Gilpin observer., 1919-08-14
DAWN
BY JACK IAWToN


great success was but a disillusioned,
disappointed man. Still young, and
having won the golden key to favor, he
drew back wearily before those doors
1t might open.
During his years Of struggle and
need none of these friends, who now
so eagerly strove to share his triumph,
had made an effort to stretch forth
helping hand. Even the girl whom he
had SO deeply loved and who had pro-
fessed to return his love had grown
weary waiting and had heartiessly
Tilted him for an acknowledged man
Of the business world. -"
Now that the dream of Jerome Bar
ris was realized he smiled cynically at
this same woman's proffered notes of
reconciliation-his former love had be-
come widow, but her charm for him
had vanished before her insincerity,
and all this superficial adulation now
wearied him. He lOnged to get away
from 1t. to get back to certain spot
which had often been his refuge.
To Barris this small place, with the
sea stretching out before, was home.
his one sure haven.
1t was here that his great picture
was bOrn-the picture which had won
for him fame and fortune. Years ago,
when his heart was sore with it's dis
appointment. he had gone, after read
Ing the announcement Of the one girls
marriage, to the seclusfon of this little
house, there to shut out from curious
eyes his deep hurt. And when at sun
down he sat upon the tiny porch boat
had come drifting down a golden beam
toward him. And In the boat sat very
young girl. Unbound, her golden hair
rippled over her shoulders, and her up
raised face was glOrified in the light.
Barris called his great picture
"MaidenhOOd."
1mpulsively he had called her as she
drffted by, and had run down to draw
her boat in to the shore. The girl, who
was perhaps fourteen or fifteen years
OF age, acceded readily to his. request
that she pose thus again for picture.
I'll make the arrangement with
your people," Barris suggested.
Il have no people," the girl told him,
and as she went on with the strange
story Of her own life he knew what
had brought the shadow to her young
eyes. She had been washed to the
shore in boat tossing upon a stormy
sea before she was old enough to re-
member anything about it. A man and
woman found drowned later were
thought to have been her parents, but
she had never known. A fisherman find
ing the child carried her to his wife
who had befriended her, until as the
girl grew and the wife became an in
valid the charge was transferred.
They called her DAWN" the girl
told him blushingly, because it had
been at dawn that the fisherman found
her.
And as days passed and Dawn came
to pose for the artist he learned more
and more of the hard incongruity of n
young life which lOnged for great
things and must be satisfied with COM
mon duties. Dawns heart was full
of music and her mind yearned for
knowledge.
city Barris learned from his old house
keeper that Dawn's invalid charge had
died he sent ut once for the girl and
bade her make her home in his house
on the shore, arranging passage for
her to and from IA school in the adjoin-
ing village and finding her music
teacher there. Then in the absorbing
occupation OF his city studio the artist
forgot about the little girl, who never
alteration.
Barris. long absent from the house
by the sea. sought 1t out again after
one OF his trips abroad and learned
from the old housekeeper that his
protege had secured position as
teacher in n nearby village and left
word that he would hear from her later.
The artist smiled and frowned. "She
should have allowed me to complete
her education" he said. Then his
pleased eyes fell upon the inviting fur
nishing Of his beloved old room.
"YOu keep the place up well," he
commended his hOusekeeper.
''That's Dawn" the woman replied:
"she comes out here and sees that
things is all new an convenient. We
must keep 1t home-for him. she
says"
After that came to the artist regu-
larly small checks In the name Of the
village bank, with notes in u girlish
hand.
"Of course can never repay what
you have done for me-" wrote Dawn.
"this Is just to assure myself that I
would II l could"
And at length, wearied by labor and
surfeited with fiattering attentions.
came to Barris longing wish for the
restful house by the shore. And when