Evening star., 1926-05-02

claim to back net over black satin
from blue charmeuse and orchids. but
also augmented the effect by an old
japanese screen which kibbey volun-
toered to lend her for Il background.
The portrait was repainted so many
times that the gown had to be am
plified at the waist to accommodate
the ever.hungry Sarah; the ground
color changed from dark brown to
light brown, and back to dark brown;
Sarah'S hair was remodeled first to
conform to the prevailing mode of
February, and then to anticipate that
of May; but always the wonderful
Bokhara added dignity and luster to
the canvas, and every inch of it re-
f1ected glory on the Moslem slave
who had sailed into the ages at the
rate of 128,000 knots to the square
inch.
When 1t was done, the young man
from No. sat comfortably on Mary's
dvan and smoked his pipe.
"Well?" inquired Mary.
frank?"
"Oh, it's not necessary" said Mary.
Nobody ever begins a compliment
like that. Your frank opinion is that
It's 'punk'?"
MY dear girl" said Kibbey, your
treatment Of the rug Is marvellous. /
don't believe there's a better painted
rug extant. AS rug painter, you're
to be numbered among tho classics" :"
But the chair-and the screen
and incidentally the lady?"
THE lady" commented Kibbey, "is
a sister to Judy O'Grady-on the sur
face as we'll as under the skin. l don't
think you've done it well. Mary Ann
it, poor art; and not even good
Sarah" And then, seeing how crest
fallen she looked, he added consoling-
ly: ITS the fault of the model, l dare
say. You tried n society portrait. and
Sarah looks embarrassed in a decol-
lete gown. I'm sorry, Mary Ann"
Sometimes" said she, your infer
ences are more subtle than at other
times. You hint that I'm not the
smashing success l thought l was. Is
that it?'
IT'S possible" said Kibbey, that
people will pay more attention TO the
rug than to Sarah, in which case
you've arrived"
Il thought Of that when was doing
it. The higher it's hung, the better it
looks"
You're actually planning to exhibit
Il actually am. You didn't think I
came TO New York for a rest cure, did
you? If l didn't stop, I'd take as long
to paint your Bokhara as the man did
to make it."
Why did ycu come to New York;"
Mary rolled the easel across the
modelstand, and began to prepare tea.
When L was a thin-legged prodigy in
short dresses" she confessed, "I used
to draw beautiful blue dogs and red
rabbits and things. My mother loved
art--the influence was pre- natal"
'PoSt-impressonist said kibbey
softly. Il did 1t myself, only my dog
wouldn't sit still, SO l copied Gibson"
Yes, L did, too. People said that YOU
couldn't tell the original from the copy
unless YOU saw it first. Well, in due
time ] was painting landscapes and
battle pictures and night scenes Of the
steel works, and three years ago | did
portrait of uncle Silas Heyniger just
before he died-I mean he died shortly
after / painted him. He was only a
play-uncle, you know, so / was all the
more touched and flabbergasted when
he left me $1,000 TO study art. What
do you make OF that?"
Mary Ann" said kibbey dolorously,
"I fear IT was Christian forgiveness.
You hatter him. He left the por-
trait to a cousin with private in.
structions to destroy 1t unbeknowu to
me. Well, l worked two years in
Pittsburgh. and came here last Sum
mer for the anticlimax-which is that
I've spent a year painting a picture
Of one model, one screen, one rug and
one chair, and I've spent nearly all the
$1,000"
And your family won't let you
stay?"
my blessed dad" said Mary Ann,
'is an honest lawyer in a town of
5000 population, and the ones that
aren't politicians are pillars of church
es. He can't afford to let me stay
You can't do any pot-boilers? No
advertising work."
''I'd paint fences" alleged Mary, 'if
any one would pay me slightly more
than it was worth. Two Jumps and
cream?'
THANK you. Well. Mary Ann Ather-
ton. what's the answer"
1.-THE answer is, sell my lady Of the
Bokhara. or go back to Bison City and
explain to 5000 people how 1t hap
pened. All but three Of them will grin
catty grinS and say sickly, sweet
things to me, and remind me ever so
nicely that they expected 1t. will sell
my picture! 1 won't explain to all
those tabbies, and have them say, so
sorry, dear. Now I suppose you'll
stay at home like a good girl and help
mother With the housekeeping
" N u. k
KIBBEY stirred his tea and hummed
AN softly. There's another way
out" he said finally. Had you ever
thought of it, Mary Ann?"
Thought of what?"
"The way to preserve your hands
City," ,
Never a thought. What is it?''
Kibbey set his cup beside him on the
divan, and began to look serious.
Marriage was what I meant" he
said. Had you ever thought Of it?"
mo. indeed. Why should II"
"Well, so many girls do. Aren't you
interested in 1t as an eventual possibtl-
ity?" .,,.o, .,,,,.,
intendept ran away the organist. He
was my last chance
mo"
yes" said Mary, "he was, and he
eloped with the organ mist. and she wore
lace mitts, and giggled."
MARY" he said. II want to marry
you myself. Don't interrupt me, please.
Here's the whole story. You aren't an
artist any more than I am. You've
plenty of ambition, and very little abil-
ity. You've fought your campaign in
New York, and you haven't even
smelled powder. SO have land |
can't paint as we'll as you can. L
love you for trying so hard; but wish
you wouldn't. Let's stop 1t, and do
something sensible! have a little
money, and I've wanted you for ever
so long"
HVoII-yo,, hawai-"
"Yes," said Kibbey honestly. II
have"
She Strengthened suddenly. and tried
to meet his eyes squarely. "My dear
boy" she said, please don't go any
further
"Let me finish"
"Please don't. Let me talk instead.