Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-06-15
Gwendofyn
Chapter 80

The only thing to do was to call
her Gwendolyn. or better yet, by her
pet name Gwen. l did not like to
either. I'm afraid l never liked her
at all.
Yet in justice to her, there were
many likeable qualities. Whatever
reason / had later for my dislike. l
had no reason at all that day., or for
sometime afterwards.
l sat beside her while she poured
tea from a great brass samovar
which stood on a low table by her.
and l watched her closely and crit
ically. Perhaps a dozen persons
came and went while we sat there.
When we rose to leave she detained
us and kept us until all the others
had gone.
Meantime the artist she mentioned
had arrived, a well-known painter
from Paris, who had met my father
over there. He was tall and middle
aged and distinguished. He kissed
the hands of the women who were
present in a courtly manne that
was very becoming to him. and l
saw Wins eyes on him. Win was
taking notes from him too. for Win
learned fast.
There was a stock broker present,
a physician, a civil engineer. a boy
| from college, and some others.
Gwen seemed able to talk to all on
his or her special subject.
1t was baseball with the college
boy.
Il tried to get up a nine in the
little village near Laurier-my sum-
mer home, you know. It's a medic
val French village nea the Loire,
J my chateau is on a wee hill at its
I very edge. Those little boys-they
were amusing" She flashed a smile
at him, all the time pouring tea and
managing the tea things. They
can't, you know, they simply can't.
Born and bred to work, it will take
generations before they can learn to
play. | was umpire. One lad made
a home-run once" She went
on, rafting out baseball slang as
easily as he did and keeping him
laughing with her descriptions.
Another cup, my dear. or
course! You like three Jumps, don't
you? 1 always remember" The
boy had gone, the artist was stand
ing by her, his cup in his hand. He,
too, was given hat strange fascinat-
ing smile of hers.
Eyes, this is the charming child
I spoke of. Don't you think she
should be lone a bit after the French
manner?" Her left hand rested a
that rumple of gold hair? Dc you
remember the group of cherubs at
the National Gallery in London ?
And the day we were there! All.
mon ami, that was a perfect day!
"And by the way" she had for
gotten me in another interest, you
haven't been in town long enough
to see the Avenue Gallery Exhibit
ton, have you? Only some work
by a young student, an American
who has been studying in Paris. But
such effects, A landscape CeZanne
himself might have done-you must
see it,"
She took in the whole room now
Win was watching her, fascinated
such a manner for a beginner
Such lines, such bold, sweeping eff
fects. Sometimes he leaves whole
patches of canvas bare. Sometimes
he pours his pigment on, just squeez'
ing it from the tube. But the eff
feet of depth he achieves! The eas'
and boldness of an old painter, thu
emotionalism of maturity-he'i
barely twenty-one!"
The painter left, joining another
group. Gwendolyn smiled at thu
stock broker, who came over anc
sat on a chair near her tea table.
Il have a hunch about Cardina
Copper" she announced.
Another bunch! My dear Gwen
your lunches are extraordinary
The man had a clear, booming voice
The room listened when he talked.
But I've been right-how many
times?"
Eight out OF ten. I should say
the man answered. What is 1t tC
be, up or down."
Down ten points this week.
want to sell 5000 short as soon u.
it moves. Will you let me know in
} stantly the minute something hap
pens? You remember 1 went short