Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-02-24
Rosa Bonheur.

Rosa Bonheur is an indefatigable worker
She rises at six O'Clock and paints until dusk,
when she lays aside her blouse, puts on bonnet
and shawl of most questionable appearance,
and takes turn through the neighboring streets
alone, or accompanied by favorite dog. Alb
sorbed in her own thoughts, and unconscious
of everything around her, the first conception
of picture is frequently struck out by her in
these rapid, solitary walks in the twilight.
Living solely for her art, she has gladly re-
signed the cares of her outward existence to an
old and devoted friend, a Nine. Micas, widow
lady who, with her daughter,-an artist whose
exquisite groups of birds are well known in
England, and who has been for many years
Rosa's most intimate companion--rcside with
her, relieving her of every material responsible
|ity, and leaving her free to devote herself ex-
clusively to her favorite pursuit. Every sum-
mer the two lady artists repair to some noun
tain district to sketch. Arrived at the regions
inhabited only by the chemois, the ladies ex-
change their feminine habiliments for masculine
attire, and spend few months in exploring the
widest recesses of the hills, courting the &c
quaintance of their shy and swift-footed tru-
ants, and harvesting "efects" Of storm, rain,
and vapor, as assiduously as those of sunshine.
Though Rosa is fully alive to the beauties of
illness she has transferred from them to her can
vass--mountain scenery is her especial delight.
Hitherto her explorations had confined to the
French chains and the Pyrenees, but in the au-
tumn of Sc she visited Scotland and made nu-
merous sketches in the neighborhood of Glen
tallock, Glencoe. and Ballaculish; and struck
by the beauty of the Highland cattle, selected
some choice specimens of these, which she had
sent down to Waxham Rectory, near Windsor,
where she resided and spent two months in max
ing numerous studies, from which she has al
ready produced two pictures; "The Denizens
of the Mountains and Morning in the High
land" The Alps she has not yet visited, though
constantly intending to do SO. Her preference
being for the stern the abrupt, and the majes-
tic, instead of the soft, the smiling and the fair,
Italy, with all its glories, has hitherto attract
ed her less powerfully than the ruder magnifi-
cence OF the Pyrenees and the north.
Among the mountains the great artist is COM
pletely in her element out of doors from morn
ing till night, lodging in the humblest and re-
motest Of roadside hotels, or in the huts of
: wood-cutters, charcoal burners, and chanois
hunters, and living contentedly on what fare
can be obtained. Two years ago, being furnish
ed by families of distinction in the Bernais and
the Basque provinces with introductions to the
rare inhabitants of the region, the party pushed
their adventurous wanderings to the little sta
tion Of Peyronire, the last inhabited point
within the French frontier and thence up the
romantic defles of the Vullie d. Urdos, across
the summit Of the Pyrenees. Thanks to the
letters they carried. the travellers were hospita-
bly, racciyed at each halting- place, and furnish
ed with trusty guide fer the next march. In
this way, they crossed the mountains and
gained the lonely posade of Canfan, the first on
the Spanish side of the ridge, where, for six
weeks, they saw no living soul but the bOurri-
qaairos (mueteers) with their strings of mules,
who would halt for the night at the little inn,
setting out at the earliest ray of morning, for
their decent on the opposite side of the noun
! tain.
Tie people of the posada lived entirely on
curdled Sleeps milk; the sole article Of food
the party could obtain on their arrival At
one time, by an early fall of snow, they wero
shut ont OF all communication with the valley.
, Their threatened starvation was ayerted by the
exertions of Nine. Micas, who managed to pro-
: cure quantity of frogs, the hind legs Of which
3 enyeloped in leaves, and toasted on sticks over
y fire on the hearth. On these frogs they lived
for two days, when the hostess was induced to
S attempt the making of butter from the milk OF
her sheep, and even to allow the conversion OF
. one of these animals into mutton for their ben
S eft. Their larder thus supplied, and black
bread being bought for them by the bourriguairos
from some village a very long way off, the par
c ty gave themselves up to the pleasure of theil
: wild life, and the business of sketching. The
arrival of the muleteers, with their embroidered
c shirts, their pointed hats, velvet jackets, and
8 leathern breeches and sandals, was always i
t welcome event. Rosa paid for wine for them
d and they, in return. performed their national
n dances for her; after which they would throw
: themselves down for the night upon sheepskin'
y before the fire, furnishing subjects for many
}. picturesque corpus. As the posada was police
d station, established there us a terror to SNUG
+ gcrs the little party felt perfectly safe, not
withstandng its loneliness.
With her Scoth tour Rosa was SO much pleased
y that she will probably revisit district from
q which she has brought away many agreeable
!. associations, and wonderful little Skyeterrier
o named Wasp" of the purest breed, and re
markably intelligent, which she holds in grea
- affection. and for whose benefit she has learned
;. several English phrases, to which +" Wasp" re
,s spends with appreciative and grateful waggng
!, of tho tail.--7The EagGshwomaa's Journal.
AMUsING.-.A plain spoken woman ately Wis
tied married woman, aud said to her, How
do 70 ucontrive to amuse yourself?" 3" "Amuse!'
said the other, starting " do you know hav
my house work to do 2" Yes was the ans
st wer, I" see you have II TO do; but as it
i never done, conclude you must have som