Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-05

turned back to his book and refused to remember wha
had made him sigh.
At last however, the heat increasing, Madame Victo
remembered the Apennines, and the day for their de
parture set. Jane heard it from Rudolph with
disguise of her dread
What shall do them" she said "What shall I dc
them"
They were sitting on the sun-dia bench in the earl,
evening, and Jane, in her little white gown, already
looked like the ghost OF the wonderful weeks that had
passed
You will live on here said Rudolph and the realit,
OF James suffering called unwonted earnetness to his
words, IN the world of beautiful things that have
believed in. And you will believe in them still, and
will work, and some day"
Rudolph saw the little of the moon over the
naples. His voice broke. Life so infinitely sad he
thought, watching the little moon,
The night of Rudolphs arrival in Paris, Paris claimed
him. as of old, for her For poor Rudolph though
he loved beauty loved symbols more; and after Six
months fiery enough labor in atelier where he fat
tened upon praise, and called sharp criticism envy and
tattened anyway he went the way of many rich young
devoee OF the outside of things and slipped into the idle
lite OF petted dettane In his previous years in Paris
he had been comparatively unknown outside his set of
rich young Americans and pretty Frenchwomen, who
affected art for the sake of artfuness. But now he
CHANGED to execute charmngy certain series of for
ttiate orders, and he originated fad. He did dainty
shepherdesses and dancing shepherds he had been in
love with EACH and he painted dryads and naads if his
brush were made OF moss and water reeds And at last
he fashioned for comtesse pomade box with ouphe
and ph on the cover that delighted the comtesse and
his pretty fame began.
Thereafter he often at the Salon in the
company of some great lady to whom he remarked:
All, yes The Japanese certainly have the right
thought-the fine thought 1t is the little things that are
worth doing we'll the little vories the little porcelans
These great canvases-alas for art Surely God de-
lighted rather in ashioning the back of beetle than in
permitting the entire Sahara
Madame Victor died within the year of her return to
France, and just before her death she asked Rudolph
about Jane.
She answered my last letter" he replied plain
lively There was good phrase i'll it, too, 1 re-
member"
"Y You know that her father has died." said Madame
Victor, gently. Now she is living there alone"
Dear little SOUL said Rudolph, with real tears cher
whole life is the love of what she calls the fine things
Why here in Paris clever women use their love of
beauty clever mode of attracting clever them
It is one of their methodslike painting touching up
their hair They have such poverty of resource to
make it their whole life. Poor little Jane!"
- Poor little Jane! Two years after Rudolph left for
patiently to the little post-ofce twice day-sometmes
i'll the lonely days just after her fathers DEATH she would
go oftenerbut not until the two years had passed did
the light within her quite die out Then she did not
blame Rudolph; he was not strong, and he had been
drawn away from her; he worshpped beauty and some
beautiful, soulless woman had won him away; he had
forgotten the wonderful things that they two had loved
together.
At the end of the two years it chanced that one of
those of exaggerated greatness which are always
drifting back to prophets native town. reached Mid
dleton 1t only that by visitor in the town Ru
doph had been seen IN company with some very smart
gallery OF pictures and holding forth to the admiring
group the bad character of the exhibit The incident
nothing; remembered by the narrator merely
give himself importance through having been in the
gallery too; but Jane translated it to all her fears.
Rudolph had not been won away by the beautiful soul
less woman whom he had pictured! He had found
James little glimmer of understanding of beauty
too feeble in this food of radiant experience! So
Jane eproached herself that her love had of late led her
into idleness and dreams. She had not read she had
not studied; she had only thought of Rudolph, OF
course he had gone on with his work and he had, no
doubt felt in her letters that she resting in her
love, content with old levels When this belief entered
her heart she early and went for days to the little
Middleton library, turning over volumes, reading re-
views making ready for her last pitiful play This was
to write him etterto write it four times, poor little
Jane into which crept only or two tender fright
ened little ove-words, while the pages filled with
judgment of this book, mention of that poem and trem
blingly, few little fances of her
1t was in answer to this that Rudolph of Paris sent
her the letter of which he had spoken to his mother
Little lane dear little Jane you do so understand.
L0Ve is cYovHed loUe that is not chiefly loUe of
beauty. Al friendships and frtdonS mast be gross aud
e5eH commonplace If they are not heiPed on as 90dS
ours by symbols rather than H the old UHlgdy, dredry
fashion by balls and teas. shall always remember your
exquisite dPtncSS.
Jane never wrote again. Gradually she took up the
thread of her old life She had always lived a little
aoof Her fathers death had lett her quite alone IN the
old house, and by she had rejected the possbii-
ties of welcoming willing maiden aunts and cousins to
share it with her She had missed the best at least she
would not be tortured by having those about her by
whom spade is always called spade, even II it is
primrose.
The death of one of these relatives young widowed
aunt happened little time later, and Jane went to
neighboring town to the funeral
You must come, Jane" wrote ministering cousin;
81 guess you're the only in the family that's got
good black clothes The rest of mourners will be Ill
brown and navy blue, and III my dark red henrietta
So be and be on hand"
Tucked away in the mourners' carriage with Jane was
little scrap of girl with great eyes and little pointed
face She was the child of the dead Jane had
hardly been aware of her existence and she was curl
ousy startled when in the gloom of the carriage the
little girl suddenly slipped her hand in hers. Jane
thrilled from head to foot and her eyes filled with tears
Poor little SOUL" Jane thought probably Matte
will bring her up"
Coming back in the carriage the child spoke
My mama had box O Shells" she said I'll show
you"
When they reached the house. the child brought the
shells and poured them in James lap
Il like to look at them, because they make me think
nice things that can't remember said the little girl
Jane suddenly looked in the little cfface, and then
at Matte the minstering cousin who putting the
chairs in place with all the bustng Importance OF set
Ting the Vatican.