Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-08-12
''SilenCe."'

I dispose Of, and | can't get hold of one
to hang In my house! Who is this
this person who has bought each one
before | could get hold Of it?"
she Is Miss Alison; beyond that
] know nothing said the man. "She
has paid the price named without de-
mur, although TO outward appearances
she is far from rich in fact, she is
quite shabby"
81 would have paid you ten times
the amount you placed on each pic
turc,' went on Mr.. Benton. 81 want
to encourage the boy in his work.
is all I've got to live for. Now,
Smith. save the next picture for me
no matter what it Isl"
VERY WELL Mr. Benton" said the
dealer.
A'year later Mr.. Gregory Benton
was standing in well-known art
gallery i0 which was hung the beauti-
ful painting by his nephew. The pic
ture had hcen accepted by the Paris
Salon and was now on exhibition in
New York
Uncle Gregory stood before the pic
ture' enraptured with it's beautiful sig
nfcanCe its charm and mystery.
silence" as 1t was called, represented
the seated form OF a beautiful woman
"a woman with lovely, woebegone
]
checks and with tender lips closed as
il locking in some secret sorrow. The
white gown falling mistily about her,
the crown of dark hair the round
chin cuppcd in one curved hand were
mastery In line ana treatment, but
the loneliness and the speechless woe
OF the silent figure were its dominat-
] ing features,
"Humnh" muttered Mr.. Gregory
! BENTON, at last, when an odd mistiness
caused him 10 polish his eyeglasses
The lad never found that inspiration
! in the silences of India, China or
Japan--it came from his heart, and.
hang II all, why should he have any
feeling like that in his heart?"
lie looked flercely around as If to
challenge any possible bearer of his
unspokcn question There was only
one other person besides himself be-
fore the picture in this first hour OF
its exhibition.
The other one was a girl gowned in
shabby black serge with a once smart
little black hat on her dark hair. She
was sitting on the bench looking up
at the picture of "Silence" with woe
beGOne eyes that were strangely like
the painted one.
Gregory Benton stared at the girl
with glowing wonderment Then he
studied the picture and looked from
one to the other. his glasses poised on
his hawk-like hose--first at the girl
and then at the picture. At last he
could bear the suspense no longer.
He bowed apologetically to the silent
girl and spoke.
81 beg pardon, madam but the re-
Femhlanco is rcmaTkable-rem
You must have posed for that picture
yourself Were you Mr.. Benton's
model, may / ask?"
NO" she said, in a sweet tired
voice, 81 was not Mr. Bentons model
II is a wonderful picture, is it not?
But to one who had seen his earlier
work, it is not surprising, is it?"
There was a sort Of pride In the artist
in her tone, and Uncle Gregory started
violently at the recollection of what
the art dealer had told him.
Are you by any chance Miss ALI
son 2' he asked courteOusly.
Yes" she said quietly, 81 am Eve
Alison"
ory. "Why, that was the name OF
ROy's girl never knew her last
name Did you buy his pictures from
SMITH"
yes" said the girl In a shaking
tone, and now he saw that the poverty
Of her dress told a story Of woman's
sacrifice for the man she loved. Not
only had Eve Alison given up her
lover to his career, but she had de-
prived herself of comforts-nay,
necessities. in order TO buy his little
pictures and thus encourage him in
his work And the boy had taken her
image away in his heart and made a
masterpiece on canvas.
He, Gregory Benton, had dared 10
interfere between such a noble woman
as this and the man she loved.
God forgive me-" he muttered as
he leaned over and took her hands in
his. Il am Roy's unCle-and l owe
you n great apology"
Half an hour later Roy Benton dis
covered them sitting together. the
girls eyes shining like stars and her
cheeks pink with excitement.
Eve" said Roy bluntly. smith has
told me about your buying my pic
lures. Why did you starve yourself
To- do it?"
"Oh. because-beCause-well." She
looked I'm distress at Uncle Gregory
The old man placed her hand in
ROy's.-K. c. Journal.