Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-09-25
CHAPTER IV-Continued


"Art Trailers That is what l am,
suppose, an Art Trailer"
"Oh, no, Jerry, you're a student. If
you want to amuse yourself studying
Art"
tits nobody's business but my own"
Jerry finished promptly, when Rhoda
hesitated again.
"Rightol" Rhoda laughed, agreeing.
Rhoda begged her to stay for dinner
promising to cook most delectable
things on the grill, to take her out any
where she liked, to go to the theater,
generously profuse in her enticement.
But Jerry would not be persuaded.
She said she had to go home and fix
something for Theresa, who was look
ing wretchedly i'll, who had no proper
regard for food, or rest, or exercise,
and who certainly required a strong
coercive hand to force her into reason.
"Theresa's making heaps of money"
Rhoda said surprisingly. "Shes do
Ing marvelously."
'aTheresa p
"Yes, why notT"
But-then-why--fo heavens sake,
then, why doesn't she get a decent
ROOM and eat a decent meal once in a
while? 1 thought"
"Well. you thought wrong. 1t isn't
the money with people like Theresa
like all of u.s. It's that burning up in
side-we can't help 1t. Don't try to
know what Pm talking about, old
Angel-face; the more you think about
1t the less you'll understand !"
1t was the next morning when Jerry
slipped softly upstairs with break
fast tray that Theresa asked her diff
fidently, almost alphabetically, if she
would care to see few of her
things
"Oh, l should love to-" Jerry cried.
flushing with pleasure.
Theresa was vaguely surprised,
little troubled, at her eagerness. "If
you wanted to see them, why didn't
you ask me?"
"Oh, I couldn't ask, Theresa. /
thought perhaps you'd rather not show
mel was just hoping you would sug-
gest 1t some time"
For the first time in the weeks she
had known Theresa, she really took
time to do a thing quietly, deliberately
and with comfortable easiness. She
spent the full morning with Jerry,
showing her dozens Of little sketches,
unfnished bits of landscape, lovely
heads, delicately draped figures with
out number, discussing them mean
while with an impersonal, judicious In
terest that charmed and fascinated
Jerry. She touched upon their beauties
of composition and execution generous
ly, but without personal warmth. And
she pointed out their defects with a
keen eye and an unsparing tongue
And then she said:
81 have saved my best till the last
Jerry. This is my one passion, my
darling and my adored."
1t was typical of Theresa that she
did not keep it on display, "her darling
and adored," but packed away with
tender care in dark closet, obviously
the one thing In her life that received
her tender care. Jerry almost held her
breath as Theresa brought it out, re-
moved the protecting wrappers, and
turned it about for her to see.
1t was cruel green ocean, flashing
great waves into white foam, an ocean
of blaekening shadows. and shifting
lights. At first glance, Jerry saw only
the turbulence of multitude of wa
tiers, and then, looking deeper, stand
ing out with sharp incisiveness once
she had discerned It's presence, riding
the highest, widest wave of all,
stretched the slim white body of
woman, triumphant white face up
raised, dominant white arms flung
wide-a joyous, jubllant, fearless fig
ure of youth. swept on the black wa
tiers, sprayed with the white.
Jerry cried out, enraptured.
theresa Oh, Theresa 1t is beau
tifull 1t is the most-thrilling-th
ever saw. 1t makes you feel so full
of-freedom."
Theresa nodded. her dark eyes
aiight with pleasure. "Um. freedom.
I've been working on 1t for years.
Jerry. thousand or more. think. l
used to spend the summer on the coast
In Maine with my nurse-when / was
a kid. you know. | adored the ocean.
II is the only really free-really re-
lentless-thing ever saw. II knows
no law but its own. oh, yes, ! know
what scientists say about the moon.