The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-10-08

sdmrer of art :" I bowed.
"Very nice little painting, indeed
ve-ry NICE" he continued, as he wiped
his glasses, and adjusted them with the
AR OF connoiseur. Water very liquid
colors pure, sky transparent, perspective
admirable. I'll buy it,
"Will you I" | exclaimed, joyfulIy. 30,
thank you, sir 2"
"O," said the old gentleman, turning
suddenly upon me, and smiling kindly,"so
you are the artist, are youl Happy to
make your acquaintance, Messcr Linden.
You are very young man to paint such
n picture as that. | congratulate you,
sir; and III buy it."
So we exchanged cards, shook hands
and became the best friends in the world.
l was burning with impatience 10 see
Gertrude, and tell her all my fortune; but
my new patron took my arm, and said
that he must make the tour Of the rooms
in my company and | was forced to
comply.
We stopped before large painting
that occupied the next best situation to
mine: it was my masters work, the Con-.
versation Of ST. Paul. While we were
admiring it, and was telling him of nv
studies in the a,elier of the painter, man
started from before us, and gided away,
but not before | had recognized the pale
countenance Of Van Roos. There was
something in the expression OF his face
that shocked me-solnetEing that stop
ped my breath, and made me sLndder.-
What was it! scarcely knew but the
glare OF his dark eyes, and the quive,img
passion OF his lip, haunted me for the rest
OF the day, aud came back again in nv
dreams. said nothing Of it to Gertrude
that afternoon, but it had sobered my
raPtuous eXutation most e!iectuallv. |
positively dreaded, the next day, to return
to the studio; but, to my surprise, nv
master received me as lie never received
me before. lie advanced, and extended
his hand to me.
Welcome, Fran,z Linden" he said
smiling; am proud to call you my pu-
pill"
The hand was cold-the voice was
harsh-the smile WAS passiunless. Nv
companions crowded round and congratu
lated me and, in thc warm tones of their
young, cheerful voices, and the close pres
sure OF their friendly hands, | forgot all
that had panied Inc in the conduct of Van
Roos.
Not long after this event Ger,rude's a.
ther desired to have her portrait painted
to console him for her absence, he said
when should be so wicked as to take her
ava, from him. | recommended nv old
master, whose tutelage | had recently
left and Van Roos was summoned 10 fui.
nj a task that would gladly have per-
formed but portraiture was not my line.
conli paint a sleek, spotted milch COW
or drove of sheep, far better than the
fare skin aud golden curls of my darling
Gertrude.
She could not endure the artist from
the frat. In vain reasoned with her
and strove to persuade her-all was of
no use aud she used TO say. at The end Of
every such conversation, that she wished
the portrait were finished, and that she
could no more help disliking him than
than she could help loving me. So our
arguments always ended with kiss.
But this portrait took long time. Van
Roos was in general, a rapid painter yet
Gertrude's likeness progressed at very
slow pace, and like PeneIope's web, seem
cd never to be completed One morning
l happened to he in the room-a rare
event at that time, for was hard at work
upon my new landscape-and | was
struck by the change that had come over
my late master. He seemed to be no
longer the same man. There was light
in his eye, and vibration in his voice, that
had never observed before and when
be rose % take leave, there was n studied
courtesy in his bow and manner that took
me quite by surprise.
Still, never suspected the truth, aud
the portrait WAS rs lar as ever from being
| finished.
II all came out at last and one morn.
ing Hans van Roos made formal offer
Of his hand and heart; Of course he was
Immediately refused.
"But as kindly as was possible. dear
Frantz," she said, when she told me in the
evening % because he is yonr friend, and
becaue he seemed to feel it SO deeply
And-and you don't know how dreadful
iy white he turned, aud how lie tired to
restrain his tears. / pitied him, Fran,z !;
and indeed, l was very sorry"
And the gentle creature could scarcely
keep from weeping herself as she told me.
did not see Van Roos for some
months after this disclosure; at last met
him accidentally one morning in front Of
the stadt house, and to my surprise, for
the second timo in his life, hc held out
his hand.
"A good day to you, Messer Linden :"
said he. "l hear that you are on the high
road to fame and fortune"
II have been very prosperous, Messer
van Roos," | replied, taking the proffered
hand more prosperous, perhaps, than
my merits deserve. never forget that |