The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-19
EVENING STORY


go around some other way"
| go around Broadway? Well, if
that don't beat anything I ever heard.
| For goodness sake don't be so afraid
| enough without acting it. Come on,
you are making regular show of u.s."
The girl started as if she had been
struck, then bravely followed him
across the crowded thorofare. But
| two tear drops crept slowly down her
| flushed cheeks. A tremor shook her
| slender form, while her large brown
eyes glanced appealingly at her com
| panion.
But Bruce Robertson strobe haught-
| lily on, not seeing the havoc wrought
| by his cruel words and contemptuous
manner. If passerby had noticed
him. he you'd not have called the
young man particularly handsome.
| The weak chin and high forehead
| showed genius rather than executive
ability. His good-natured face was
spoiled by a selfish curve to the lips
And his black eyes revealed temper
| always ready to break forth.
| Four years before, Bruce had left
his home on the farm and had come
| to celebrated art school in New
York. His teachers had fostered and,
| improved his very great talent until
| now his work had been recognized by
| prominent critics
At first, the young artist went home
often to see Mary Corbin, his country
| sweetheart. But the intervals between
visits grew longer and longer, until
| finally he decided he was too busy to
go out at all. At last, tired of wait
! ing, Mary came to spend the day in
| the city to see if Bruce was well. But
| she found a far different lover than
the one who had left her four years
before. Ashamed of her simple, rus
tic ways, Bruce avoided his usual
haunts. He acted bored while in her
presence. To the girl, it seemed the
day would never end, but. finally,
| they came to the train which was to
carry her home4 The bell rang for
the engine to start.
Bruce, aren't you going to kiss me
good-by?" Mary whispered beseech-
ingly.
What? Right here before people?
1 hope, the next time, you'll know
enough to stay at home and not make
fool of me as you have today"
/ The words were not out of his
mouth before he regretted them.
Mary did not turn her head quickly
enough to hide from him the bitter
tears that sprang from her eyes. But
Bruce's pride forbade his retracting
them, SO the train carried away girl
torn with sobs and with an aching
void in place of heart.
Several months later, a national art
exhibit for undergraduates of art
schools was announced to be held at
Washington Bruce represented his
school. For months he worked on a
painting that he determined would be
his masterpiece. Win the prize he
must and would. 1t would mean his
rapid rise in the social world. His
services would be in universal de-
mand. The subject he selected was
The Spirit of Freedom He obtain
ed beautiful model and put forth his
best efforts to make a perfect picture.
He finished about a week before the
exhibit and showed the picture to his
teacher. The instructor declared the
picture was perfect and assured Bruce
the prize was his. Beaming with sat
isfaction and pride, Bruce waited for
the eventfu1 day.
The large art gallery was packed to
the doors as the time drew near for
the judges decision. The exhibitors
were seated in a large semi-circle on
the platform Some were nervous and
self-conscious; some, like Bruce, were
smiling and confident After prelim-
mary exercises one of the three elder
ly men on the. front of the platform
arose and cleared his throat.
Ladies and gentlemen" he began,
'T assure you it YVES no easy task to
! tell the best painting from all those
submitted. We decided that one of
two pictures would win. These are
The Spirit of Freedom and Dawn
In The Spirit of Freedom you be-
hold a perfect picture. Not a detail
is lacking It Is triumph of tech
| nique. Dawn is far from perfect.
But it has one thing the first picture
lacks-it has a soul And The Spirit
of Freedom without a soul is farce.
Therefore / take great pleasure in
bestowing the grain prize on Harold
Lockwood. of Kansas"
AS the applause died away a
freckled-faced young man arose and
bowed while the judge handed him
the check given as prize. With bit
terness in his heart Bruce rose and
left the hall.
Day after day found the defeated
artist in his studio, working to paint
a new masterpiece. But he lacked
never finished. One day he went to
see an old painter that he knew had
been a genius in his day and asked
his advice.
MY boy" he quavered, there is
one thing you lack. and that is breadth
of outlook. You are too cramped and
your pictures hsow it. Get out in the
world and you can become the great
est painter in the country
So Bruce began to travel from city
to city. But still he had a dearth of
ideas. And new feeling began to
creep over him-a feeling of loneli-
ness. He realized that he had not a
real friend in the world He hadn't
heard from Mary since her visit to the
city
q AS he sat idly before his easel one
day the clang of fire engines aroused
Bruce to action. He dashed down
the street and found a large tenement
in flames The firemen had lost hope
CT saving it and were giving their at
tention to the surrounding buildings.
While Bruce was watching the blaze
he turned to man near by and ex-
claimed: do you see that shattered
window on the top story? l saw
something move there Just now be-
lieve some one is there. They can't
Isut up a ladder because of the flames
below I'm going up there"
Before the other recovered from his
surprise, Bruce ran toward the door
of the doomed dwelling. To the Off
GER who opposed his way he gave a
well-aimed blow and sprang into the