Hetookhisbread,bowed,andhurriedout. Yes,hemustbeanartist.MissMarthatookthepicturebacktoherroom. Howgentleandkindlyhiseyesshonebehindhisspectacles!Whatabroadbrowhehad! Tobeabletojudgeperspectiveataglance--andtoliveonstalebread!Butgeniusoftenhastostrugglebeforeitisrecognized. Whatathingitwouldbeforartandperspectiveifgeniuswerebackedbytwothousanddollarsinbank,abakery,andasympatheticheartto--Butthesewereday-dreams,MissMartha. Oftennowwhenhecamehewouldchatforawhileacrosstheshowcase.HeseemedtocraveMissMartha'scheerfulwords. Hekeptonbuyingstalebread.Neveracake,neverapie,neveroneofherdeliciousSallyLunns. Shethoughthebegantolookthinneranddiscouraged. Herheartachedtoaddsomethinggoodtoeattohismeagrepurchase,buthercouragefailedattheact.Shedidnotdareaffronthim.Sheknewtheprideofartists. MissMarthatooktowearingherblue-dottedsilkwaistbehindthecounter. Inthebackroomshecookedamysteriouscompoundofquinceseedsandborax.Eversomanypeopleuseitforthecomplexion. Onedaythecustomercameinasusual,laidhisnickelontheshowcase,andcalledforhisstaleloaves. WhileMissMarthawasreachingforthemtherewasagreattootingandclanging,andafire-enginecamelumberingpast. Thecustomerhurriedtothedoortolook,asanyonewill.Suddenlyinspired,MissMarthaseizedtheopportunity. Onthebottomshelfbehindthecounterwasapoundoffreshbutterthatthedairymanhadlefttenminutesbefore. WithabreadknifeMissMarthamadeadeepslashineachofthestaleloaves,insertedagenerousquantityofbutter,andpressedtheloavestightagain. Whenthecustomerturnedoncemoreshewastyingthepaperaroundthem. Whenhehadgone,afteranunusuallypleasantlittlechat,MissMarthasmiledtoherself,butnotwithoutaslightflutteringoftheheart. Hadshebeentoobold?Wouldhetakeoffense?Butsurelynot.Therewasnolanguageofedibles.Butterwasnoemblemofunmaidenlyforwardness. Foralongtimethatdayherminddweltonthesubject.Sheimaginedthescenewhenheshoulddiscoverherlittledeception. Hewouldlaydownhisbrushesandpalette.Therewouldstandhiseaselwiththepicturehewaspaintinginwhichtheperspectivewasbeyondcriticism. 
