Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-01-15

And he let fail the silk shrOud.
Max looked penitent, concerned. The
movement of his foot had been inyolun.
tary he bad been stirred thereto by his
sober, settled enthusiasm for Peters pe.
MUS. He was the painters chief intimate.
his warmest friend and admirer-the un.
avoidable appendage Of the studio. Ev-
cry painting room is haunted by such men
faithful, laudatory, attached, devoted,
they would do anything to aid the artist,
ignorant OF much art themselves, they
worship and marvel the more on that &C.
count, and they become the confdantes
OF the painter; he Can open his heart 10
the humble follower and friend who is
not, who can never be, a rival
sit has been two years about" quoth
Peter. He saw poor Msx's pain and sor-
| row, and FASTENED to raise the silk curtain
again. 1.-Two years to-day"
And it will be finished 2" asked Max.
| Peter shook his head mournfully. l.
| seemed quite hopeless to name any date
He took up microscope and scrutinized
| the picture severely.
1t was the portrait of lady, very fair
in complexion, very faxen as to ringlets
"a close crowd OF them falling in delicate
vine tendrils over her exquisite forehead
and neck-rather full in figure, large round
blue eyes, pretty red mouth, and round
plump chin, with just hint of another
little chin beyond, as rainbow is logged
by reflection. She wore a full spread
ing Dutch lace collar, which, at the shonl-
der, met her pulled sleeves, also decked
with ample lace falls. Her black velvet
dress opened in front over a pettiooat of
superb maize colored satin, upon which
the light fell, and fickered and sparkled
wonderfully. Upon her round white arms
were pearl bracelets, and in one hand she
held tan OF peacock feathers. A bright
eyed lap dog, curled up compactly, sat on
a green velvet cushion at her feet, with
red ribbon round his neck, and every hair
OF his coat accurately accounted for in
the picture. Russell hangings formed the
back ground, relieved on the right hand
by crimson curtain, falling over a half
open coor, through which, in a dusky
twilight. other figures were dimly seen,
though traceable much more distinctly
| the more you examined the work.
" 1t grows" Max said again. 1t was
the only form of consolation for Peter
that he could think of. & 1t grows--rap-
idly"
1t was bold to say that.
One who had seen the work a year
back, would have thought it then. per.
haps, as far advanced as it seemed now
Its growth could hardly be called rapid
anyhow. But rapid painting was hardly
known in Holland. Men worked steadi-
ly, but very slowly. They studied in.
tensely; meditating upon each touch, as a
poet might over a verse, pausng Oh it,
weighing it, counting it. Goedaert o.
Mlddleburg spent thirty years studying
the economy OF the insects he painted
Wilhelm KALI sat for whole days before
an orange, melon, and an agate handled
knife, contemplating their wondrous as
semblage and variety of color, before he
even commenced to paint them. Gerard
Dow spent five days In close painting
hand, and three in representing a broom
handle. John Wander Heyden worked
with such delicate minuteness, that in one
picture, an open Bible is seen no larger
than mans palm, in which every line is
legible through magnifyiDg glass. In
another performance, Peter, himself, had
| occupied whole month on the frill and
rutf1es of a gentleman whose portrait he
was painting. They were marvelously
| microscopic, these Dutch painters No
| "ohNSA eiido oo hiohJ VI thSill nhu ~
leased and worried their eyes, that they
were reduced to wearing spectacles at
thirty.
Peter was not consoled; he would not
accept of Max's tiattery, he shook his
| head mournfully, and sighed. Max looked
rather crest-falen; but he plucked up
heart, and tried again.
"She is very beautiful, my Peter"
But Peter only sighed the more. Max
was at his wits end. He was nearly
stamping on the floor again; but he con-
trived tc stop himself in time.
You love, then, still, my Peter?" he
asked in low. awful tone.
with all my SOUL" answered Peter,
simply; and he seemed relieved, and piled
the microscope again.
They knew every line, every tint, every
touch of that picture. Even Nax's uned-
ucated eye could follow it all, and know it
all. They nd watched and seen it ad-
vance under their gaze, as mother sees
her chilk's growth; as the poor girl in the
garrett pores over the tiny geranium under
the cracked tumbler in the one flower pot,
and sees its dim, green leaves,one by one,
unfold. They could quite appreciate the
never firing labor bestowed upon the pic
ture. Peter took up the brown Jug, re-
treshed himself, and passed it on to Max.
"And she2" Max held up the Jug, he
could not drink until he had heard the an.
swer.
II know not, my Max" Max sorrow
fully drained the jug.
Sometimes, think-I almost think
but it is my vanity, nv Max, it is that,
doubtless" Max denied it steutly by vio-
lenty shaking of his head.
"She dropped her 'kerchief yesterday,
and let me restore it to her" Peter went
on, blushing. land, oh, Max, how bright
came the light into her eyes. Kindly,
too, Max; and she smiled. Alb, her
smile is heaven, Max. Is the jug empty?
Never mind"
"she loves, brother-it is that" whis.
pered Mag, artfully.
81 know not, my Max. All, it must
end. And she gave me her hand, Max;
her dear, soft scented hand-white satin,
with pink lining; l took il in mine,
Max, raised it, but-bah! dared not
kiss it."
Max abstractedly protfered the empty
jug. Peter tried to drink from it, found it
empty, and simply put it on one side.
"Oh, if | might only hope; but, nv
Max, it is foly-it is madness a poor ar
fist wed the rich burgomsster's widow
Why, all Leyden would cry out! They
would boot me in the streets. 1t is a
dream, my brother, a dream. The picture
must end-I could paint on it tor ever and
ever. Is that the blue of her eye Is that
the carnation that floats on her cheek, now
I-11