The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-07-27
AN EXILE'S
RETURN
By ESTHER VANDEVEER

am woman artist. l was one day
sketchlng in the Catskills when. hear
Ing a step behind me, l turned and saw
coming down the road directly behind
me young man with the fiaxen hair
ana plue eyes of the Saxon. Seeing
me- he lifted his hat politely and was
passing on when, in order to stop him.
asked him question about the
Catskllls. | was so struck by his ap-
pearance that l wished to make a
sketch of him. He was unable TO rem.
uer the information l asked for, but
my ruse served its purpose. He stood.
hat in hand. deferentially ch Rling witt,
| me.
lie told me that he was a German,
that he had not been long in America.
that he preferred to travel as a pedes-
trlan and was making tour through
the Catskill mountains on foot. In
time | made bold to ask him to pose
Tor me. dared not offer him money
tor doing SO. for he seemed too aristo-
cratic to receive pay for such serv-
Ice. He not only granted my request,
out tntimated that he would buy the
picture TO ship to his father and moth.
er In Germany.
While worked Oh the sketch drew
him on to tell me what had brought
him to America. At first | got only
evasive replies to my questions, but
purposely delayed my work for time to
gain his confidence and at last got the
story. The heir apparent of the prin-
cipality from which he hailed disgrac
ed himself by theft My model
was present at the time. 1t would not
DO for their future ruler to bear
stain, so the party drew lots as to
which one should bear the obloquy. 1t
fell to the man was sketching, and
when the theft was discovered he
falsely owned himself the guilty one.
His parents were mobiles; they settled
an annuity upon him, and he left home
to become a wanderer. His allowance
was not sufficient to enable him to
travel by conveyance. SO he walked
But he declared he preferred that man
ner Of travel
The meeting with this man occurred
in April went into the country ear
lier than city folk, in order to catch
that pale green which only appears on
the foliage either In that month or
May. ! agreed to part with my sketch,
since he begged SO hard for It. He
wished me to put it in oils for him. and
l agreed to do So But to do this pre-
ferred to take it to my studio in New
York, where could work on It to bet
ter advantage. | gave him my address
in the city, and he was to give me a
few sittngs there while ! was making
the transfer from pastel to oils
1t was the middle Of July before
completed the sketches / needed for
my winters work and returned to the
city. I had told my subject he might
call any time after the Goth of the
same month. But that was about the
time that the emperor Of Austria de-
clared war on Servia. Whether the
prospect of general European war in
fuenced my German friend or not |
cannot tell. At any rate, he did not
make his appearance. Then the spark
Of war became flame and the fame a
confagratiOn. Germany called on her
sons to return to the fatherland to do
military duty
One evening when the Belgians and
Germans were struggling for the mas.
ter of Liege there was ring at my
bell, and my young friend appeared.
Il come not for you to sit" he said
but to bid you goodby. have found
passage for Europe, and if not inter
cepted by a British or French cruiser
shall probably be able to end my exile
and my loneliness on the field OF battle.
AS he spoke the last words his ex
pressive face showed sadness that
went straight to my heart.
But the picture baron" exclaimed
will you not wait for me to finish it
1t was not the picture about which
was concerned clung to straw tC
keep him from his purpose, to urge hin
to make a home for himself in Amer
lea and in time to be happy.
when you hear that am no Longer
sensible to disgrace send the sketcl
you have made TO my parents"
| begged him TO alter his resolution
but failed.
Would you have me add one dis
grace to another he asked. Il an
enrolled as soldier, and | must serve
as a soldier"
He gave me the address Of his par
ents, bade me adieu and was gone.
The war dragged on. Many OF oul
young women went over to work will
the Red Cross, and | finally threw
down my brush and palette and wen
TO France to nurse the soldiers.
One day among the German wound
! ed who were brought in ] recognized
NV friend met in the Catskill noun
tains in America He was badl!
!, wounded He recognized me at once
and his eye lit up at seeing me. ID
held up a cross made of gun metal ant
| .otd sI ON, No Ionper diSpracpd