New-York tribune., 1922-08-13


20 count them. Ancient recollectiaA as
make women feel old. But have e'''is =.
quetry OF that sort. My hair is white ~, ~ O.
mustache is grizzled. Yet | recall a.ns ~'ls my
months, each of the days, that have Gov. - Ns
that marvellous epoch. Those davq anI s''Se
months are, it seems to me, the 49, 'lDse
flowers, the charming and perfumes 's'sd 'sa
math Of the first flower. eisef-
So shall remember for two and
you, madame, to forget P''mH
| was tired then from NV lono ,.
Paris Some successes had crowned oS,' nem - "a
forts, The critics had noticed nv eor..,' ~
ton to the Salon. The dealers bey.n '.''','0'
my pictures. But was tired, infnito,, Du3
Yes, at twenty-five, the age Of arnbitin.' ''s.
enthusiasms, felt bitter disgust VIII - aNu
feverish, contentious life I had NJ -. 1As
or sincere friend near me to give me- b..l' I.'''e
courage. One beautiful spring dav Hs
gether my modest earnings, straupad 80 80 "
lise, slung my paint box on my shsvldo. "a "a,
quit Paris. sHa
From guidebook which I had hs,.7.,
amined selected for my retreat H.sI. -
man village, whose name even dkin,t W..
the night before. But the name was r~@s.
and the village was far away.
When | arrived I was delighted TO sna .,..
l had made no mistake. This hamlst b.s
thatched roofs, earthen walls covered with ii,
a pool from which the green branches Of ~.
bushes pointed skyward and gardens borday.s
with fresh berries. They had never seen p.
risians in a place 50 far off the track "a III,
To complete my solitude I rented AZ =,
end Of the village humble cottage, lony ~.
occupied. The house was diapdated. W..s,
overran the front yard. The garden had III.
appeared under an exuberance Of wild grzsss,
But how this all smackee of independence ana
liberty!
The morning after I moved in SET u mr.
easel before my door. Between the twis.s5
trunks of two apple trees saw the setting of
my garden--a wild garden ike that Of ths
Sleeping Beauty-then the trees in the adicip.
ing garden, then trees and more trees. took
my palette and my pencils But I didn't gst
any further. A light cry made me turn my
head-a woman's cry, which was at the same
time laugh and COO.
Never before had human voice seemed
more musical to me than this one which uue1.
pectedly broke in upon my solitude. I got ID
approached the hedge with cautious stems aad
looked across into my neighbor's. Ny neigh
Dor was woman. She was twenty years Old
at the most, with rebellious locks flaming m
like a bush, dazzling skin which must have
defied the summers heats, a gracious beauty
and finely nodded hgure-the ANTIQUE beauty
OF fleeing nymphs.
gazed at her in ecstasy. She did not see
me- About her crowded flock Of clueking
chickens. From her hands fell handfuIs Of
grain, like a shower of gold. Sometimes she
oent over to the smallest and the most humble
to see that they, too, got their share. soms-
umes her cry, at once laugh and COO.
mounted into the thin air.
don't know how long | stood thus. motior-
less and silent, in the presence of this charm
ing VISION. But suddenly my neighbor raised
her eyes and saw me. Her face turned Grim
son. She fled into the house.
Slowly came back to nv easel. | wanted
TO work. In vain. kept thinking Of nv neigh
Dor. thought SO much of her that at break
last time at the inn where l took my meals
olont hesitate 10 ask about her. They told ne:
In the country they have nickna!ned hg
La Sauvageonne. She is a nice girl, isn't sic.
But so strange. She lives alone with her oa
rather, who Is all crippled with rheumatm
and almost unable to move. They have
small income. They exc it out by raising
fowls She is passonately fond Of animals 4
She loves them all-the beautiful and the ugly ~
the tame and the wild. From morning TIM
evening she occupies herself only with her
poultry, feeding them corn, making paste for
them and fixing their straw Yes, she is
queer girl! The young men have never been
able to speak to her She bushes like child
when she sees them and runs away like mad
when they come near her Above all things
oont be so foolish as to fall in love with hsr
You would lose your time"
Don't be afraid.7 / answered.
SAID this. But as soon as my meal vas
over went back to my house in such hasts
that began to doubt myself. Yes, was %
love with this unknown, seen only once acres
hedge, among her noisy animals.
GRADUALLY | came to know her better On
sunny afternoons her father sat before tss
mouse, remaining there for hours without
movement, warming his cid, knotted limbs
'he warmth of springtime, all his vitality COR
centrated in his eyes, and following with
look the young girl as she came and went aF
aer the soft shade of the apple trees Seme
tunes she ran to him and spoke to him III