The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1919-07-31
The
Day 5 /: ]
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By ALDEN CHAPMAN

By ALDEN CHAPMAN /
Copyright. 1913. b. Western Nsvspsss us3sa.)
Lesbia Travis arrayed herself as II
for q state occasion. Her gowns were
few and not strictly elegant, but she
looked pretty as picture % she left
her room, pausing to bestow light
but loving kiss upon the engagement
circlet upon her finger, only q few days
old. Then its presence seemed to act
as incentive and reminder. She opened
Q drawer In the bureau and from
faded, time-worn velvet jewel case re-
moved ring with an old-fashioned
setting surmounted BY brilliant white
diamond.
Her eyes were tender and misty as
It reflected light rivaling the pure
intensity Of her own bright eyes. Mem
DRY was sentiment and pervading. I'm
honor Of Alan !" she whispered devout-
". "Surely he Is worthy, and 1t Is our
last meeting for q long, long time"
The ring was about all in the world
Of value that Lesbia possessed. Her
mother had bestowed It upon her a
few days before she died and Lesbia
had cherished II sacred mementO.
Alan Rawleigh looked like an artist,
and was one. The delicate refinement
Of his face attracted even those Of
coarser mold. Art had been his pas
sion, and the scope and encouragement
of small inland city had become too
narrow for his ability. his ambition
and hts genius.
Sadly the day was dying" before,
eventide It shall be light" Air and
sky were In harmony with subdued
sentiment. In the west the last rays
OF the sun formed fanltke splsndor.
while a mellow .hyacinthine hue, e1-
quisitely diversified, formed curtain
Of loveliness and. spread over the
canopy to the east. Lesbia found
Alan on the porch, half-reclining in .
hammock, his poetic glance 0xed on
Z the far glowing horizon. EF :.
1.-THE days end!" he murmured SOFT
~ aS AeSDld JOluSU HILL :.
"How beautiful I" she said IN an
awed, yet enraptured tone, and then,
her hand resting In his own, they sat
mutely engrossed under the spell of a
silence that was eloquent. Soul spoke
to soul, but better thus, for the holy
calm of the hour seemed to lift them
into higher sphere. They watched
the shadows come, the radiant sky col
ors fade and darken. Then one glow
ing star came out, only one.
II shall think Of you whenever ]
gaze at that star" spoke Alan, "and
that will be every eventide. Oh, my
precious one! this hour Of happiness
: is the supreme moment Of our exist
ence"
That star, that one evening, Les
!: bias presence, the uplifting soulful
ness of all nature nodded their eternal
! fibers inseparably into the warp and
wool Of Alan Rawleigh's career. After
he had gone to the city, weekly
a letter came to Lesbia, always CHEEKY
and full of optimism. He had found
studio room with veteran portrait
painNer, one Giles Larne, and his
friendship and cooperation had
brought new Joy into Alan's life. He
had introduced Alan into advanced ar
tistic circles had found him some
stock picture work that afforded him q
living, and had encouraged him to
make an effort for recognition from
the art institute.
"And oh! Lesbia," wrote Alan, my
very being is enwrapt in a picture, the
theme of which Is the end of that
beautiful day when last We saw one
; another and our souls seemed to merge
, into new world of sweetness and
! beauty. The Days End'-it shall be
the effort Of my life and the one star
may shine on us. to illumine our paths
. to fame and fortune" liz. ~.
It was little after when letter
; written in an unfamiliar hand came to
Lesbia. 1t was signed "Giles Larne,
! and 1t told the anxious and alarmed
, Lesbia that her fiance had broken
down from worry and overwork and
was in serious condition. At once
| Lesbia arranged to go to the city. Ar
aunt resided there; she went to hel
home and then to Giles Larne, who In
formed her that Alan was in hospi
tai and, according to the doctors, IL
for a long siege Of sickness.
/, Lesbia stood spellbound, as for thu
first time Larne took her to the studio
and showed upon the easel '"The Days.
End" The tears would come as sh'
recognized how Alan had imbibed ant
expressed the soulful beauty Of thai
eventful eventide. And there in thu
far west was the star-their star!
THAT ls-where Alan broke down.
/ explained the faithful old veteran
HE tried all kinds Of paint to get the
glow and sparkle Of the star and
failed. The picture goes to the ar