Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1915-02-26
CHAPTER v-cout.nued.

CHAPTER v-continued.
The two men had lost ON hour
auddled under canopy beneath the
cannonading Of sudden storm. They
mad silently watched titanic battalions
OF thunder clouds riding the skies in
gusty pu1fs Of gale and raking the
earth with lightning and hail and
water.
my God!" exclaimed the mountain
boy abruptly. "1'd give anything eft
could paint that"
Lescott rose smilingly from his seat
before the easel and surrendered his
palette and sheaf of brushes.
"Try It," he invited.
For a moment Samson stood hest
tant and overcome with diffldence;
then, with set lips. he took his place
and experimentally fitted his fingers
about the brush, as he had seen Les.
colt do. He asked no advice He
merely eazed for a while. and then,
dipping brush and experimenting for
his color, went to sweeping in his pri-
mary tones. Samson, even though he
was hopelessly daubing, and knew it.
was sincere, and the painter at his
elbow caught his breath and looked on
with the absorption of a prophet. who,
listening to childish prattle, yet recog-
nizes the gift Of prophecy.
"Thet's the way hit looks ter me-"
the boy said, simply.
That's the way it u.s." commended
bis critic.
For while more Samson worked
~ the nearer hills. then he rose.
I'm done." he said. "hain't a.goin'
ter fool with them thar trees an
things. don't know nothing erbout
tibet. cant paint leaves an twigs
an birdsnests. What I like is noun
Kings an skies an sech.like things"
Lescott looked at the daub before
him. A less trained eye would have
seen only the daub. Just as poor
Judge Of horsehesh might see only
awkward Joints and long legs in a
weanling colt, though it be bred in the
>urple.
Samson" he said. earnestly, that's
Ill there is to art. It's the power to
feel the poetry of color. The rest can
be taught. The genius must work, Of
course-work, work, work, and still
work, but the gift is the power Of
seeing true-and. by God. boy, you
have it. You've got what many men
have struggled lifetime for, and
failed. I'd like to have you study with
me. I'd like to be your discoverer.
Look here"
The painter sat down, and speedily
went to work. He painted out moth
ing. He simply toned, and, with pre-
eisely the right touch here and there,
softened tho crudeness, laid stress on
the contrast, melted the harshness,
and, when he rose, he had built, upon
the rough cornerstone Of Samson's
laying, a picture.
"That proves It," he said. II had
only to finish. I didn't have much to
undo. Boy. you're wasting yourself.
Come with me. and let me make you.
We all pretend there is no such thing.
In these days. as sheer genius; but.
deep dotvn, we know that, unless there
Ds, there can be no such thing as true
art. There is genius and you have
It." Enthusiasm was again sweeping
him into an unintended outburst.
The boy stood silent. Across his
eountenance swept conflict of emo
lions. He looked away. as If taking
Sounsel with the hills.
Its what I'm a-honin' fer" he ad-
nitted at last. "Hit's what I'd give
half my life fer. mout sell
my land, an raise the money. {.
} reckon hit would take passels of
money, wouldn't hit?" He paused, and
Ne eyes fell ON the rife leaning against
Ne tree. His lips frightened in sudden
remembrance. He went over and
picked up the gun. and. % he did 20.
- shook his head.
NO." he stolidly declared; every
nan to his own tools. This here's
nine"
Yet when they were again out
sketching. the temptation to play with
brushes once more seized him. and he
pok his place before the easel.
Neither he nor Lescott noticed man
Who crept down through the timber.
aad for time watched them. The
mans face wore surly, contemptuous
Sxin. and shortly It withdrew.
But, an hour later. while the boy
Was still working industriously and
~ artist was lying on his back, with
3 pipe between his teeth, and his half.
slosed eyes gazing up contentsdly
tAcough the green Of overhead
lEahches. their peace was broken By
, Sunfaw Of derisivs laughter. They
hooked up, g md g thoir backs 0 ss0i.