The Washington bee., 1911-03-04
TWIN SPIRITS
By ESTHER VANDEVEER

pletely absorbed. At such time no one
could secure his attention. His lunch
con was brought in every day and set
down beside him; but. although the
servant was instructed to call his at
tention to 1t. be seldom knew that IL
was there. Often after he had fn-
ished his work for the day be would
feel faint for want Of food. Then be
would arise to get some and freqOOnt-
ly knocked over the stool on which
his lunch had been placed and broke
the dishes.
! She was a poetess. She had had z
I lover; but. finding that she didn't feel
those heavenly thrills Of which she
had written Of people in such cOndi-
ton, she had broken OF 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 bis
studio. friend to whom she had
given her confidence advised her %
brush up a bit." leave OF her black
alpaca and put on silk. But the rec
ommendation did not impress her.
Love was a matter Of the soul; it had
nothing to do with clothes. where
upon her friend adnonished her to
wear something pretty all the same.
She went to his studio. climbed sew
eral fights OF stsirs-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 deorknob. turning 1t gently. then
pushed the door slightly ajar. He was
there. He sat at his easel before =
J canvas on which were q divine face
and figure. The latch slipped back.
making a sound. She started. think
ing it would betray her. No: he went
on painting. What noble brow! His
tumbled hair-it was thin-caressea
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 upoa
1t till he came to himself or from him
self So she went softly to the chair,
keeping her eyes upon him ths while,
] and sat down.
Alas, she sat upon q palette-a pal
ette on which were soft paints Of
many bright coIOrs!
| Eh& laOk{uO him Zoe
him. Presently he looked aside from
bis work and straight at her. Through
his eyes looked & great spirit. But
they did not see her; they were as
those of q 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 a poem was we'll
ing up in her own heart.
Presently she arose to go. She had
seen him. Her soul had caTessed his.
1t was enough
But unfortunately something fell on
the Hoor.
Where have you been?" he asked.
I've been waiting for you. l must
put in the eyes" Then, without wait
ing. be went on: "A little closer, please.
There, face the light"
At the same time he turned and
looked into her eyes. He thought she
was his model But she did not know
it. She thought that his lofty intellect
had stalked over the gap of want OF
acquaintance.
Then he began to paint, putting her
own dark. poetic eyes into the head
on the canvas. turning often to look
into those OF flesh and blood. In her
poetic Imagination she fancied that
he was taking. spiritually, her eyes
from her body and placing them In the
head Of an angel.
At last the work was finished He
arose, stood at a short distance from
it. viewed 1t critically. made a few
touches, threw down his brush, put his
hand in his pocket. fshed out d plug Of
black tobacco and bit of a quid.
AS her romance, pierced to the heart.
died within her she gave a little cry.
He turned and looked at her through
eyes from which the light Of Genius
Creatrix had gone out and saw her as
she was, a lean, homely old maid with
handsome eyes.
''Who In thunder are your" he blurt-
ed.
Poor woman. Had the romance re
mained 1t would have been quite en-
barrassing enough, but it had vanished
with the appearance OF the tobacco
What TO say she did not know. There
was but one thing for her to dO-leaVe
the studio. She skunk toward the door
He followed her with his eyes.
"Stopr he said suddenly, making a
few quick strides toward her. Was he
going to break even the fragments OF
the idol she had raised and how? BE
seized her skirt-that part Of 1t which
hung in rear-and spreading It out. ex-
claimed:
Great Scott"
What Is itT' she asked, not being
able to see behind her.
1Et