The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-23
THE EVENING STORY
The Fixed Star.
(By Julia R. WELSH

|
the face he saw was worthy of the
voice The face of a dreamer, but
with intellect and the beauty of ex-
preston that comes to one who has
seen much of life and has discarded
all that Is unlove1y. He lost no time
in being presented to her, and being
ardent of nature, he monopolized her
LOT the rest of the evening, and when
the party broke up he took her home.
IL had been a gathering of artists
ana writers and laymen of parts. A
MINOR actress had written q play and
mad read it to friends and to friends
friends before submitting it to the
hnal authorities for fame. or OBJ
ilvlon, as fate decided.
what do you dor Warning had
asked, as one would say. "How do
you do?'' in other circles. Some
thing artistic, of course"
Judgment is suspended on that
score I write little tales that are ac-
turned-thanks to the stamped en-
velope that fares forth with the story.
And you2" she asked in turn.
make pictures; I should love to-
make one OF you. VIII you come to
my studio and let me show you my
work ?''
1T would be a rare pleasure I
know just the kind you must make;
fuu OF imagination and poetry" she
| answered.
Don't you like that kind ?'' he in
Quired, eagerly
1T is the only kind I really care
ABOUT Before begin story fasten
my eyes on picture sorcething to
look deep into and forget the world,
and from that my mind wanders up
and away until I become sufficiently
detached to evolve romance of my
| own" she replied.
When will you come, tomorrow
afternoon, perhaps?" he urged.
Yes, tomorrow" she agreed
Come early. if you will; the light
is better, and then I will give you
tea and you can tell me what you
| think of the pictures"
Waring left her at her door and
walked home on air. Forgetting the
many times that his fancy had been
seized in the same volcanic way, he
| assured himself that never in his life
mad he known anyone whom he ad-
m1red SO unreservedly. She was beau
tlrul IN romantic way. fine and re-
hned, and without q touch of the
| Bohemianism that marred the other
women he knew who lived the I'M
sheltered life
| In the morning he made a picture.
In the foreground were tall, slim
! trees and pool in which the sky
| and the trees were reflected, and the
| background was illimitable space.
When she came, and her coming
| was an event, he took her from pic
ture to picture while he listened to
| her praise glorying in the fact that
she could see what he saw, love what
he loved. Last Of all he showed her
his mornings work
She said nothing for many mo-
ments and while she looked at the
picture; he looked at her. Turning
suddenly, she saw his face, a face
TRANSPORTED by the beauty of the
thoughts whirling in his brain.
Involuntarily she put out her hand.
He took it in his own. holding it
closely.
THAT is the most beautiful of all,'
she said. softly.
| "You inspired it. I made it for you
It is yours to do with as you like"
| Waring told her.
"Oh, but it is impossible. I couldn't
| take it, Yesterday we were strangers
to each other" She was looking at
him very seriously, though the color
had deepened in her cheeks.
Then he painted her, and the pic
ture was a success beyond any former
achievement. A period of exhaustion
followed the creative effort and for
days he did not try to see her. He
had looked at her with the eyes of
love, every glance had been a caress,
but the word was unspoken.
Marguerite attempted resolutely to
put him out of her, thoughts He
was an artist, she told herself, given
to sudden impulse. It was her face
that he had cared for, and now that
| he had transplanted 1t to canvas his
enthusiasm had waned.
Meanwhile, Waring stayed away
| deliberately. He, too, wss having his
| bad hour. He was harassed with
| self-distrust, with the fear that his
| emotions were intense, not deep. He
loved Marguerite, but would his love
endure? He had loved before, but
never a woman whose soul was so
beautiful, whose mind was so fine
Even when his heart cried out for
her, his fear of himself kept him
away.
| One morning he awoke refreshed
bodily and mentally. During the
night doubt had been cast out. If
he could win this one woman in the
world, live with her daily, all the
lesser qualities of his nature would
| fall into line, would be dominated by
the higher.
! He went to see her. She came
toward him with the gravity Of glance
that he loved. with nothing gone
from the friendliness OF her greeting
1t was as if she had not noticed his
absence.
If he had needed a spur no other
attitude would have given it so thor
oughly.
| he said, holding her hand closely.
There have been many weeks you
did not see me-" she said.
I'VE had not met each other in
this incarnation, that was ALL" he
said.
"But you really don't believe that,
| do you, that our souls live many
| lives?" she asked.
Gust now 1 believe only one thing.
that I have known you always" and
added mentally, land loved you al
ways"
"How can an artist and a poet find
time for such deep, metaphysical in
vestigation ?" she asked hoping to
turn the conversation into safer, less
| personal channels.
| 'It is an instructive feeling, that is
ALL Now am going to give you
some tea" he said.
| His intuition told him that she
! wanted the friend before the lover
| and he was wise with the wisdom
] that alas with