The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-21
THE EVENING STORY
Rose of the North.
(RY Ella NJ. Bangs

Dark, wistful-eyed, slender and clad
in the simplest of cotton garments,
Felipe Rubio stood outside the entrance
to La Academia de San Carlos, as he
had stood many times before, hoping
that in some way he might be permit
ted to enter the building. He had no
money to pay his way so it might be
that a miracle would take place, for
had he not prayed Our Lady of
Guadalupe to let him pass within to
the wonders of which as yet he had
only dreamed? Still no miracle came,
and it seemed to the boy that he had
waited much longer than the twelve
years which composed his life.
On this morning, however, something
unusual did happen, for as Felipe still
hung about the entrance a party of
tourists approached, and the boys
quick eye saw that they were not Of
his country. They were doubtless from
that other republic north of Mexico,
and of which he had sometimes heard.
A little girl, rosy-cheeked, blue-eyed
and flaXen-haired, danced beside her
father and spoke in a language he did
not understand With an adroit move
ment he followed the party, for he was
not without the hope that he Nigh:
| slip in among them unnoticed by the
attendant.
This, however, was not his first at
! tempt of this kind, and he was prompt
! ~ recognized and thrust out. So plead
| ing a look was in his face that the
visitors remarked it, and man put al
| inquiry to their conductor.
''Oh, the little vagabond is trying 20
| get into the academy without paying
| was the response.
| More conversation followed, in which
the white clad little girl had a voice.
| Her father smiled indulgently. well,
| Isabel, if you wish it, he said, and the
next moment, to his unspeakab1e de-
| light, Felipe was told that he might go
in with the others.
He turned to thank the gentleman
| to whose kindness he was indebted
when that person. with a smilefi point
| ed to the child at his side. With a
| graceful sweep of his 1.-THE body Felipe
| exclaimed what was in English:
''Thank you, thank you! Rose of the
| North"
| He thanks you. and calls you Rose
of the North" their conductor ex-
planned.
Already the boy had turned from
the wonderful pictures that spread
| around him. This was what he had
SO longed for, to see these paintings,
for then he believed he could make a
picture himself. Here were the works
of Titan. of Muril1o. Van Dyke. and
| others of whom he had never heard,
but the one object which he was most
eager to see was the painting of Felix
| Para, MeXicO'S own artist.
At last he stood before it, forgetting
all else as he gazed at the strong fig
ures, the priest clasping his crucifix,
| the Indian woman at his feet, the
| touches of red in her rebosa and the
stain, the life blood of the man fallen
stand out amid the softer tints of the
painting. Long the boy stood here
and again as long before Velasco's
beautiful valley of Mexico" Was
! it possible for men to paint like this :?
| Felipe had no thought of time, for
it was not until the gallery was about
to be closed for the day that he left
the building.
without doubt, you have enjoyed
yourself an attendant remarked.
"Si, senior" was the response, for
he had no words to express what he
| felt. He seemed to have been in an
other world. He was tired now, very
tired, and hungry no doubt, but it
had been the happiest day of his life
The inspiration of it all stayed with
him, and he dreamed of it often sit
ting apart from his childish compan-
lens in their play. He dreamed, too.
of wonderful pictures which he had
never, seen but which he himself would
paint one day.
It was months later when an artist
i saw some of his crude drawings, and,
recognizing talent, offered to help him.
His work was encouraged, and in one
way and another he worked on, sur
mounting obstacles, till his teachers
declared they could teach him nothing
more.
He was an artist, and it came about
that he, Felipe Rubio, was to have q
picture exhibited in the Academy of
San Carlos! To this, his greatest work
as yet, he gave the name "A Dream OF
Achievement" and in it he had pic
} tured himself, a small, barefooted,
bare-headed boy, sitting on the ground
with hands clasped about his knee, and
wistful face appraised, and dark eyes
that seemed gazing at beautiful visions
that floated vaguely in the upper dis
lance, while in more pronounced shades
stood out the figures of his playmates
about him.
He was at work upon another paint
: ing. This showed f1axen-hafred little
girl standing half smiling as her blue
eyes looked into those of the spectator.
There was color in her cheeks. and in
her white dress she presented dainty
little creation, the original of which
was not to be found among natives OF
the artists own city. That he realized
, the truth of this was shown by the
name he had given his work. Felipe
called this painting, Rose of the
| North" It was painted from memory,
but memory had served him well.
Fifteen years had passed since the
. day when this little Rose of the North
had been the means of opening up 10
, him a new world, and now Senior
Felipe Rubio would see other countries
the work of artists other than those
> to be seen at San Carlos.
He sailed to the old eastern lands
E AMI at length reached once more the
western world, and there came a day
1 | when he found himself in New York
| In this metropolis of the new world he
y decided to remain for the present. He
0 sent for his paintings. and in due time
n they arrived and were placed on ex-
thibition, and soon it became quite tn;