Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-07-29
DAILY NOVELETTE,
ARTHUR'S SUCCESS
BY Josephine Murphy

TT WAS close on to sunset, and Bar
L bara hurried down the long stairs,
out upon the wide, empty veranda, to
watch for her uncle, who had so will
ingly taken her under his wing when
she had been left an orphan at the age
of two months.
The east was a caldron Of copper
and gold. Down past the clipped velvet
green terrace the harbor spread a sheet
Of glass and fire; gray as granite
against that heaving flame of ocean and
sky lay nine great ships of the U. s.
A., masts and fighting tops forming
n lattice Of silver. Up shrilled bugle
call dropping lige great crimson flowers
slid the flags down the jackstaffs.
From the ranks on the decks blared
the high and splendid tune, "Oh Say
Can You See, by the Dawn's Early
Light"
Barbara wiped two big tears from her
eyes, for 1t brought memories of her
only man, now returned from doing his
duty and no longer able for laborious
labor.
barbara ~ said Uncle John, caus-
ing her to start from her reverie,
what's got into that mad lover of
yours? He nearly ran me down with
his motor car this morning"
s"Only nearly? You can thank your
stars you aren't dead. He will be
next! I'm in mortal terror for him.
I can't understand him. He is an
artist. but ! know he is man ~
"Well most of us have two men in
us. I'd allow an artist at least four
before I'd worry"
You're n good soul, Uncle John,
If you are railroad president. But
her troubles remained. 'iou know
how content he used to be to take life
as it came. Now it's 20, go. go! Not
only amusement, but work.
~ know" chuckled Uncle John. Il
came across him coatless and hatless
down by the creek yesterday. He fumcd
because he was getting low on color,
and gave me a list to send up when l
20 to town tomorrow. He pulled out
n slip of paper from his pocket
"Aurora yellow. mauve. vcrmilion,
ultramarinc blue he read. Gee! it
sounds gorgeous enough, and it sure
looked so on canvas.
"There's something the matter all
right" sighed Barbara. as she went in
with her uncle to have their evening
meal.
"Arthur does seem very much excited
over something" said Uncle John. as
Al. &,L IL
gently working on that piece of scenery
today, as if his whole life depended
upon it!
eyes, uncle. but he finds very few
moments to spend with me. ] know>hc
loves his art, but I'm really perved at
the way he's been acting of late, and
his visits have grown fewer
"Now, now, Barbara. don't be too
hard on the poor boy. I'm sure If you
would only have little more faith in
him. you'd be much happier.
That night in her room. Barbara
Wondered the situation, the same as
many others had done before her. The
more she mused. the more confused she
grow. and new suspicion entered her
head, Il WOnuPT VIII lii' -''' ''e' -
he talks about. t.'
week later. Barbara and her uncle
wore invited to Arthur's cottage. This
vas the first time he had asked her
since his return. and what scene her
eves beheld. His little cottage by the
shore was brilliancy itself, with fas-
cinating candle shades; flowers in
abundance. n wonderful display of fine
arts and to Barbara's surprise were
many faces. some old, some new.
"What could it all mean?' she asked
herself
"It's good of so many of you to come
70 sec a few pictures, said Arthur.
"Comc let Martha give you some tea. y
He led the way to the bower near the
great fireplace.
As he moved about from place to
place. the girls eyes followed him with
admiration, while the men openly ex-
pressed their jealousy and reminded
them that Arthur was mortgaged.
With the coming of twilight, the little
groups dispersed. and Arthur knew his
| first exhibition had met with success
and he 10 longer, worried for what the
future would bring.
Barbara had retired to quiet spot
on the veranda. She wanted to think
for few minutes and felt little guilty
because she had not trusted her lover
more. She knew now where so much
of his time had been spent, and all fol
her.
She must have spoken the last phrase