The Evening standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1910-1913, 1910-08-20


and"
Her prim little figure was dressed In black alpaca
Her ncckwear was OF spotlesS white, and above It
her delicate sharp featured face But the real
personal touch TO the old lady her bonnet
That bonnet delight bit of millinery that
vas masterpiece of expression. 1t self-asSured
even aggressive, 1t unyelding and orthodox
1t had been created for Its and no other and
she 1t S part of herself II was fashioned of
mourning silk and bit of jet that stood up straight
as ramrod had thought the species extinct
"Oh, most upright judge murmured ns gazed
upon It Little mercy would hope from you if you
knew my secret sin OF this very minute. Here In tho
Metropolitan Art Museum and with scarcely two
coins to clinl together and of work" The little
old lady had In charge limp female whom I felt
she had piloted hther In perfect safety
the crowded thorouchfares for the callous
heart of New York cab horse must needs have re-
pected the authority vested In that bonnet
What MD # would be to the policeman,
bought if only pattern might be obtained"
The check suggested that he relieve the old
ody of her umbrella and three parcels, left them,
pushed through the little brass revolving gate and
TODD in the quiet rotundn Of the museum
wandered about without a guide. Just led solely
" my instinct and taste came nj last to a bronze
roup that puzzled me. 1t utterly different from
II the nude figure Of a woman one foot a-tip
the other lifted If trcadinC upon air. The
icurc Slight almost spiritlikc only very human
po In upraiscd hand cluster of grapes
md In her face Wild mad, insane Joy. In the left
she held infant whose body and face mir
'ored the emotions of hers, but In its infantlnc
gay-as the stars give light even the The
baby hands reached for the fruit and the face was
Trunk with the unknown dream of desire There was
,I,aI,r al,z,
immoral, because it real
What is it-what is it?" thought | had never
heard of the MacMonnies Bacchante
ut must be the sensuaity of excess" thought
Just then the little old lady and her charge came
llong. The bonnet bristled with disapproval
I'm jes shown ycw this because It's here" the
old lady explained "an longs yewrc here ycw might
we'll 1t all But It's SANDER to the SEX sicn
er thing. But the newspapers dew tell erbout sIch
carryins among them big rich folks bet tbey's no
ellin eff there amt trewth than poetry IT, jes'
The same"
The limp female turned toward her In mild horror
"Oh, Cousin EGy! 1 wouldn't say that now 'Taint
tinder Christian"
well" replied the old lady tartly "ef taint
why's 1t here them
The limp female youcbsafed response. They
passed and the Bacchante laughed
I climbed stairs and to where the paint
nGs My heart beat quickly With pleasure l
aad never experienced before,
| had never dreamed that pictures could hold n
oleSsnge for me- something that / could translate
Into words, only just feel.
There was one painting of the sea The fresh salt
with the upon It md laughing mermalds
porting In the All of n sudden knew that l,
TOO had seen these merfolk and known and loved
Them. only had not the magic power of calling them
up before others eyes. l realized for the first time
something of the marvel of art and strange longing
for this magic power to like faint wind
md was gone. After that / seemed 10 move i'll
iream, drinking In the beauty OF what | a
porchcd flower drinks in the rain.
There was, OH such tiny canvas beside these
nreer that held me long. ] have slnce learned
That it IS called '"rhe QuestioneT Of the Sphinx"
The Man Appears.
There nt the lips of that gigantic mystery, por-
rayed upon so small canvas. worn, ascetic figure
bent listening At the lips Of the eternal silence the
OF faith
was glad that the old lady Of the bonnet was not
near 1t Is best sometimes to be alone, After time
went Al the end Of one OF the rooms hung
scry large canvas Bastien Lepage's Jeanne dare"
But ] did not know this mt The time. / only knew
that here something to bring the swift tenrs, here
was n strange new beauty that | had never seen por-
trayed before beauty of the spirit alone white
Gauc tat burned within. making holy the rough outer
temple. OH | that figure Of the Maid
of Orleans. the heavy peasant body clad In coarse
homespun and the face OF her ransfgured blue gray
eyes wide and gazing at the vision of things to be,
listening 10 the voices Of the three who spoke. The
one is armor The veled one and that other one who
w"pt.
The light OF truth now 10 be shcd upon my ig
norancc, The omuipresent old lady aud the limp
female there, guide book in hand
That's Johann of Are" the old lady announced"
looSng critically over her glasses As hcre was no
response she turned toward her charge, who perceN
Ing That something expected OF her coughed de'
prccaungly and remarked -
She looks Ike she has lots of strength of cborae-
Ter, Cousin EGy"-
shes scclu' things said the old lady.
On did want to laugh. | turned away to find my
SCH gazing into pair OF amused eyes. smiled be-
'"uNe Tor tile moment humor had yanquisheh person"
amy. Here was d human creature who laughed with
me. but Il sudden warning flashed 10 my brain.
remembered not to smile into strange But were
these eyes strange?