The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-10-01
The Summit

| Inc CHILL Oh autumn beemeU now 10
| have touched the blood Of all things.
Since early summer the artist and his
hostess daughter had roamed the
fields and sailed the river together in
congenial companionship. Finding
marked talent in the country girl he
had taught her to draw and to use
the brush, kindly predicting a credi-
| able future for her as an artist. The
| art lessons had brought them much
together. 1t was the old story Of the
man of the world, seeking his amuse-
ment and selfishly regardless Of the
simple moth ffuttering about the can
die; and of the inexperienced country
girl, her fancy and her heart captivat-
ed by the first cultured man she had
ever met.
In order to attain to the place that
his gifts entitled him to he must have
money and social position, and to OBJ
tain these he must marry wisely.
Gradually he had brought home to her
benumber comprehension that he must
marry a wife whose wealth and social
position would furnish stepping stones
to the recognition which his talents
deserved. His heart smote him as he
saw the girlish face pale and the soft
] eyes fill, and his conscience whis-
pered uncomfortable things. He knew
his power to charm and he had used
It But then, he assured the reproach-
| full voice within, he had been sincere,
he was really deeply fond Of her, and
1t was hard for him too. So he fell
to plying himself for the fate that di-
vided them. His first duty was to his
| art; his own selfish happiness must be
sacrificed to that.
"You, too, will become great art
lst," he said kindly, as he took the
little icy hand in parting. And the
trembling lips murmured YES"
The exhibition was crowded. Every
| body was there-the fashionable and
| the questionable, the artistic and the
| ugly, the connoisseur and the ignora-
mus, the art lover and the sightseer.
Everybody seemed to be moving in an
opposite direction from everybody else,
| and everybody seemed to be halting
before the very picture which every
body else wished at that particular
| moment to see. Everybody craned his
| or her neck as tall, fine-featured man
| entered the room. Hugh Campbell,
the artist" whispered everybody who
knew, and everybody who didn't know
soon did. The groups separated and
| made way for the distinguished paint
er and his companions as they made
tour of the room. Suddenly the art
ist stepped before one Of the canvases.
A bleak mountain loomed darkly to
the heavens, it's summit lost in clouds,
skilfully suggesting soft heaps of iride-
scent bubbles. A horseman was mad
ly urging his steed up the jagged side.
He was disheveled, haggard, wild,
| leaning over the neck of his horse,
| his eyes upon the bubbles overhead,
| and one arm outstretched eagerly to-
| ward the invisible peak. In the path
way behind him lay a woman's pros
trate form, struck down by the horse
Of the rider, who was blind to all save
what his glaring eye could see in the
clouds. 1t was striking, fascinating
picture, strongly handled. Everybody
consulted his or her catalogue to see
what the celebrated Mr.. Campbell
found worthy Of so long a study. The
picture was called Ambition" and
the artist was Kathryn Field.
Mr.. Hugh Campbell was waiting in
the drawing room of Miss Kathryn
Field. His artistic eye noted with ap-
proval the taste of the furnishings and
the fine reserve and discrimination in
the collection of art treasures. She