Evening star., 1909-04-17

Don't MIND coming In, do you. Marny
laughed. i've struck q snag in q bit Of
drapery and can't get anything out Of it.
I thought you might help" and before
the old fellow could realize where he was
Marny had him In q chair before his
canvas
I'm not a figure painter" the old man
said simply.
''That don't make any difference. Tell
me what's the matter with that shadow
its lumpy and fat" and Marry pointed
to fold Of velvet lying across sofa.
on which was seated the portrait Of a
stout woman-one of Marny's pot-boilers
the wife Of a rich brewer who wanted
picture at a poor price-one which aft
erward made Marny's reputation, SO mas
terful was the brushwork. The old studio
building was full Of just such customers.
but not of such painters.
ITS Of the old school," said the painter.
'I could only criticise It in one way, and
that might offend YOU"
Go on-what Is the matter with it,"
The old man rubbed his chin slowly and
looked at Marny under his bushy eye
brows.
IT am afraid to speak. You have been
very kind. My sister says you are al
ways polite. and SO few people are polite
nowadays"
''Say what you Please; don't worry
about me. I learn something every day"
mo; cannot. 1t would be cruel to
tell you what I think, and Louise would
not like 1t when she knew had told you,
and must tell her. We tell each other
everything"
'Ts the color wrong?" persisted Marny
''1've got the gray-white Of the sky. as
you see. and the reflected light from
the red plush Of the sofa, but the shad-
ows between Would you try a touch
Of emerald green here?''
The old man had risen from his seat
now and was backing away toward the
door. his hat In his hand. his bald head
and the scanty gray hairs about his tenn
pies glistening in the overhead light Of
the studio.
1T would do you no good, my dear
Mr.. Marry. Paint is not color. Color is
an essence, q rhythm. . blending Of
tones as exquisite as the blending Of
sounds in the fall Of a mountain brook.
Match each sound and you have its
melody. Match each tone and you have
light. am working-working. Good
morning.
his face aglow with an enthusiasm which
seemed to mingle with his words.
"Stop! Don't go. That's what think
myself" cried Marry. Talk to me about
it!''
The old man dropped the knob and
looked at Marny searchingly.
''You are honest with me?
Perfectly"
:'Then when I triumph you shall see!
and you shall see 1t FIRST. will como
for you; not yet-not yet-perhaps to-
morrow, perhaps next month-but I will
GOMEZ" and he bowed himself out.
The faded sister was waiting for him
at the top Of the stairs. She had seen
her brother mount the first fight and
the fourth, all this by peering down be-
tween the banisters. Then he had dis
appeared. This. being unusual. had
startled her.
He had taken of his coat now, care
fully, the lining being out Of ono sleeve.
The sister hung 1t on a nail behind the
door, and the painter picked up his pal
cite and stood looking at a large can
vas on an easel. Louise tiptoed out Of
the room and closed the door of her own
apartment. When her brother began
work she always left him alone. Triumph
might come at any moment. and even q
word wrongly spoken would distract. his
thoughts and spoil everything. She had
not forgotten-nor never would-how, two
years before, she had come upon him
suddenly just as an exact tint had been
mixed. and. before he could lay it on his
canvas had unconsciously interrupted
him, and all the hours and days Of study
had to be done over again. Now they
had a system; when she must enter she
would cough gently: then. II he did not
hear her she would cough again; il he
did not answer she would wait. some-
times without food. until far into the
afternoon, when the daylight failed him.
Then he would lay down his palette. COW
ering his colors with water, and begin
washing his brushes. This sound she
knew. Only then would she open the
door.
Bolts had given Marny the correct size
OF the canvas, but he had failed to de-
scribe the picture covering it. 1t was q
landscape showing the sun setting behind
a mountain. the sly reflected In lake.
In the foreground vas q stretch Of
meadow. The sky was yellow and the
mountain purple: the meadow reddish
brown. In the center Of the canvas was
a white spot the size of q pill box. This
was the aun and the center NJ fhA color