The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1909-09-23
A SERVICE OF LOVE,
Story of Two Art Students Who
T0ileGSFor Each Other.
BY o. HENRY.

Copyright. 1905. by Mcclure. Phillips &
When one loves ones art no service
seems too hard.
That is our premise. This story shall
draw conclusion from it and show at
the same time that the premise is in
correct That will be a new thing in
logic and a feat in story telling some
what older than the great wall of
China.
Joe Larrabee came out of the post
oak fats of the middle west puls1ng
with a genius for pictorial art. At six
he drew a picture of the town pump
with a prominent citizen passing it
hastily. This effort was framed and
hung in the drug store window by the
side of the ear of corn with an uneven
number of rows. At twenty he left
for New York with flowing necktie
and capital tied up somewhat
closer.
Della Caruthers did things in six
octaves SO promisingly in pine tree
village in the south that her relatives
Clipped in enough in her chip hat for
her to go north" and finish" They
could not see her f. But that is our
story.
Joe and Della met in an atelier
where q number of art and music stu
dents had gathered to discuss chiaros-
euro. Wagner, music, Rembrandt's
works, pictures, Waldteufel, wall pa
per, Chopin and oolong.
Joe and Della became enamored one
of the other or each of the other, as
you please, and in a short time were
married, for (see above) when one
loves ones art no service seems too
hard.
keeping in fiat. 1t was a lonesome
fat-something like the A sharp way
down at the left hand end of the key
board And they were happy. for they
had their art, and they had each other.
And my advice to the rich young man
would be-sell all thou hast and give
it to the poor-janitor for the privilege
of living in flat with your art and
your Della.
Flat dwellers shall indorse my die
tum that theirs is the only true happi-
ness. If home is happy it cannot fit
too close. Let the dresser collapse
ard become a billiard table; let the
mantel turn to rowing machine, the
escritoire to a spare bedchamber, the
washstand to an upright piano; let the
four walls come together. If they will.
so you and your Della are between.
But If home be the other kind let it be
wide and long-enter you at the Gold
en- Gate, hang your hat on Hatteras,
your cape on Cape Horn and go out
by the Labrador
Joe was painting in the class of the
great Magister-you know his fame.
His fees are high, his lessons are light,
his high lights have brought him re-
nown. Della was studying under Ro-
senstock-you know his repute as
disturber of the piano keys.
They were mighty happy as long as
their money lasted. So is every But
I will not be cynical. Their aims were
very clear and defined. Joe was TO be-
come capable very soon Of turning out
pictures that old gentlemen with thin
side whiskers and thick pocketbooks
would sandbag one another in his stu
dio for the privilege Of buying. Della
was to become familiar and then con-
temptuous with music. so that when
she saw the orchestra seats and boxes
unsold she could have sore throat and
lobster in private dining room and
refuse to go on the stage.
But the best. in my opinion, was the
home life in the little f1at-the ardent
voluble chats after the days study