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About The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 14, 1899)
THE COURIER. 11 JAPT1VE OF MY SPEAR." ROW AND A TKAOEDY OP AN ARTIHT 8 STUDIO. "Judith, at Inst it is finished! My astcrpicco! The picture that will ako mo famous! Say you are glad. or my 6ke, little one," and he turned oward her, joy illuminating every eature of his fair, boyish face. But the irl addressed us Judith did not answer. "What is the matter? You are not orry to see it finished, are you? Do you taink 1 won't need you any longer? that ;he sittings will be over? Don't worry bout that. Let's throw aside dull care today. Change your clothes, and for 'II take you out to lunch, and we'll jpon a bottle of wine to celebrate." He spoke carelessly, his eyes return ing to the huge canvas stretched across )no side of the room, and he failed to see the change that came over the girl's face, as he spoke. Her great dark eyeB glowed and her louth twitched convulsively, and then she answered: "Glad it is finished! Why should I 3e? What is it to mo, your buccoeb or your failure? I have been your model, uid my work is done. Now let mo go, nd, if you wish to celebrate, call in your menus, xaey win oe giaa to Irink with you." Ho stood aghBBt at her outburst. "Have I offended you, Judith? I beg (our pardon, i meant my oner in an friendliness," he said slowly. "Do you wonder that I speak now I, Iwbo have been silent all these weeks? it is because of your cousin's visit yes. Iterday, and your words to me today." She spoke with a slight foreign ac- Icent and a peculiar liquid quality or tone that made every word mu Jcal. He listened, a slight frown wrinkling his smooth brow. "What has my cousin's visit to the studio to do with the question?' he asked, impatiently. 'Do you remember the first day you aw me?" Shall I ever forget it! I was wander- -'ing through the Jewish quarter, seeking a type, and then I saw you. You were standing in an open doorway. You bad on a blue frock that showed every curve of your slim form. It had no collar, and I saw your young throat, like a slender column, upholding your small .'head. The low brow, the great mourn I'ful dark eyes, the wide space between 'them, the slightly acquilinu nose, the Kful red Hds iust as 1 bad dreamed or 'them. At first, I thought I must be still dreaming, and then, as you became conscious of my prolonged stare, your eyes met mine. Into them came the ezpreesion I had been lousing for pride, terror, dignity. I could scarcely vrefrain from Bhouting with joy. I bad no difficulty in persuading your uncle "to allow you to sit for me; and this ia the result. And you ask me if I re member our first meeting!" He laughed a little, wholly restored to good humor. "For six weeks I have come to your studio and posed for you. You have been kind to me, and courteous. You have snown no surprise that the niece al'y oppo3od to lovity. He had seen life in various phases, during the course of his twonty-oight years; but his idea1 of womanhood was, and always had been, embodied in the tall, aristocratic form of his cousin, Edith Kingsloy. Judith Beatod hersolf on a pile of cushions beside him. Her rich Orien tal dress set off her peculiar beauty. Her hair, entwined with strings of pearls and golden chains, hung like a mantle about her shoulders, and her slender, bare arms glistened with banglos. Her dark eyes gleamed with sombre fire, and hor small hands were tightly clinched to prevent their trembling. To you," she began, " am the daughter of poor Jews. Among my own people 1 hold the highest rank. I was born in the East, the laBt child of a noble raco, and I had maidservants to attend me Then, while I was still a child, persecution drove us away, and we wandered. It is the curse of my people to wauder, and to find no rest anywhere. "I was my father's companion, and ho taught me. He was the most learned man in the whole tribe. We wandered Blowly through Southern Asia and Northern Africa and Europe. Then we Bottled in England, and there my father died." She paused a moment, and then con tinued, sadly: ''After his death I came to America. It was his wish, and I mado.my home with my mother's peo pie, who had been here a long time. I am the last of our family. J may never marry, then our name will die with me!" Her voice broke, and she covered her face with her hands. Cecil felt that silence was his best sympathy, and he waited for her to re gain composure. When she railed her head again, her eyes Hashed proudly. ''I .tm the daughter of a line that for centuries haB been eminent among my people, and yet, when your cousin en tered the studio yesterday, she looked at mo as if I were an outcast. Since I have been with you, I have learned what models sometimes are; but until yesterday you treated me liko your equal. Now, since she has shown what she thinks of me, your manner baa altered, and today you show me that her estimate of me in yours. "I am a woman to be treated to wine; to be paid with a kiss; to laugh wh9n you laugh, and to die when you leave me." "Judith!" he cried, starting from his seat. "Js it not so? Deny it, and I will believe you!'' She, too, had risen, and she stood facing him defiantly. "Last night," she continued, "when I was going away, you followed me to the door. 'Won't you say good night, Judith?" you said, and then you drew me to your breast, and kissed me. What did it mean to you that kiss? Nothing! What might it have meant to me?" His eyes fell; he was confused. "I told you I was sorry, Judith; that I never would forget myself again," he stammered. "Yes. you promised, and I believed 1 of a dealer in second-hand books should you; and I came again today, bo that the be what I am. You have not questioned picture might be finished. It is finish mo. Shall I tell you my story? Do ed, this work of your cunning hand, and you care to hear it?" "I shall be proud to think I have won your confidence, Judith," he 'answered, gently, He seated himself on a couch, from which he could see his beloved canvas, and lazilv filled his Dine. He you ask me if it be good! good to look upon my ancestress, the Jewish maiden, the prey of those white-robed Knights of Temple, your ancestors! " 'Captive of my Bow and Spear' have you named it, and even as she ia wbb willing to listen to her. She was an captive to that blond Baton, wouidyou odd girl, unlike an ordinary model, and make me captive of your 'bow and spear.' ho really had become interested in ber. I should lie at your feet and languish flfihnri BArvurl Ma onnrftntlneahln in for loV6 of YOU. I should forget I am fraris, and had taken, as a matter of the daughter of a noble line, and be courBo, the friendships of the Latin your slave, and you would not even love Quarter, but his nature was fundament- me." W 'bbbbbbbbsHM HBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBMSi bIbBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBbL BBBBBB aUKiA V99HBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBy!?SBBBV. llaMBKiBBBBBBBBBBBA tnKiBBBIIiaW BBBBWr'HBBBBBBBBBBHSBilHlii iBflfi:BBBBBBBBBBBPH3l ff-BBBBBBBBf IV M B K&l iiliJBBBBBBBK"JLaSalJ'iHW BBBBBBl w T ivS'il'-.' t BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBHlHaBBBBBBBW BBBBlnTliMrBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBlBBlBBBWBBBBBBftV WIIIIIbbbbbbbbIBbIibbM Ibbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbv'L We carry a stock of goods valued at (1,500,000.00 ffl We receive from 10,000 to s every day VX ft T 'a ife We own and occupy tie tallest mercantile building in the world. We have over 3,oco,OM customers. Sixteen hundred clerks are constantly engaged filling out-of-town orders. OUR OENERAL CATALOQUE is the book of the people it quotes Wholesale Prices to Everybody, has over 1,000 pages, iS.ooo illustrations, and 6o,ooo descriptions of articles with prices. It costs 71 cents to print and mail each copy. We want you to have one. SEND FIFTEEN CENTS to show your good faith, and we'll send you a copy FREE, with all charges prepaid. .MONTGOMERY WARD & CQ.",ch,fl'nAft;"B,,r"1 WEBSTER'S INTERNATIONAL DICTIONARY Hom.D.l.lStWWJmicot.&.MmCn4. says 1 " I commend It to all u the one great stand- f mm amuonij." It excels In the ease with which tha arm flnda tha word Bought; in accuracy of definition; in effect ive methoda of indicating pronunciation ; in terse and comprohcnslvo statements of facts and In practical use as a tf orklng dictionary. Specimen poaet, etc., $ent on application. ff.fcGMfriam Co Publishers, Springfield, Mass., U. 8. A. 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