al
ways addressed him correctly. eff it was
agreeable to Mr.. woolfsen. he would like
to collect" etc. Sometimes 1t was agree
able to Mr.. Woolfsen and sometimes it
was not. When 1t was agreeable-this
the janitor said occurred only when Q
letter came with foreign postmark on It
the old painter would politely beg the
agent to excuse him for q moment, and
shut the door carefully in the agents
face. Then would follow a hurried NOV
ing of easels and the shifting Of long
screen across his picture. Then the
agent would be received with courteous
bow and handed to a chair--a wreck Of q
chair. with the legs unsteady and the
back wobbly-while the tenant would
open an old desk, take china pot from
one of the cubby -holes, empty it Of the
contents and begin to count out the
money. smiling graciously all the time
When 1t was not agreeable to pay the
door was closed gently and silently in
the agents face. and no amount Of pound
ing opened 1t asain-not that day, at
least.
Old Marny knew what was behind that
screen and only Marry OWNED the old
mans reasons for concealing his canvas
30 carefully, but this was not until after
weeks of friendly greeting, including the
old sister. whom he once helped up the
stairs with basket-an unusual occur
renee for her, and. OF course, for him. 1t
was a measure Of coal and a bundle Of
wood that made 1t 30 heavy. But Marny
trayed himself.
THANK you, sir" she said in her low,
sweet, gentle voice, her pale cheeks and
sad eyes turned toward him. my brother
will be so pleased. No; can't ask you
In. for he is much absorbed these days,
and l must not disturb him."
At first the painters sobriquet OF "Old
Sunshine puzzled Marny; he saw him
but seldom, but never when his face had
anything sunny about 1t. 1t was always
careworn and earnest, an eager, hungry
look In his eyes.
Bolts. who had the next studio to
Marry, solved the mystery.
Hes crazy over u color scheme: gone
daft on purples and yellows. / haven't
seen it-nobody has except his old sis
ter. He keeps 1t covered up. but he's
got a 50x60 that he's worked on for years.
Claims to have discovered a palette that
will make a man use smoked glasses
when his picture Is hung on the line.
That's why he's called old Sunshine"
The next day he kept his studio door
omen and his ear 'unbuttoned. and when
A. ,a r,an,s sfeps approa ched his door