Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1870-05-19
EATON, OHIO, THURSDAY, MAY 10, 1870.

chamber, and the space over the magnifi-
Gently carved chimney was assigned as the
place of honor to the best painting. The
painter of this picture always received a
costly prize, for which he was likewise in
debted to the munifcence of the founder.
To this spot my eyes were naturally
turned as l entered the door.
Was 1 dreaming? stood still I turned
hot and cold by turns. l ran forward. 1t
was no illusion There was my picture,
my own picture in its modest little frame,
installed in the chief place in the gal
leryI - vi9.F ~E.Hlt.L
:, And there, too,.. was the official card
stuck in the corner, with the words,
"Prize Painting" printed upon it in a
shining gold frame. I ran down the stairs
and bought catalogue, that my eyes
might be gladdened by confirmation of
this joy. And there sure enough was
printed at the commencement, /" Annual
Prize Painting-View ntRotterdam-No.
127-Franz Linden" $500.
could have wept for Joy. was never
tired looking at my picture. / walked
from one side to the other, l retreated, l
advanced closer to it, looked at it in
every possible light, and forgot all but my
happiness. - 1a %.
A very charming picture" said voice
at my elbow. ''.'.
spectacles and an umbrella.
colored up and said falteringly:
DO you think SOP"
al do, sir" said the old gentleman. al
am an amateur. / am very fond of pic
lures. I presume that you are also an ad-
mirer of art?"
| / bowed.
"Very nice little painting, iDdeed-very
NICE" he continued, as, he wiped his spec
tacIaa and 'adinatod them with an air Of q
connoisseur. Waters very hmpid, colors
pure, sky transparent, perspective admir-
able I'll buy it."
"will you." I exclaimed joyfully. 80,
thank you, sir" llo, t5E t
"Oh," said the gentleman, turning sud-
denly upon me and smiling kindly, so
you are the artist, are you? Happy to
You are very young man to paint such
a picture as that. congratulate you, and
-I'1 buy it"
So we exchanged cards, shook hands,
and became the best friends IN the world.
1 was burning with impatience to see
Gertrude and tell her the good fortune,
but my new patron took my arm and said
that he must take the tour of the rooms
in my company, so was forced to COM
ply.
We stopped before large painting that
occupied the next best position to my
own. 1t was my masters work, the Con-
version of st. Paul, and while I was
telling him of my studies in the GteLier of
the painter, a man started from before US
and glided away, but not before had
seen and recognized the pale countenance
of Van Roos
There was something in the expression
of his face that shocked me-something
that stopped my breath and made me
shudder. What it was-I scarcely knew !;
but the glare of his dark eyes and the
quivering passion of his lips haunted me
for the rest of the day, and came back
again in my dreams.
1 said nothing of it to Gertrude that af-
ternoon, but it had effectually sobered
my exultation. dreaded next day to re-
turn to the studio; but to my surprise my
master received me as he never had re-
ceived me before. He advanced and ex-
tended his hand to me.
welcome, Franz Linden" he said,
smiling, az am proud to call you my pu-
pill"
The hand was cold, the voice was harsh,
the smile was passionless. My compa-
mons crowded round and congratulated
me, and in the warm tones oftheir young,
cheerful voices, and the close pressure of
their friendly hands, forgot all that had
troubled me in the manner Of Van Roos.
Not long after this event Gertrude's
to console him for her absence, he said,
when I should be so wicked as to take
her away from him. recommended my
old master, whose tutelage had recently
left, and Van Roos was summoned to fill a
task that would gladly have performed
had it been in my power to do so. But
portraiture was not in my line. I could
paint a sleek, spotted milch COW or a
| drove of sheep far better than the fair
skin or the golden curls of my Ger
trude.
She could not endure the artist from the
first. In vain / reasoned with her-all
was of no use, and she used to say at the
end of every such conversation, that she
wished the portrait was finished, and that
she could no more help disliking him
than-than she could help loving me. And
so our arguments always ended with q
kiss.
But this portrait took long time. Van
Roos was in general rapid painter, yet
| Gertrude's likeness progressed at very
slow pace, and like Penelope's web,
seemed never to be completed.
One morning happened to be ia the
room-a rare event at that time, for was
hard at work upon my new landscape;
and 1 was struck by the change that had
come over my late master-he was no
| longer the same man. There was light
in his eye and a vibration in his voice
that I had never observed before, and
| when he rose to take leave there was a
studied courtesy in his bow and manner
that took me quite by surprise.
Still, never suspected the truth, and
! still the portrait was as far as it ever was
from being finished.
1t all came out at last, and one morning
Hans Van Roos made formal offer of his
hand and heart.
Of course he was refused.
"But, as kindly as was possible, deal
| Franz" she said, when she told me in the
evening, "because he is your friend, and
because he seemed to feel it so deeply
| And you don't know how dreadfully pale
he turned, and how he,tried to restrain
his tears. pitied him, Franz-indeed,
was sorry"
And the gentle creature could scarce
keep from weeping herself, as she told me
I did not see Van Roos for some months
after this disclosure.
At last I met him in front of the Stad
House, and, 10 my surprise, for the second
| time in his life he extended his hand.
A good day to you, Messer Linden, .
said he; 81 hear that you are on the high
road to fortune.
&C have been very fortunate, Messe1
Van Roos," replied, taking the proffered
hand; but I shall never forget that
owe my present efficiency to the hours
spent in your GteLier."
A peculiar expression fitted over his