The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-04-08
A Virgnian Page for Each Member of the Family
HIS MASTERPIECE
IN STACEY r.. BAKER.

and tho disappointment was keen
/ that they were So few and Irregular
AT another time ne wrote.
So The work IL progressing
rapidly. Daily the eAuS as grows more
( beautiful, pQI In This / must accord
g share OF praise to the gar VINO Is
posing for the Inquire In the picture,
for II Is often her quick. kindly smile
and SOFT giances of encouraKeme AZ
that urge me to bring the best art
there Is In me to the surface. Like
myself. she is an Amer can. and
| when the shadows thiCkcn and II
I grows too dark TO paint. we sit by
the studio fire aud chat about our
friends and home, sweet home. But
5 for this during the first days the
loneliness would have become unbear-
{ able. and l think | woulu nave oeen
Z tempted TO throw IL up and SO back
/ 20 tho old life and there the page
turned and harguerites eyes bright
eaed exrectantist All my friends In
the land Of the Stars and Stripes"
Marguerite quietly tossed the letter
on the blazing logs with gcornful
toss Of her head. Not a word apoo
her own sacrifice In sending him
away from her 10 make something Of
his life, but only words OF praise for
the girl who had So lately come into
their world.
Spring found the -ChautrYs in
Europe. They fingered longest in fair
ttaty, the fEUd OF azure skies and
golden sunlight. and the home of the
old masters Their ancient paintings
had peculiar fascination for Mar
guerite, and she often found herself
thinking u Paul Worthington with a
Htstfui tenderness, and wondering If
his name would ever be classed
among the famous painters OF pic
lures
Upon their arrival in Rome they
found the city ringing with the
praises of an unknown artist named
Clyde, whose picture was on exhibit
ton in the art gallery. Even the
critics were silent before 1t; there was
not flaw in the exquisite painting
AT the first opportunity Marguerite
Chantry visited the gallery and wait
ed patiently until the crowd per
rnitted her to stand in the line that
viewed the famous painting. There
were other pictures by the same
artist hanging In the room, but it was
before this one that the crowds
fingered. This is his masterpiece,
they said softly. almost reVerently.
Gradually the crowd melted away
and Marguerite stood before the won
uErful picture. Lake uIeaUl set
stretched the field or snowy daisies
with flaming hearts Of gold, as If the
dazzling Wilderness OF their petals had
lured the golden sun from Its home
In the high heavens and imprisoned
* in their hearts. and from this
starry carpet. like spirit of the
mist. rose a slender gray eyed girl IN
fiimy white; her arms were fllled
with the pale. pure blossoms, and half
sadly. half tenderly. she gazsd ON
tfsir snowy loveliness. A buttsr-
fly exquisiteiy tinted and fecked
with gold, poised on one velvet petal
as II ready to take flight. and yet
loved TO finger amid such beauty
/ White wind-tossed clouds were over
head, and the glorious light OF morn
Ing tinged the entire painting with
an ethereal glow.
/ Marguerite felt as If the ground
were slowly slipping from beneath
/ her feet, for the girl on the canvas
I was herself. Bewi' Tered she sought
her catalogue. Opposite the num Der
/ Of the picture she read. "Marguerites,
hy Paul Clyde Worthington."
A mist swan before her eyes and
she swayed slightly. Suddenly the
crowd parted and "A tall commanding
/ ngnre stood, before the picture, Mar
| uuarite felt her ify fingers caught in