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Marion, the Story of an Artist's Model

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<h2>XXXI</h2> I DIDN’T have any work at all to do the next day, so I stayed in and fixed up a pretty dress to wear to the party at Jimmy’s house. He called early for me, bringing along another student named Evans, who played the guitar. We stopped for Benevenuto, an Italian, who played the mandolin with Evans, and whom I had met several times. At the last moment, I hesitated about going and I said: “Maybe your mother and sister won’t want me. If they knew I was a model, I’m sure they wouldn’t.” “Great Scott!” burst from Jimmy, “that just proves how beautiful you are, Marion. If I were a girl, I’d be proud to say the artists wanted me for all those fine paintings. I’ve not seen a magazine cover to compare with your face, Marion, and, say—my folks ought to be proud to know you, eh, Evans?” Evans grinned, and Benevenuto nodded violently. It was nice to have Jimmy think so well{187} of my “profession,” and I didn’t tell him that all models were not necessarily beautiful. Some of them are very ugly but “paintable.” As we were going along in the car, Jimmy said to Evans: “Say, Bill, you want to get next to my sister’s friend, Miss Underwood. She’s a fine girl, and has heaps of dough. My sister wants her for a sister-in-law, but little Jimmy has his own ideas.” Turning to me, he added with a tender smile: “She can’t begin to hold a candle to you, Marion.” Jimmy’s people lived in a very fine house, and I felt much impressed and somewhat anxious as we passed in. His sister looked like Jimmy and had his features, but where the tall, swinging figure and handsome features made a fine-looking man, the same type in a woman did not make a beauty. She looked hard and bony. Her manner to me was of the most frigid, and I saw her give Jimmy an angry glance, as he airily presented me. She kept him on one excuse or another right by her side and that of a very tall girl all evening. Benevenuto and Evans were soon playing for the company, and I, who had not been introduced to many of the people, found a quiet corner of the room, where I could sit unobserved and watch every one. I had been there some time, and Benny and{188} Evans had given way to a girl who was singing in a high voice “The Rosary,” when I heard Benevenuto’s voice speaking softly in my ear: “Miss Marion, will you me permit to call upon you?” He was small and dark, and his hands were soft and brown. He had shining black eyes and hair that curled. He could play beautifully, the reason why the students at the boarding-house chummed with him; and then Evans was a great favorite with them all, and the two were indispensable to each other. They got engagements to play together in concerts and musicales. Evans was working his way through college in this way. Many people looked upon Benevenuto as a musical prodigy. He could play almost any musical instrument. His father was a barber, his brother a cook; but all of his humble relatives were contributing to the musical education of this talented member of their family. I had never given Benny much thought or attention, except when he played in the room below me, where Evans roomed. I would open my door and listen to the strains of music, and sometimes Evans would call up to me to come down. One day I had been listening to them play, and when they got through joked with Benny about something. He came over and sat down beside me on the couch, and he said:{189} “I like-a you, Miss Marion. You look like my countrywomen.” Miss Darling had said to me that night: “Be careful how you flirt with an Italian. They are pretty dangerous fire to play with.” So when that night of the party, Benevenuto asked me if he might call, I thought of that, and I said: “Oh, I’ll see you when you are playing in Mr. Evans’ room some night.” “No,” he persisted. “I like-a make special call on you. Please to permit.” To humor him, I said: “Oh, all right, and bring your mandolin.” He smiled at me ecstatically and said fervently: “Me—I am coming right away to-morrow night.” It was time to go. Most of the guests were going into the bedroom for their wraps. Nobody noticed me. So I slipped into the room where Jimmy had taken me upon my arrival there. It was his mother’s, he had said, but she was away at their country place. I noticed on the bed a black straw hat with a steel buckle holding the severe bit of plumage, and I thought to myself that it was probably his mother’s hat, for no one else had put their wraps in this room. I was putting on my own hat at the mirror when I heard some one say:{190} “Sh-h!” I turned around, and there was Jimmy in the doorway. He was whispering with his hand to his mouth. “Marion, say good-night to my sister quickly, and then sneak away. I’ll be waiting on the porch.” So I found my way back to where his sister and a number of guests were, and I wished them good-night and thanked Miss Odell for the lovely time I had not had. “Good-night,” she returned coldly, “your friend, Mr. Benevenuto, will see you home.” Then she turned to the girl at her side: “Jimmy will be delighted to take you home, dear. He is still in the supper-room.” I felt like saying: “He is waiting for me!” As we walked home, Jimmy said: “I couldn’t get away from sis. Gad! that friend of hers may be handsome, but I hate handsome horses. I like a little pony like you, Marion.” “Don’t you think I’m handsome then?” I asked mischievously. “Not by a long shot. You are the most kissable—little—” “Jimmy, behave yourself. Look at that policeman watching us, and don’t forget that waiter.{191}” “Oh, hang policemen and waiters,” growled Jimmy. “What the devil do they know about kisses?” “When you want to kiss me, Jimmy Odell,” I said, “you’ll have to come without that whiskey odor on your breath.” “Oh, all right-oh!” said Jimmy. “I guess there are others won’t mind it.” “No, I guess not,” I sniffed. “Horses haven’t much smelling sense.{192}” <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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