Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-06-19

| lea, Mexico and the tangent region OF
| the United States where the painted
| deserts are, and his compilation OF
| data that bore in any way upon the
comparison of the Inca. the Aztec and
the Yucatan civilizations with those OF
Egypt, Greece and Persia. There is
still in e. istence, covered with dust.
pile Of manuscript In his own hand
writing which, 1t appears, was the be-
ginning of a work upon o subject that
only his interest qualified him to at
tempt A Spectator. gambler, cotton
broker and commission agent, as Brena
has said. does not bring to a preten-
tious scientific work the orderly mind.
the ease of expression nor the reali.
cation OF It's magnitude that one might
expect In a professor, for instance.
He might better have spent his time
In furnishing to his beautiful young
wife a companionship of some kind,
no matter how inadequate, but he had
closed himself In a CHASTITY shell of
his own. Sometimes for days she did
not see him at all and only knew of
his presence In his library by his fits
of coughing.
brena, committed to waiting for the
conclusive end to this distorted exist
ence, which something within told her
destiny would bring, found refresh
ment only In her days. When morning
came there was al escape; she could
go by train or motor TO the city.
Though she found among the persons
she met and those who worked with
her In the Forest pottery, founded
with ner own money. that she Ia grim
joke) was looked upon distantly as
young, rich. contented wife, she
drank down long drafts of the pleas
ures of creative labor and of the pat
ronage she was able to give to young
women whose talents deserved devel.
opment. Her activity would have
been sufficient, however, If 1t had
served only to submerge the memories
of nights alone in her two great rooms
when the wind played mournful melo-
dies as II on the bars of moonlight
that fell through the gates of Parma.
lees estate and across the damp lawn
from which, winter and summer, there
arose The -odors of decay and death.
If the idea that she was wasting her
rare youth. her marked beauty and
the full capacities of her womanhood
sometimes oppressed her. she at least
kept her peace. Something OK Arm
ness, not there before. began to APP
pear upoL her face. Probably no mir
ror could have shown her as clearly
the woman she was throwing away
as the portrait of her painted during
this period by young Sydenham. who
had JUST come over from England
He succeeded. it was said, In ex-
pressing In his colors and bold method
that extraordinary combination a
Brena which gave her the atmosphere
OF the permanence of temple AMI
yet the simmer of golden moment.
come and gone In a warm transitory
glow beneath her cream-colored skin.
glimmer of light from her golden red
hair. or some almost imperceptible
tiexure of bier sensitive lips.
Parmalee, urged by his wife. saw
this portrait wnen young Sydenham
had finished It, He thrust his glances
at 1t In his usual way and several
times turned one ear toward the pic
ture as If inviting words from It.
"A personl" he said. 'And most OF
her is there--a good deal OF her SOU.
A glorious piece of color--a massive
glow. and yet her eyes--they ars the
masters VI the canvas. That Is aston
ishing--"
Of course Sydenham beamed. He
fed upon admiration-as much, per-
haps, Upon that which came to him
because he was one of those men who
may be called beautiful youth and
had been petted by the Idle rich and
their daughters, AS upon the praises
for his extraordinary art.
well. shall buy II" Psrmalee had
said with sudden unannounced de-
termInatiCa for which Brena was I'M
prepared She showed 1t by the aston.
lshment in her eyes
Sydenham smiled. He said: But.
MIR. Parmalee, 1t was the understand
ing with Mrs Parmalee that | was to
exhibit the picture. Ali things con.
SlQGFGOt 40 enS OCSS I nave
ever done. l have planned to exhibit
my things rather widely In America
Shall say that am going en- tour
across the country After exhibiting
why then-of course"
parmaiee's face contorted. He wet
his lips.
"You have price" he snapped out.
Sydenham. the self-contident. the
whimsical. the theatrical youth, waved
his pale hand.
AT present there Is no price. Mr..
Parmaiee." he said
The cotton broker pulled at his col
lar rim as If he had need of air.
What have you proposed as the
little of this picturer
why - the = name - Mrs. Parma
lee"
THAT'S foolish Sydenham." Comp
ton said. I'm prejudlced In favor Of