The Soldiers' journal. (Rendezvous of Distribution, Va.) 1864-1865, 1864-07-20
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sittings she resolved should be entirely unknown
to them, thus affOrding them an agreeable sur
prise, and exempting herself from all idle curl
osty-while, had the gentle girl subjected herself
to her usual strict determination, she would
surely have found another and deeper motive,
underlying all the reasoning with which she had
pleased herself.
On cold February afternoon, her coachman
set her down at No. a. E. Street. Trembngly
she assembled the steps, and secretly scolded her
poor heart for it's unwonted pulses. She was
glad, however, to find no one but the lad in
waiting, who, on account of the extreme cold,
and insufficient warmth of the outer saloon,
graciously admitted her to the warm and inner
sanctum. She hesitated on it's threshold with
half-iimid step, lest she was treading on enchant
ed ground, for on the tasteful walls were evil
IDENTIFY such favorites of his creative pencil as
had never been desecrated by the eyes of idle
curiosity or criticism. She would have denied
herself so privileged place in the absence of it's
proprietor, but assured by the kind attendant,
she seated herself, resolving to employ this en-
forced leisure in the true enjoyment of the many
beautiful attractions of the room; for to refin
ed taste Edith Graham's, it was filled with
beauty. With true womans curiosity, she spec.
ulated at length on picture, or rather the out
line or semblance of such, but carefully protect
ed from human eyes by rich drapery, and
hanging where fell the choicest light, and evil
IDENTIFY always in range of the artists VISION
She had several times resolved to go, deferring
the object of her visit till another time, but as
many times turned back, persuading herself
that so long and cold drive ought to effect
something towards her proposed plan. Attract
ed by q favorite volume upon the table, where it
had evidently fallen from familiar hand, she
took the book, from which, as she lifted it from
the table, something slipped heavily from its
gilded leaves into the folds of rdress. Hastily
raising it, what was her surprise in discovering
her own miniature, in exquisite painting
ivory.
In the midst of her establishment and confu-
sion, she looked quickly up, only to increase her
embarrassment at seeing before her the thought
full face of Philip Reide Bowling easily, he
raised the book that had dropped from her lap,
and replacing it carelessly the table, proceed
ed at once with the inherent tact of a refined
nature, to restore her lost confidence. Though
her pale cheek burned with an unwonted glow,
gradually did he glide into an easy interchange
of expression, that bewildered as was the usually
placid Edith, she yielded with sort of fascina-
ton to his kindly consideration for her embar
rassment, till her own innate refinement and
grace at last triumped, and she made known her
errand with her usual womanly dignity.
The sittings were necessarily long and frequent
Eat least so said the painter), and Philip Reide
longed for pencil of sunbeams, as the beautiful
face grew on the canvas before him. Converse
ton, too, was absolutely indispensable, as the
artist of course must seek in every possible way
her true expression. To Philip Reide it was in
deed labor of love, for before him, daily reveal
ing new depths of inward purity and grace, was
indeed his guardian angel. Many times did her