The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1909-08-06
HER NAMES
SHADOW.
By ESTHER sANGBoRN.
Copyrighted, 1909. by Associated
Literary Press.

IL she had not been named Beryl
perhaps Miss Stanhope would not have
thought herself so hopelessly plain, so
thoroughly and utterly unattractive.
But that name-so beautiful, SO poetic
al, sounding like an utterance In one
short burning word Of womanly
beauty almost divine-was as q curse
to her.
1t made her morbid. She shivered
lest people learn 1t and smile at the
incongruity.
Superconscious of her angles, her
lack Of color and dark circled eyes, re-
fiected in every shop window, Beryl
wondered why she had been named SO
anonymously. She almost cried when
q wizened old woman with parch-
ment skin, in charge Of fruit stand,
answered to the name Of Violet.
What would she, Beryl Stanhope, be
like twenty-five years hence?
She could not free herself from the
tormenting thought. In old age, with
ugliness intensified, she must still hear
the musical Beryl applied to her, a
name designed for round, milk
skinned creature, with hair like corn
silk and eyes the color Of calm sea,
the cool, restful blue that is more
nearly green.
She was reasoning to silence her
ever renewed womanly hunger for
beauty Of person when she tapped at
the studio shared by her brother and
Lindley Wood. Her brother was out,
but Wood was painting feverlshly, a
seldom seen exultation on his serious
face.
"Come In, Miss Stanhope," he called
Hospitality. "Dick will be. back in a
jiffy. We are both making hay while
the sun shines this week. Miss Cuyler
is kindly posing for us, and she leaves
the city Monday.
Beryl had not glanced at the model
throne, but at this she turned quickly
and caught her breath with q little
gasp A girl with the sheen of corn
silk In her hair and eyes like a lapis
lazuli sea was silhouetted against a
background Of pale green plush.
A sharp pain that Beryl did not
know was envy shot to her heart as
she drank in the sumptuous coloring
of the nonchalant beauty. Recovering
her composure with an effort, she re-
turned Miss Cuyler's greeting and
stepped forward.
"Are you and Dick working on one
theme Mr.. Wood?" she asked. "May
I seer
"Not one theme" answered Wood.
"Dick is doing an Andromache, but
mine is only study, an ideal head.
I'll be very glad Of your criticism,
Miss Stanhope. My work fails to sat
isfy me-"
Lindley Woods pictures usually re-
ceived praise from his friends sister,
but for once there were no exclama-
tory remarks. After long look she
drew back step with heightened col
or.
wherefore the nameT she asked
haughtily.
''BerylT said Wood unconcernedly,
touching up the round white throat on
his canvas. 'That is just fancy Of
mine. Haven't you names to fit your
ideal types? l would not think Of
painting a blond Judith or dark
Rosamond. I've always had q liking
for the name of Berylv-with boyish
eagerness-"and Miss Cuyler happens
to look my conception of 1t. Do you
like the pose"
''Very much," she replied, thankful
she could say so honestly. But there
was q strange infection in her voice,
despite her effort. Lindley Woods
keen ear caught 1t, and he responded
with swift artistic intuition.
''You see something wrong with It,"
he exclaimed. II want to know what
1t is! Be frank, and tell me why you
do not like my Beryl,"
The living Beryl trembled foolishly
as she buttoned her coat. "Seek to
please the institute committee, not
me-" she laughed. my opinion is not
worth that doleful expression, Mfr.
Wood. Tell Dick l shall expect him
early" And. with nod that included
the model, she left the room.
Over their tete-a-tete dinner that
night Beryl tried to question her
brother about Lindley Woods interest
in Miss Cuyler. But she could not.
Her brother had been strangely pre-
occupied of late. and table conversa-
tion was monosyllabic.
'Wood hasn't been here for some
time," he remarked suddenly, and :
Beryl, surprised In her thoughts, was
glad that the doorbell spared her
reply. When Dick returned his
friends name was not mentioned.
Beryl sat reading in the little parlor
when her brother went out ito pay
some calls" he said evaslvely. When
the door closed behind him she drop
ped her book and assumed ease.
Pacing up and down the rooms. she
assured herself that she would SO to
work at something presently and for
get the episode. But, try as she would,
her heart was filed with bitterness
that her brothers friend-her friend.
too, she had once thought-should have
been so heartless, so utterly contemptu-
GUS Of her as to paint an ideal Beryl.
HE could not have told me my short
Somlngs more brutally In plain words"
whispered she passionately.
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