The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-01-30
Eoening Story
Sympathy.
BY R. RAY BAKER.

nphonse MacGregor Smith was q
queer mortal.
| AItho his combination of French.
Scotch and plain American names was
part of his queerness,' that was not
] what worried the young men and
| women of the social set of which he
was a member.
The thing that made them look
askance at Aiphonse was his ambi-
| tom He wanted to do something in
the world, and, OF course. such an
| idea was all nonsense, because AL
phonses father could write a check
in one figure and six ciphers il he
/ wanted tos
Attic the idea that he should work
| grew on Alphonse, he began keeping
his own counsel in the matter. for
whenever he had mentioned a job the
young men of his acquaintance had al
ways, sneered and the young ladies
had laughed outright and told him
| he was a good joker.
One of these girls played big part
in Alphonse's visions of the future.
Her name was Clara Lennox and her
| family was quite as well fixed finars-
cially as the Smiths. Altho he had
never preached the subject to her, it
was pretty well understood that some
day matrimonial partnership would
| ensue from their associations. Their
parents encouraged this idea, for it
was considered a good match.
And yet Clara would not sympa-
thize with Alphonses ambition.
IF you want to work." she con-
| tended, why don't you get a position
as manager in one of your father S
factories? If you feel that you ought
to crafty your within, pick out some
thing soft, and if-you fall you won't
land SO hard
This might have been practical ad-
vice, but what Alphonse wanted was
to climb the success ladder with his
| own ability and not an influential
father as his support.
Now, Alphonse had a secret. He
nourished conviction that he could
paint pictures. For years he had
practiced it on the sly, and an old
| artist with whom he had a ciandestine
! acquaintance told him he was a ma
tural-born painter. All he needed was
the proper environment, said this au-
thority, and the urge of necessity and
he was bound to make good. In talk
ing of job Alphonse never had dared
| breach the. subject of art for fear it
would land him in an asylum for the
insane.
Finally he could stand it no longer
He told his parents he needed a
change of atmosphere. His father Of
said it was a different kind of atmos-
phere he desired.
! "Give me 5000 and three months
and don't try to find me. I'll write to
you" he said.
To his friends he offered various
excuses, and then took himself to a
quarter of the city where artists and
authors held sway. H e. rented a
studio, bought what equipment he did
Fnot already have and went to work.
During his first month with art he
hired a number of different profess
SiOnal models TafO
lures which he placed on sale at stores
devoted to the products of the easel
but none of them sold. He knew
there was something lacking in his
pictures, but there was no one to tel
him what it was. At the beginning
of his wrestle with work Aiphonse
had tried to find his old artist friend
but the latter was abroad, altho he
was expected home soon.
I At the end of his first month OF
unsuccessful effort he went once more
in quest of the artist The little house
he had occupied in the colony showed
signs of life this time, and a rather
diminutive young girl with curly vel
low hair. deep, serious pools of blue
swered his knock
"Mr. Smith ?" she said, raising hei
eyebrows Yes, I've heard of you
from father. But father-father dice
a month ago in Italy
and started away. She called:
Perhaps I could help you, If It's
something about painting. Father
used to say I was his best critic. II
be frank out tell you I'm out of funds
If you need a model"
Alphonse liked the suggestion. bu
he was low on funds himself He could
II get more from home, but he had re-
solved to go it alone. He explained
that he was meeting no success what
ever, and that he was in no position
to offer the girl much remuneration
but she said she was willing to risk il
and agreed to go to his studio thu
next morning.
On his way back to his workshop
his mind occupied with thoughts o
his new acquaintance. he stopped il
store which had his goods on dis
play. To his surprise none of his pic
lures were in sight.
81 sold every one of them and car
get rid of more" cried the store
keeper, rubbing his hands. "Yor
| have a thousand dollars coming anc
I'll hand it to you now
Filled with elation Alphonse hur
ried on his way, and in the studio ht
wrapped up two pictures he had fin.
ished the day before. With these un
der an arm he started back to thu
store. At the corner he paused, fol
he had seen a familiar figure entel
I the establishment. 1t was Clara Len
nox, and Alphonse understood. Slowl.
he retraced his steps, entered thu
studio and dumped the two pictures
{ in a corner.
ITS fine of Clara" he said
, shes trying to help me, but sh
doesn't understand. It's like pamper
1 ing a spoiled child. I'll take no NOR,
S pictures to that store, and I'll not US
a cent of the thousand. 1 want t,
make good on merit
The next morning the new mode
= appeared. and then and there AL
( phonse started on a career of har'
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