The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1920-09-04
\ CHARMING studio. In the Lat
in quarter of Paris. sheltered
= "rhIrc MnnkcIecrs Of the

- - "'rhre Muskctecrs ~ the
brush :" Talbot wynnc. or Tnfy. n
big. fnlr. bluc-cyed young Yorkshire
man. who Ind been n soldier. hut wns
nj last following his wish Ia he an art.
list: then Sandy McAilistrr. ar the
Laird, NJ his friends called him. In.
tended by his parents for n solicitor.
hut who wns IN Paris painting loren.
doris and singing French ballads. with
n decided Scotch accent.
''The third he wns Little BIllle" or
william nngot. n pleasing Young Eng
lishmnn from London. To i've aud
work IN i'nrls hnd been I,llilc's dream.
and nj lnsi II was n reality. hc ana hIs
two friends having taken The studio
together. lie often looked NJ these
friends and wondered n anyone. liy.
Ing OF dead. ever had iva such elori.
Gus chums His absolute belief IN all
they snld and did touched them ex.
ceedinriy. and they In turn loved him
for his afYcctionate disposition and
lively ways: and recognizing his
quickness krenne-s mud deiicncy In oil
matters ~ form and color. they had
also great admiration for him.
ON showery April dny the three
friends were In the studio, cnclr Occu'
pied 10 his taste, Tnny vigorously
swinging n pair of Indian clubs. the
Laird sitting b'rore his cgFei painting,
and Billie knoelng on the hrond diynn
before the great studio winhuw was
gazing out over the roofs of Paris
spcculntlng upon the future of himself
aud his friends.
These speculntions were rudcly In
tcrruplcd hy loud knocking NJ the
door and two men entered first tall,
hony individual of any age between
thirty and forty.fiyo. Of Jewish aspect
weli.fenturcd. but sinister. He had
bold. brilliant blnck eyes. with long.
heavy lids. lie wen, by the name of
Svengnli. spoke fluent French. hut
with q German accent. His companion
was n little. swarthy yonng man, pos
sihly a gypsy: under his arm he car
rlcd fiddle and bow.
Svengnli NJ once suggested that they
have some music and, seating himself
at the piano. run his fingers up md
down the keys with the easy power of
a masier Then he fell Ia playing
.Chopln's Impromnin In 4 ilni. so
beautifully that Lite Blllie's heart
wns nigh To bursting with emotion aud
delight He never forgot that Inn
promptu. which he was destined Ia
hear ngnln one day In very strange
circumstances.
Then the two, Svengall and his COM
paniOn Gecko. made music together so
divlnely. indeed. that even Taffy and
the Laird were almost as Wild In their
enthusiasm ns BlIlie. hut with an en-
thusiasm too deep for words.
Suddenly there came another inter
ruption, a loud knuckie-rnpping at the
outer door. and n voice of great vol
ume. that might belong to any sex, or
even mn angel. uttered the British
milkman's y0del, milk below" ana
before anyone could say "entrex." a
strange figure appeared framed In the
gloom Of the antechamber the figure
Of very tall and fully developed
young girl, clad In the gray overcoot OF
u French infantry soldier; below this
there showed a short striped petticoat.
and beneath II were visible her bare
white nnlSles. the toes losing them
selves In huge pair of mems list
slippers.
While not strictly beautiful, the girl
bod great charm; she was really much
like healthy young English boy.
Closing The door behind her she said,
wistfully; "Ye're all English, now,
nrent ye? heard the music and
thought I'd just come In for II bit and
pass the time Of day; you don't mindf
---------------------