Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-30
THE EVENING STORY.
The Modern Case of Jane.



When Jane sits under a hat full OF
primroses and watches me across our
little supper table at the cafe I some
times forget the status quo. I almost
think she is pretty. and she almost
thinks I am witty. We are both almost
children. and laugh joyously at every
thing. Then Jane says something that
recalls II all.
Tony. IL I only had my colors could
paint you at this moment down 20 your
very ooutonniere. You have some very
nice qualities OF color against a back
ground OF old-oak wainscoting, and your
cheek-bones make a remarkable high
Hight. am sure you would set every
critic IN New York a-marvel.ng"
That is the whole secret OF the whole
trouble. Jane would rather paint one
little picture that would make one little
art exhibition in Halifax than marry me-
1t IS not necessary for her to marry any
body. She had the cleverness to find
vocation long ago. She is the originator
Of certain long, sleek. fashion-plate hg-
ure that displays the latest OF everything
in voiles and velvets to the best acvan-
tage. She tells me she can do dozen or
more in the evenings of a single week.
after an hours consultation with tho
head designer of the Ladies' Friend. and.
as no one else has learned the trick or
making those hideous. serpentine bodies.
she commands salary. Meanwhile she
has an avocatton.
When Jane tells me about IL she uses
q great deal OF Unintelligible artist talk,
which seems to fill her with happiness
in the using. What 1 plainly see through
the words is the fact that she is over
working herself-three or four hours or
life class and a hasty or forgotten lunch.
con. followed by an afternoon of feverish
work in water-color composition, until the
waning light drives her forth with the
rushing crowds that surge toward the
Arsa .v,lx-
many things under the primroses on
James gay little hat! According to Mr..
Bernard Shaw. Jane should. this very
moment. be dying to marry me. Accord.
ing to her hair and her hat and the very
little hand she lays on the cloth in front
OF me, according to al these, she ought
to be saying TO herself: This is man. my
master by whom am waiting to be CALI
maiden. How shall cunningly set about
his capture?" Instead OF which she fs
actually saying. while she paints and rubs
away at an imaginary canvas on the
tablecloth:
TONY. IL did you I should use nearly
a tube OF raw sienna. I think you must
have got that BROWNIES from being an
out-of-door person. 1t Is everywhere
even your very proper black evening
clothes. You should have nice. sug-
gestive background OF supper tables and
colored lights but should contrive some
how to make you look too big for the
place. Everybody should know at a glance
you were a farmer or a seafaring man or
an engineer ." And so she RAM
bles on till the orchestra behind the arti-
fetal orange trees tunes up and plays An
old favorite of ours from "Trovatore.
Perhaps IL is a good sign that Jane and
have a few tavorite songs and single
favorite flower. have very little to draw
any comfort from. In the end we
walk home together through the quiet
side streets.
Are you never, never going to be tired
Of 1t. Jane?" ] ask. sure of her reply.
Are you ever going to be tired Of lay
ing railways, Tony?"
But, Jane. / am man..
But, Tony. / am a man, too-in that
way-that is, | am a hur>n soul l
don't believe my soul botSers about be-
ing masculine or fG--enine' Then she
adds w.ckedly. after silence:
Artists are higher paid than cooks.
Tony. You never could afford me
AT this 1 vince. She is so far away.
even in speech. from my dear old grand
mother. whose memory I respect.
Lame. do you mean that"
Not exactly"
look down at the shaking Ir.m-
roses and wonder whether she is laugh
ing or crying. Presently she goes on
What ! do mean, Tony, is this. II
some one came to you this moment, like
the little green fairy in the fairy tale.
und offered you everything you think you
(that means me to wait for you every
evening by the fireside with lovelight in
my eyes. you know)--and IL you must
give up in return your work. and even
your power to work. no matter how many
times the old desire should return, what
would you do?'
But. DEAR i began to build railroads
when I was in knickerbockers. l."
why. OF course. you did. Tony. Can
you feel now how ii is 10 live in
freight car in Nevada and ride out every
day In khaki breeches and an old shirt
across the virgin country. where you are
going to throw your wonderful shining
tracks? There are ravines and rivers
and canyons. but none of these can de-
lay you for more than a moment You
are civilization. You are fate. The little
map and pencil you have In your hand
are mightier than all the cannon In all
the world You are going to plant a city
right here where there is not sign OF
life except the cactus plants. You are
going to shift the course or that river
that has flowed along coatentedly for
playing the game with rivers anu deserts
and mountain ranges; some day you may
shake up the stars and spin them around
to suit your pleasure. You think such
thoughts while you watch the sunset
from the saddle and turn about slowly
to see the moon rise. You are alone. and
at times a little lonely-but does that mat
ter? Is there anything you would take
world2'
1t is TRANSPORTED Jane. She Is look
Ing me squareiy in the eyes. She Is
hea Ut fully frank. and dares me to make
a denia, that would only lower me in the
estimate OF her own high spirit.
NO. Jane. there is nothing ! would
take In exchange for IL.
Then can you not understand how IL
is with me, Tony?"
YES. dear; I understand"
There Is much more I would like TO
say to Jane il knew how. l cannot re-
call any OF those tender and beautiful
sentiments J read In the Ladies Friend
abou. the highest calling OF woman
am not 50 comfortably certain about
that matter since I have known Jane and
read little Ibsen. l cannot even say 10
her in honor that the painting OF pic
lures and The laying OF railroads would
go along together In a happy parallel
Jane and are both too wise for that. I
wish only that might have the courgae
TO tell her that her art Will always be
SO favored with yellow primroses that IL
must inevitably fail. But even IL had
the courage / could not convince her OF
that she must wear plain
err hats!
And so I say goodnight to her at the
door OF her boarding house. She is a
little tired. ] know this because, just
as I turn to go. I feel her light hand on
my arm and she asks:
TONY, did hurt your feelings?"
Maybe, some day. when Jane Is very
tired-but that u.s. perhaps. too old-fash-
Toned an ending to be hoped for In the