Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-11-21
VAN SLINGELANDT'S WOOING.
From Chamber JoumaLl

bAAAEGcs 1EEL WIS a EhLlns AuAIbr NN-AtNLAN
man, with no locomotive longings, no very teTviC
aspirations. He was not the bird that beats itsel
to death against the bars Of its cage in agonizing
efforts tor liberty he preferred to make his cage
as coy as he could and adapt himself to its Lml
tstiOns. Besides, it was a voluntary conhne'
ment be needed not TO have had the Leyden
ramparts for ever bounding his horizon and franz
ing his life. Others had wandered away 10 the
sheeny south, and looked on eyes Of love and
amazement, yet with a feeling Of immense re-
moval from the glories Of Italian art some had
crossed to England, and found welcome, and
patronage, and wealth but Peter held on TO his
quiet studio in the old gable-topped house just
turning out of the handsome high street Of the
city. He was not rich-a steady, industrious
enthusiastic worker, but one who loved his
work, and loved to Enger over it; a cOnseien.
tious, scrupulous, Indeiatigab.e, microscopic
man, how could hs produce rapidly True
facTle sl0veuliness would have brought the gold
more quickly in but Pee respected his art, re-
Epected himself-he could not c0ndescend 70 lei
" scamp-vork" 90 out of his studio. L doubt
avea if It ever occurred to the dear. good, pi0d.
ding, sober soul to DO such a thing he had nc
notion Of art apart from solid, highly wrought
intensely finished pictures.
So he sat one day in his small quiet studio
before "a panel on the easel. Not q Haunting.
faTing studio Of a more recent date, remember,
but a Dutch painters studio Of the year 1900,
or 50. No garish dIapeTes, no g~Gttering Weap-
ous, no polished fragments Of armor, no dusty
torsos blocking mp the corners, no cast Of mus
cular limbs, no uosc-brOken antigUes-a neatly
furnished, nicely garnishel, vel kept room,
with polished floor, polished table, chairs, and
even polished easel All the windows firmly
closed, all doors tightly fitting: for Peter has
proclaimed unrenIttIng war with the dust; he
viii suffer il under no pretenses he viii do al
man can to exclude and suppress dust. He
changes bis shoes outside his studio door be
pats on another ellbrushed, dusky green d0ub-
Jet, with ivory buttons he hangs up his cloak
DE enters the room cautiously as a eat locking
for 4 mouse he regards with Jealous eyes the
SUNBEAM that viii somehow slant in at the upper
half Of the window, and angTily the little NOTES
thac win somehow dance and Aoat about in ,lat
shaft Of golden light
There is u0 invitation, no pTovocation to the
dust AZ all The cOlOr-bOX is polished, and its
iii closes with an extreme eNactnesS the pencil
handles are polished, and there is . silk vail
protecting the face Of the panel The proper
ties Of the paiHting-room are not remarkable:
= mirror, framed by five and twenty smaller
mirrors, rejecting altogether six-and-twenty
miniature portraits of the studio, with the broad
back OF Peter Van S~lingelaudt well visible, a
prominent object as he bends over his panel; a
brown uncoutb-looking jug, which has often
sat for its picture, and to which good Peter ONE
times applies his lips glasses long in the STEM
with much cutting and engraving about them
S-rinking-horns, TASKS, cups, pipes For the
rest, there is little in the room beyond the ordi-
nary fittings of a burgher's house Of that day,
and not a very rich burgher either.
Peter sits az his work, a portly, good looking
fellow, with long blonde, dry hair, and still
more blonde and dry eyebrows, eyelashe> mus
taches, and peaked beard. HIS plump cheeks
are closely shaven, and be has very calm. steady,
light blue eyes. To him, sitting cOutemplatiyely,
enters his good friend, Max Kepp@n, a student
Of Leydon University very Ike Peter, only
Younger and thiuueT-not a BIT more demoustra-
tive. He lifts up the brown jug, and regales
himself with its contents. He understands the
usages Of Peters studio; he moves about slowly,
cautiously be has shaken himself well outside
Be- briggs in no dust.
Few words Of salatation passed between
them-jhey are too intimate, they understand
each other too wei for that. Peter removed the
silk shToud from the panel; they both pore over
il speeches. for about half an hour.
1t grows says Max, at least, in a low whis-
per.
Peter mods bis head; he points with the
small keen pencil in his hand. Il have been
bringing that cut since Wednesday. Do you
mark, Max, that little finger Hail2 l could moi.
sleep for thinking Of IT, Say, is it right, my
That far corner, where the tinge of pur-
pie Subsidies into blush-red then the light,
catching II, breaks into a fine line Of warm pearl
Light Is always warm, Max. How men
cheat themselves Many would have there struck
in cold, dead color. Shame r'
1T IS very good, Peter"
90 n.vF+ g4arrn mn NJ Ia r1o.ag s1a-. -
still wet paint. Think Of the dust, good friend
An /! If any should alight." And he let fall the
shroud.
Max looked penitent, concerned The move
mont OF his foot had been Involuntary; be had
been stirred thereto by his sober, settled enthu-
siasm for Peters genius. He was the painters
intimate, his waTmest friend and admirer-
he unavoidable appendage Of the studio. Every
room is haunted by such men-faithfui, |
.audatory, attached, devoted, they would do any
hing to aid the artist; ignorant Of much art
themselves, they worship and marvel the more
N that account, and they become the confdauts
f the painter he can open his heart 10 the hum
Die follower and friend who is not, who cauuever
., a rival
1T has been two years about auoth Peter.
BE saw poor Msx's pain and goUow, and has
eEed to raise the silk curtain again. Two
5esrs to-day.
And 1t viii be finished a" asked Max.
Peter shook his head moUruiully. It seemed
ruite hopeless TO name any date. lie took up q
microscope and scrutinized the picture severely.
Il was the portrait Of a lady, very fair in com
very haxen as 10 ringlets-a close crowd
f them falling in delicate vlu~e-tcndnls over her
forehead and neck-ather full in fig
large round biue EYES, pretty red mouth,
ound, plump chin, with just a hin Of another
al. 49, - ,g a --snh,-- - 1.-~.1 H. ]
election. She wore a full-spreading Dutch
.o collar, which, at the shoulder. met her puff
j sleeves. also decked with ample l~ace-falls.
Ter black-velvet dress opened in front over a
Of superb maize-cOl0red satin, upon
7hsch the Hight fell, and hickered and spanked
wonderfully. Upon her round, white arms were
earl bracelets, and il one band she held a fan
{ peacock feathers. a bright eyed lap-dog, /
uTled up compactly, sat on a green velvet cush-
IN at her feet, with a red ribbon round bis neck,
nd every hair of his coat accurately accounted
lr iu the picture. Russet haugings formed the
background, relieved on tie right baud BY "a
rimsoR curtain, falling over a halEopen door, /
Trough which, in u dusky twilight, other fg-
res were dimly seen, though traceable much
loTe distinctly the more you examined the
rork.
e. Il grows" Max said again. il was the only 4
1Tm OF consolation for Peer that he could think
T. 4" 1t grows-rapidly."
1t was bold to say that.
One who had seen tie work a wear hack
.ould have thought it then, perhaps, as far ad-
suced rs it seemed now. It's growth couId
ardly be called rapid, anyhow. But rapid
ainting WAS hardly known in Holland. Men
steadily, but very slowly. They stud
intensely meditating upon each touch, as a
might over a verse, pausng on 1t, weigh
it, counting it. Go0daert, of Niddlebure.
rent thirty years studying the economy Of the
Isecis he painted. Wilhelm Kali sat for whole ;
avs before AN Grange, a melon and an agate
knife, contemplating their wondrous as
and variety OF color, before Le com
.enced to paint them. Gerard Dow spent five
aYs in close painting Of a hand, and three in !
presenting a broOn-handle. John Wander !
.eyden worked with such delicate minuteness, 7
at in one picture, an open Bible is seen no {
than a mans palm, in which every line is d
gibie through a magnitying glass. In another
srformaucs, Peter, himself, had occupied a =
hole month on the hil and rufies Of a gentle J.
au whose portrait he was painting. They .
ere marvrlOusly microscopic, these Dutch Il
,inl4rs. No wonder that many Of them had 20 c
asad and worried their eyes that they were re- t
need to wearing spectacles at thirty. ]
Peter was not consoled; he would not accept z
Max's battery, he shook his head m~curnfully, !.
ID sighed. Max looked rather cIystallen; but 7
plucked mp heart, and tried again. y
- she Is very beautiful, my Peter" But Peter q
Nv sighed the more. Max was at his wits
j. lie was nearly stamping Oh the floor n
ain. but ho oonuiYes 10 stop himself to time /
% You love. then, sill, my Peterl' be asked,
4 low, awful tone.
&c with al my soul answered Peter, simply; O
j be seemed relieved, aud Piled the micro ,
,pe again. Z