The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-12-06
CALTHORPE'S SUCCESS
BY HOPE AINSLEE.

III tIAC ioOnI dUON6 Hill was that VI |
gratitude. The former occupant of |
that room had been heavy of step and |
seemed ever ready to drag furniture |
across the floor or to drop endless |
trif1es, such as trunks and pianos, |
with d thud just over his head. Poor |
Calthorpe had been driven to distrac-
ton, and his painting had suffered no |
less than his ceilings.
1t was while he was bordering dis
consolately over the failure of his |
great Path Through the Woods"
canvas that Calthorpe paused to |
listen for the footsteps above him. 1t
seemed to his sensitive ears that the
steps dragged and were weary.
He started suddenly. The dull thud
that broke the rhythmic tread above
sent a chilly fear over Calthorpe. He
went into the hall and up the flight
of stairs that took him to the land
ing and then to the door of the room
above his own. He knocked softly.
There was no answer. Continued
knocking brought no response, and
Calthorpe's fears were accentuated.
1t was not until he had rushed
6orr. fer a huge accumulation of
kCys in his possession and had tried
each one quickly that he succeeded
i'll gaining access to the room.
He glanced in, caught a swift
breath and closed the door gently.
1t was as he had feared. The thud
had been the falling of a human body,
and Calthorpe knelt down to raise
the girls figure into a sitting posture.
Her head fell inertly against his
shoulder.
He looked quickly about for means
of recalling her to life. The room
was pitifully lacking in nourishment
either for the body or the soul. He
lifted her gently and bore her down
to his studio.
1t was not many more seconds be-
fore he felt an emotional stab that
left him trembling. 1t was when the
girls eyes opened and looked af-
frightedly into his own. There was
revealed such a depth Of suffering, OF
misery and of pathos in those eyes
that CalthOrpe came near losing the
| remnant of strength and reason he
| still possessed. He was dominated
| by an impulse either to weep beside
! her or to press her face against his
| breast that he might hide from her
the world that she had found so
| bitter
Il think l must have tainted"
| These mere the first WORDS she spoke.
There's not much doubt about it, -
| Calthorpe said gently. You did
faint -t =
THAT was very foolish of me- the
girl sighed weagily. Then she straight
ened herself and looked about. her
| wonderingly. Almost unconsciously
she accepted the dainty bits of nour-
ishment that Calthorpe put into her
fingers.iae63 ro.1s
Yes, I am frightfully tired OF
life" she said, as If divining his
mental attitude toward her. Il am
unutterably wea@." She spoke not
bitterly or cynically, but calmly
hopelessly.
You see," the girl continued, 81
have lost every one who was dear to
me- | saw them all snatched from
me in one CHASTITY moment. l have
been trying to work, but l seem un
able to stand the strain. You don't
blame me for not wanting to live
do you?"
No" Calthorpe said, and rose
: quickly to his feet. q don't blame
! you at all, my child" She seemed
: little more than a child as she sa
r gazing wonderingly upon the com
1 fort of his studio. He turned sud
: IDENTIFY toward her 81 want to pain
. your portrait. If you will just sit al
n you are for me | will do every
thing in my power to make the worl'
! a happier place for you
y Calthorpe was becoming so excitet
over the prospect of putting the eS
quisite face on canvas that uncon
scously he moved toward his paints
AT this the girl, with her painfull
bought understanding and sympathy
laughed softly You may begin t
r, paint me now if you wish she sait
II Her tone was that .of one TO whom
W mattered little what she did.
II Calthorpe called his canvas s.
e Study" When it was hung and tn
E; world of art had cast appreciative eye
81 upon it, Calthorpe v@s no longer
struggling landscape painter. He was
Il portrait painter of rare genius-on
who could by mastery strokes of tn
5 brush bring forth the soul of his sui
ject. His Study" could have bee
20 sold ten times over, and the price
IN brought finally was triumph fc
70 Calthorpe
;,
a slender woman, in soft NOUS
e. velvet, with wonderful! auburn ha
W and glorious deep eyes, stood besit
Id him when the picture was hun
n Evarly, who had advised CalthorI
r. to forswear landscapes, was al!
n present
IN Mrs. Calthorpe,' he said, with