The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-02
EVENING STORY
That Ideal Face.

never nave amounted to much as an
artist if his grandmother hadn't en-
couraged him. He made a sketch of
her when fifteen years old. and it was
so 1ife-like and it so pleased her that
when she died a few years later she
left him legacy of $4,000 and re-
quest that he use part of the money
to make himself famous with the
brush.
Young Mr.. Temple obeyed the re-
quest. He started out in great earn
estness to become a portrait painter
He attended classes; he took lessons of
different teachers; he attended acad-
emieS of art. On reason why ne at
tended SO many is that almost every
one discouraged him. They openly
found fault with his drawings and
colors, and a famous painter told him
that he didn't know enough about apt
when Franklin admitted as much to
himself, but it was after several years
efforts. He finally set up Il studio and
branched out for himself He secured
few patrons, but they never returned
a second time nor spoke well of his
abilities. They got their portraits
framed and hung them in the wood
shed or some other safe place.
Young Mr.. Temple felt that he had
a great career before him. All that
was needed was to paint one great
picture He was a good-looking young
man, and outside of his work he was
well liked and made friends. Every
artist has sighed to paint a great
picture. He has carried the idea with
him for days and weeks and months
Sometimes he has never found what
ne has looked for, and sometimes he
has found it very soon In the case
of Mr.. Temple, he found his ideal
when he was twenty-five years old
what he wanted was to find an ideal
face of a female, of course, and then
paint a rose alongside of it and call it
The June Roses He rode and
walked miles and miles in the city, al
ways staring about him for that ideal
face. He could find the rose all right.
but when it came to the face he had
lots of trouble. Many, many times he
thought he had found a face. and he
followed the owner for a long distance
TO get better view, but was always
disappointed He discovered that the
nose was turned up at the end OF the
mouth was too large, or there was a
squlnt to one eye. 1t seemed to him
thdt nature made no perfect faces, and
1t must be perfect face or the picture
would not bring him fame
Hatience and perseverance will al
ways win One day, as Mr.. Temple
was buying some cheese and crackers
IN dellcatessen store to make his
studio lunch on, the long sought-for
race entered the place. He realized in
moment that he stood on the thres-
for an imperfection but found none
He went out and stood by the door
While the young woman made some
purchases. When she came out he
followed her five blocks to what
seemed a roomiag house. After she
had passed in he handed the janitor
quarter and asked her name. The
janitor told him, and that evening he
came back and managed to secure an
interview with her. He was a frank
X-nf nc ENy-.aV, Ill: he to1I
her exactly what he wanted. She had
the most beautiful face he had ever
seen, and he wanted the loan of it TIC
paint that rose picture.
When the artist had got out about
all he wanted to say, the young lady
replied that she. would think it over
Just now she had a can of beans
warming over a gas jet, and she was
afraid they might burn. Great heav-
ens-beans and beauty, The artist
His artistic soul was Mortified. He
went to his stsdio in the blacklist de-
spair, and he did not recover for three
days. Then he said to himself:
THE idea of a beautiful creature
like that eating beans warmed up in
the cam She probably scooped them
out with u spoon and beans was prob
ably all she had that night for dinner
Do beans and beauty go together?
Never. Hold on, tho. VIII the pub
lie ever know that she was beam
eater? Can't a young lady, even if
she be good looking. eat what she
pleases for dinner? If she prefers
can of beans in her own room to
champagne supper at some hIgh-toned
restaurant, should that be laid up
against her? l must marry some day,
and it will be to good looking girl
and shouldn't I look for economy in
a woman that is destined to be my
wife? There is, after all. something
very practical about this
In a week. Mr. Temples artistic
soul had recovered from the jolt, and
ne returned to the beautiful face. He
was welcomed with a smile, and this
time the young woman said:
Il must eat when l can, as | am
employed and am very busy. Won't
Won sit down with me and have some
sausages and sauerkraut and few
crackers? Sorry 1 can't make bet
ter spread. but you are very welcome
to what l have
The artist then sprang up to go.
He intended to make a mad rush
downstairs but he changed his mind,
and that dinner tasted good TO him.
The young lady's face looked even
handsomer as she bit her slice of sau-
sage than it did when at rest. When
he went away. he was half convinced
that one could be spirituelle and yet
have a good appetite for sausage and
sauerkraut There was beauty there.
There was a spirituelle. There was
splendid economy. Such a girl must
make an economical wife. She would
not have to have the services of a
hired girl. When he came home from
his studio work, such a wife could
sling things together for dinner in
about five minutes.
Mr.. Temple paid three or four more
calls before he began Sketching that
ideal face. He was no longer horri-
fled. He was looking at the practical
side of things as much as he was the
spirituelle. He was inclined to be
economical himself, and he liked to
see the same trait in another. He
finally got that face on the canvas
but it required many trips to the
roomng house, and he generally
found haa 1lsa a It'll