Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1910-05-20
7 win Spirits
By ESTHER NANDENEEF2
Copyright 1910. by American Press
Association.

He was Il geniuS-a genius of the
brush. When at his easel he was COM
pletely absorbed. At such time no one
could secure his attention. His lunch
con was brought in every day aud set
down beside him; but. although the
servant was instructed to call his at
tention to it, he seldom knew that 1t
was there. Often after he had tin
ished his work for the day he would
feel faint for want of food Then he
would arise to get some and frequent
~ knocked over the stool Oh which
his lunch had been placed and broke
the dishes.
She was poetess. She had had
lover: but. finding that she didn't feel
those heavenly thrills of which she
had written of people in such condi-
ion, she had broken off her engage
ment with him. She had seen the art
lists pictures and was sure she loved
the man who painted them. She burn.
ed to know him and asked every friend
she possessed to introduce her. But
none of them was acquainted with
him.
But her yearning for him would not
down. She resolved to visit him in his
studio. a friend to whom she had
given her confidence advised her to
"brush up Bit" leave off her black
alpaca and put on silk. But the rec
ommendation did not impress her.
Love was matter of the soul; it had
nothing to do with clothes. where
upon her friend adlnonished her to
wear something pretty all the same.
She went to his studio, climbed sew
eral flights of stairs-she was delicate.
and the effort made her heart throb
violently-and tapped softly at the
door. There was no response. No
sound came from within. She tried
the doorkuob, turning it gently. then
pushed the door slightly ajar He was
there. He sat at his easel before a
canvas on which were divine face
and figure. The latch slipped back.
making sound. She started, think
ing it would betray her. No; he went
on painting. What noble brow! His
tumbled hair-it was Embarrassed
the crown Of his august head.
What should she do? Should she
break the spell under which he work.
ed by speaking? No; there was chair
near by. She would go and sit upon
1t till he came to himself or from him
self So she went softly to the chair.
keeping her eyes upon him the while.
and sat down,
Alas, she sat upon a palette-a pal
cite on which were soft paints Of
many bright colors!
She sat looking at him, yearning for
him. Presently he looked aside from
his work and straight at her. Through
his eyes looked great spirit. But
they did not see her; they were as
those of somnambulist. He turned
his gaze back to his easel.
For another half hour he worked
She would no sooner drag him down
from his idea fight than she pulled
down herself when poem was we'll
ing up in her own heart.
Presently she arose to 60. She had
!. 1t was enough.
But unfortunately something fell OF
the floor.
"Where have you been?" he asked
"I've been waiting for you. mus
put in the eyes" Then. without wait
ing, be went on: "a little closer, please
There. face the light
At the same time lie turned ant
looked into her eyes. He thought sh,
was his model. But she did not know
it. She thought that his lofty intellec
had stalked over the gap Of want O
acquaintance.
Then lie began to paint, putting he
own dark, poetic eyes into the hea
on the canvas. turning often to loo
into those of flesh and blood. In he
poetic Imagination she fancied tina
he was taking, spiritually, her eye
from her body and placing them in til
head Of an angel.
At last the work was finished Fl
arose. stood at short distance fro,
it, viewed it critically. made fe,
touches. threw down his brush, put h
hand in his pocket fished out plug {
black tobacco and bit off quid.
AS her romance. pierced to the hear
died within her she gave little or
He turned and looked at her throue
eyes from which the light Of Gent,
CreatriX had gone out aud saw her
she was. a lean, homely old maid Wi
- handsome eyes.
a who in thunder are you?" he blur
ed.
Poor woman. Had the romance I
manned it would have been quite Ell
barrassing enough. but 1t had vanish,
with the appearance Of the tobacc
What to say she did not know. The
was but one thing for her to do-lca
the studio. She skunk toward the doc
He followed her with his eyes.
Stop he said suddenly, making
few quick strides toward her. Was
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