The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-07-15
Euening Story
For Arts Sake.
BY CLARISsA MACKIE.

BY CLARISSA MACKIE-
when he saw Miss Constance Rood
Rood sitting in her big chair on the
front porch of the white cottage, Linn
strobe up the bricked path and sat
down on the steps. As he laid ms
hat down Miss Constance noticed that
his good-looking young face was
anxious.
How is everything at the bank,
limp she asked him, knitting away
at another gay sweater for her pretty
niece, Jean.
soon-Mr Day is leaving the first OF
the month" The momentary en-
thusiasm died out of his face and he
Redeemed. f'Have-you heard-from
-er-9e can lately. Miss Constance?"
Last night-here is the letter.
read 1t if you like, my dear" said
Jeans aunt, as she gave him bulky
envelope. She knitted busily as he
read and reread the pages. At last
he gave them back to her. THANK
YOU" he murInured.
"Razzanti has told her she has the
soul of an artist-and she is IN the
seventh heaven of delight"
Wish he had told her that she had
the soul OF a housewife-and.con-
found it all, Miss Rood, I'm rot fit to
talk to any one tonight"
my poor boy" sympathized Miss
Constance; Il really believe, Linn,
that I understand Jean thoroly-have
L not been mother and father to her
since her childhood? This painting
notion will soon wear away and she
win come home disillusioned and set
tie down. Meantime she is happy.
Can't you wait n little longer?"
'pll Try to, Miss Constance-you' re
such a good sport yourself know
you miss her-see you later He
damned on his hat and rushed out OF
the gate. As he <ramped down the
road his doggediy planted feet seemed
to pound out unanswerable questions.
-s'If Jean is really happy, why does
she write so wistfully of the garden
and the home folks in Elmdale? II
she is a genius, why Is she not abb
sorbed in her painting3 If Razzanti,
the painting master. really told her
she would succeed, why had she
cried? If she didn't care for the
work why not come home and marry
him 2" Certainly those were tear Bills
tiers on the thick, creamy pages of her
letter!
.aThe next holiday I'll go down and
find out" he muttered at last.
What really happened was this:
The tenperamental RazZanti had
given Jean her sixth lesson. His
greedy eye had noted the lean leather
wallet as 1t went back into her hand
bag after she had paid him. She tried
to arrange terms for payments OF the
next ten lessons until she had sold
a small still-life study of flowers and
a basket of vegetables.
sell? You-a sell that? Anysing?
Hat" He paced the dusty studio with
increasing wrath that one so unworthy |
.EThat-a daub? Looks like tomat can
He shook his fat fingers at
her in rage and Jean with her things
clutched to her breast FASTENED to leave
the place AS she went down the
stairs to the hot street, Razzanti put
his head out of his door and Kissed !
one word after her.
"Sapristi.''
one did not specialize in other than
Latin, Greek on French. But her
tongue trembled TOR speech. |
..S-s-spaghetti!" she Missed back at
him and had the last word. /,
Back in her room at the boarding |
house. she washed her brushes and |
cleaned up her painting boxes with
tear-blind eyes. She was giving, UP a |
long cherished plan-her life's an1bi-
ton She had saved the money little |
charges had absorbed her scanty cap
itaI She had learned little for he !
was but a huge fraud, and had been
sought thru an advertisement. She
could not go home to Elmdale without
there was Linn Mowbray
to face. How every one would laugh
at her for a failure! That evening
after a meager dinner at a funny
little tea shop, she told ner story 10
the kindhearted girl who sat at the
desk
That's shame. Miss Rood-hon-
estIy wish 1 knew how to help you.
7 ou wouldn't want to wait on tho
tables, nowf"
Yes, would, and thank you"
cried delighted Jean.
In a few days the girl discovered
that Jean could make fluffy mullins
and cup cakes that would melt in
hungry customers mouth, and SO Jean
was promoted and the patronage Of
the tea-shop increased wonderfully
Soon she had charge of the cooking Il
and gradually her pile of savings in
creased. l.
One day, behind the dainty blue
screen, where Jean was connecting
delicious salad, she heard the sound
Of vaguely familiar voices. Thru a
peephole she saw tw0~of Elmdale'sl