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Show Slants on Life By J. A. WALDRON A Vassal to Art kmt E SHALL not quarrel, of V course. That is a barbarism. A survival from the age of the club. A suggestion of reversion to cave habit hab-it We've got beyond that, I hope, Thais, you and L" said Gundun. "Yes. Yet we may have a difference differ-ence of opinion, may we not?" Tb sculptor's wife looked up with a. smile. "Of course. But we can't mix matrimony mat-rimony and art, my dear." "But we used to mix matrimony and art." "In a way, yes. Art has Its elemen-tals, elemen-tals, as life has. We were younger. We were subjects of an enthusiasm which never survives years and experience." ex-perience." "Hut should not enthusiasm always, be present In art?" "Of a certain sort, yes. But our enthusiasm en-thusiasm was " "Just love, eh?" "Based upon that. Whnt were we you and I that we should have ben staid and sober during a -honeymoon?" "During our honeymoon. And what are we, you mean, that we should still be as foolish as we were then!" "Essentially that. We are older. We have Improved both of us. I am a better artist." "And I am a better cook I" "Ah !" said Gundnn, putting a fresh match to his pipe, "how much better! In your function you have Improved more notably than I have I" "In one of my functions, you mean, dear." "Yes. Your chief function. For what greater ambition could a woman have a married woman who loves her mate, as I assume you love me " "Have you ever doubted It?" "If I had, you would have known. As I say, what greater ambition could you have than to keep my stomach and thus my mentality sane?. If you had not greatly Improved as a cook, I should now be a dyspeptic, If I had not " "Which would have been fatal to your art." "Yes. But I was about to add something. And not being mentally "But We Used to Mix Matrimony and Art." responsible or enjotionally sound, I might have looked about for another wife." Thais started, and her smile vanished. van-ished. "And yet you have had more than one other model since I " "Since our honeymoon? Why not?" ."But I could have found time from domestic duty." "Ignoring certain other facts, don't you know, my dear, that art gains Inspiration In-spiration from more than one figure, i"rom more than one landscape?" "Did you ever have a handsomer model than 1 was when I stood for your Psyche?" "None so handsome. Believe me. But" "Coming back to one of the other facts which you ignored : I am no longer a proper figure to pose as Psyche. 1 presume that is what you were about to say in your artistic candor. can-dor. I must admit that I am no longer long-er sylphlike. And you no longer affect af-fect the classics." "The classics are dead. Or rather the classic manner is dead. The classics may come back In the new manner. But the single conception no longer obtains in art. The figure or the picture must suggest Ideas that relate." "Then I can never pose again for you ?" "You would pose again? For what?" "Yes, twfore I finally devote myself to the art of which the kitchen range Is the medium. Have I not a figure for Minerva?" Gundan puffed upon his pipe, but it was out. In his enthusiasm he didn't note the detail. "An Idea !" he cried. "I shall revive the classics In the new manner! Minerva you shall be!" "But Is not Minerva too complex in suggestion for the new school?" "There lies the achievement, my dear Thais. My Minerva you shall suggest poetry, tho arts and sciences, the domestic vocations!" "Tho domestic surely. But on i qnestlon. I was about to ask It at first. The model with whom you have been working of late Is a very handsome hand-some woman. Oh. I have observed her. coming and going!" "Jealousy?" "Perhaps. Does she look like that to you?" Thais .".olnted at a Cuhist bust on a depestal. ' "Exactly, my dear. Exactly." "Then It is not Jealousy." Thnls rose and kissed Gundan. "Would you. like a steak d'agneau de serre. Chutteaubrland. for luncheon?" (Copyrtiht.) |