Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1934-11-02


Sandy Macintosh? Somehow, al
his work sold readily, al
he had a real flair for ex-
he belonged with the two
girls, Ellen told herself. His essays
at love-making always bordered on
the comic, for her. He was always
ready to put her into n of his
careless, charming illustrations,
however, always ready to buy her
a dinner at some place where the
food was good, and the lights were
low, and there was wine for the
asking.
The older man, Dick Alven, He
wasn't a lightweight! He didn't de-
pend upon charm to put his draw
over. He didn't even care, al
ways, that his paintings would in
~terest dealers-rather than sell
them! Ellen, her gaze creeping
about the room, felt a thrill of
affection as her eyes rested upon
his face. For it was to Dick that
she had first gone, quite by chance,
in her quest for work. A slim,
frightened child, in a scarlet cap
and an questionable topcoat, she
had come knocking at his studio
door. And he with curiosity writ
ten in every line of his face, had let
her into the square, somber room
in which he painted.
$50 you want to pose?" he had
questioned. "I fancy, from your
looks, that you've just run away
from school, with an old copy of
1.-THE Common Law tucked into
your pocket. Well, l do need a
model. But you'll find it hard, un-
romantic work."
Ellen had answered haughily, to
cover the shiver in her heart, the
quake in her soul.
'rve posed all my life," she told
him. II know it's not easy. But
I'm used to it,"
Dick Alven's p~racticed, oddly
personal yet oddly impersonal gaze
had run the length of her slender
body. He sighed.
YOU'RE such a kid" he told
Iher. DC you pose for the fgure?"
Ellen felt the blood mounting
into her cheeks, pounding into her
temples. But she answered with a
certain doggedness.
II have, of course, posed that
way" she said. II can, if there's
no other work to be had. But I'd
rather-not!"
Dick Alven had laughed. II
thought that would scare you OUT
he said. "I'd know you for an
amateur any day. Who've you pos
ed for you little bluffer?:"
Ellen's head was high. The blood
had receded from her cheeks.
II posed for Mrs. Church." she
said. sYou must have seen her
work. She specialized in drawings
of children. Of young girls. She,"
|Ellen's lips all at once were CULVER
ing; all at once the tears stood,
roundly, in her eyes, "she was-my
mother!"
Dick Alven, with a certain mute
astonishment, had watched the tears
spill over on to the pale cheeks, He
had given himself a little shake,
and had closed the studio door.
Make yourself at home," he
told Ellen GIVE an order for a
sort of Kate Greenway mural, to
dress up a halfbaked, junior league
inspired children's theatre. I can
use you plenty"
And so Ellen entered the studio,
and buttoned herself into a high
wasted, blue-sashed muslin dress,
and started out upon her career as
a professional model. 1t was as easy
as that! Under Dicks tutelage,
which almost amounted to chaper-
onage, she met other artists, Sc
cured other work.
1t was getting late. The cigarette
smoke was rising toward the ceiling
of the room. As soon as the bunch
left, Ellen thought, she would fling
up the window-and make the
room sweet again.
IL think" she called now to the
corner in which Gay and Sandy
were sitting, very close, that you'd