A Service of Love-爱的奉献

AServiceofLove|爱的奉献JoecameoutoftheMiddleWestwithageniusforpictorialart2.Atsixhedrewapictureofthetownpumpwithanimportantcitizenpassingithurriedly.Thisworkwasframed3andhunginthedrugstorewindow.AttwentyheleftforNewYork.Deliadidthingsinmusicsowellinapine-treevillageintheSouththatherrelativesraisedalittlemoneyforhertogo“North”and“finish.”Theycouldnotseeher,butthatisourstory.JoeandDeliametinastudiowhereanumberofartandmusicstudentshadgatheredtodiscussallkindsofarts.JoeandDeliafellinlovewitheachother,andinashorttimeweremarried—for,whenonelovesone’sArtnoserviceseemstoohard.Thecouplebeganhousekeepinginaflat.Itwasalonelyflat.Andtheywerehappy;fortheyhadtheirArtandtheyhadeachother.JoewaspaintingintheclassofthegreatMagister—youknowhisfame.Hisfeesarehigh;hislessonsarelight—hishigh-lightshavebroughthimfame.DeliawasstudyingunderRosenstock—averystrictpianoteacher.Theywereveryhappyaslongastheirmoneylasted.Soiseverybody.Theiraimswereveryclear.Theyhopedtheirartscouldbringthemwealthandfame.Butthebest,inmyopinion,wasthehomelifeinthelittleflat—thewarmchatsaftertheday’sstudy;thecomfortabledinnersandfresh,lightbreakfasts;theinterchangeofambitions4;themutualhelpandinspiration;andmeatandcheesesandwichesat11p.m.ButafterawhileArtflagged5.Itsometimesdoes,evenifnobodyflagsit.Everythinggoingoutandnothingcomingin.MoneywaslackingtopayMr.MagisterandRosenstocktheirprices.Whenonelovesone’sArtnoserviceseemstoohard.So,Deliasaidshemustgivemusiclessonstomakealiving.Fortwoorthreedaysshewentouthuntingforpupils.Oneeveningshecamehomehappily.“Joe,dear,”shesaid,“I’veapupil.And,oh,theloveliestpeople!General—GeneralPinkney’sdaughter—onSeventy-firstStreet.Suchasplendidhouse,Joe—yououghttoseethefrontdoor!Byzantine6.Ithinkyouwouldcallit.Andinside!Oh,Joe,Ineversawanythinglikeitbefore.“MypupilishisdaughterClementina.Idearlyloveheralready.She’sadelicatething—dressesalwaysinwhite;andthesweetest,simplestmanners!Onlyeighteenyearsold.I’mtogivethreelessonsaweek;and,justthink,Joe!$5alesson.Idon’tminditabit;forwhenIgettwoorthreemorepupilsIcanonceagaintakeupmylessonswithRosenstock.Now,smoothoutthatwrinklebetweenyourbrows7,dear,andlet’shaveanicesupper.”“That’sallrightforyou,Dele,”saidJoe,openingacanofpeaswithacarvingknife,“buthowaboutme?DoyouthinkI’mgoingtoletyouhurryforwageswhileIenjoythetasteofhighart?No!IguessIcandosomething,andbringinadollarortwo.”Deliacameandhungabouthisneck.“Joe,dear,youaresilly.Youmustkeeponatyourstudies.ItisnotasifIhadleftmymusicandgonetoworkatsomethingelse.WhileIteachIlearn.Iamalwayswithmymusic.Andwecanliveashappilyasmillionaireson$15aweek.Youmustn’tthinkofleavingMr.Magister.”“Allright,”saidJoe,reachingforthevegetabledish.“ButIhateforyoutobegivinglessons.Itisn’tArt.Butyou’regreatandadeartodoit.”“Whenonelovesone’sArtnoserviceseemstoohard,”saidDelia.“Magisterpraisedtheskyinthatsketch8Imadeinthepark,”saidJoe.“AndTinklegavemepermissiontohangtwooftheminhiswindow.Imayselloneiftherightkindofarichfellowseesthem.”“I’msureyouwill,”saidDeliasweetly.“Andnowlet’sbethankfulforGeneralPinkneyandthisroast.”Duringallofthenextweekthecouplehadanearlybreakfast.JoewasexcitedaboutsomesketcheshewasdoinginCentralPark,andDeliapreparedbreakfastforhim,praised,andkissedatseveno’clock.Itwasmosttimesseveno’clockwhenhereturnedintheevening.AttheendoftheweekDelia,sweetlyproudbuttired,threwthreefive-dollarbillsonthe8by10(inches)centretableofthe8by10(feet)flatroom9.“Sometimes,”shesaid,“Clementinatiresme.I’mafraidshedoesn’tpractiseenough,andIhavetotellherthesamethingssooften.Andthenshealwaysdressesentirelyinwhite,andthatdoesgetmonotonous10.ButGeneralPinkneyisthedearestoldman!Iwishyoucouldknowhim,Joe.HecomesinsometimeswhenIamwithClementinaatthepianoandstandstherepullinghiswhitebeard.‘Andhowarethesemiquaversandthedemi-semiquaversprogressing11?’healwaysasks.“Iwishyoucouldseethewainscotinginthatdrawing-room,Joe!”AndthenJoe,withtheairofaMonteCristo12,drewoutaten,afive,atwoandaone—alllegalnotes13—andlaidthembesideDelia’searnings.“Soldthatwater-colourtoamanfromPeoria,”heannouncedhappily.“Don’tjokewithme,”saidDelia—“notfromPeoria!”“Alltheway.Iwishyoucouldseehim,Dele.Fatmanwithawoolencoat.HesawthesketchinTinkle’swindowandthoughtitwasawindmill14andboughtitanyhow.Heorderedanother—anoilsketchoftheLackawannafreightdepot15—totakebackwithhim.Musiclessons!Oh,IguessArtisstillinit.”“I’msogladyou’vekepton,”saidDeliaheartily.“You’resuretowin,dear.Thirty-threedollars!Weneverhadsomuchtospendbefore.We’llhavearichdinnerto-night.”OnthenextSaturdayeveningJoereachedhomefirst.Hespreadhis$18onthetableandwashedwhatseemedtobeagreatdealofdarkpaintfromhishands.HalfanhourlaterDeliaarrived,herrighthandtiedupinashapelessbundleofwrapsandbandages16.“Howisthis?”askedJoeaftertheusualgreetings.Delialaughed,butnotveryjoyously.“Clementina,”sheexplained,“insisteduponaWelshrabbit17afterherlesson.Sheissuchastrangegirl.Welshrabbitsatfiveintheafternoon.TheGeneralwasthere.Youshouldhaveseenhimrunforthechafingdish18,Joe,justasiftherewasn’taservantinthehouse.IknowClementinaisn’tingoodhealth;sheissonervous.Inservingtherabbitshespille