The San Francisco call., 1910-03-13

VTYETHERBY made his way up the
w half dark stairway TO his
w studio, walked to the window.
looked across the indistinct house
tops TO the steeple clock and observed
that it wasn't quite time for the boys
to come in.
He wasn't so dead anxious to see
Them either
He threw his overcoat over chair
back and sat down in the dark against
some dubious cushions near the
smouldering remains of a fire against
which he had showed a wire fender
when he left the place an hour before
TO hunt some supper
1t was blustery night outdoors. and
dreary enough inside deserted
studio when a fellow hadn't money
enough to even propose on.
Wetherbys chin sank lower against
his collar as he allowed himself to
slip down into an even more uncom-
Portable position on the old couch.
Mrs. Ferro had asked him that very
afternoon. while he was at work on
her portrait. why he didn't quit this
dreary existence and find wife.
He wondered vaguely whether she
suspected him of having already
chosen the wife. and il occurred 10
him to marvel ever so slightly how
she could refer TO anything involving
money when the portrait had been
hanging on so long. She was des-
perately hard TO satisfy in the matter
of her canvas face. but he couldn't
plead poverty 70 patron. She would
~ ,rs1a nd MI rrtr1,
when she finally called the thing fin
ished: but what was that in lieu OF an
income? You couldn't ask a beautiful
girl to live on less than her father could
give her. Love in a cottage was all
very well for those who hadn't expert
enced the garret, but
He heard a stamping Of feet in the
empty hall. and Wilson and Andy came
believing in. Hello. old mani No
matches. or case of blue devils?''
''Oh. neither Come in Bad night"
feet are waterlogged. and it's safe 70
assume that you haven't any slippers TO
Offer
wilson's badly in need of wife TO
Not much Of It, denied the wet one.
I'm quite young enough to hold of till
prices take drop.
Who said anything about slump in
prices?'' broke in new arrival. 1t was
Jack Allen. who came in, followed by
Bland, Craven and the rest of the regu-
lars They freQuented WetherbyS S
studio because il the truth were known.
there were no women there. They were
ladies' men, as a majority. but this was
a rough-and-tumble place devoted after
hours TO club purposes II was, at its
best and busiest workshop and no ro-
seate tearoom. There were plenty Of
paint pots, wet canvases and some dry
ones, too that Wetherby hadn't sold.
prices answered Andy. There was an
observation as 10 the high ones
All. l see. it's all made plain. said
Bland ''Wetherbys prices have gone
up. his sales gone off and matrimony is
postponed once more" Only silence
came from the Wetherby side of the
room, where its owner was busily roll
ing log into the fireplace and poking it
into position.
There. Bland. help yourself to one
OF Craven's cigars" came a voice
from the darkest corner. .and let's
talk matrfmony some more. I'd get
married right now. but nobody wants
me. You can laugh, all of you. but
I'm a fearsome soul. and I'm down.
right afraid of being refused -
MacGrath gave a heavy sigh. You
always were a meek one Now. per-
sonaly, I'm afraid of being accept
ed
I'VE aren't all such bellies as you
are, MacGrath. I'm with Brown over
there in the corner. It's a matter for
fear. There's grave danger of being
refused. There's certain presump-
tion in proposing. A girl isn't giving
away her feelings these days. and a