The Portland daily press., 1871-08-26
SELECTED STORY.
AN ARTISTS MODEL.
BY ASHLEY Ii. BALDWIN.

for aking 'em" of
7 hat is what BERTHE Gray, Lieutenant OF
ii. NJ. S. Tnunderbolt, said to Reginald asmt'
RISING specmr en- OF the genus briI'sn n,,n,n,er
"And what [ want my boy, IS d o,"i'n N2t
tot. la generous hanging committee next
sc son, and a good position 'on me me.
81 The thanks OF a grateful public, ana the
G.C.B. of am appre Eating sovereign" said
Be rite, raising his winegass, as IL 10 propose
a ,oast," as Mrs. Camp has It,.
The recognition of genius by discerning
critics, and r. A. tackled on my name," cried
RI ginald.
ARTISTS don't rise to be R. A. in asingle sea-
son."
"Lieutenants in the navy don't become G.
G. B. without fighting, and we are at peace
with all the world"
Both young men laughed heartily.
~ for the days when George III. was
K ingw sighed BERTHE
70 for the days of kind-hearted, generous
Sir Joshuaw said Reginald.
'Joshua---what?'
Reynolds, OF course"
Albert Gray and Reginald Ashe were fast
and dear friends, were sitting on beautiful
June evening in the chambers of the latter IN
tie Adelphi, Shipping some very fine claret
aud interchanging notes on their future pros
= 'cts. The first named, as has been sald,was
a Lieutenant in the navy, and his age might
lIit, tawney haired, blue eyed, and brown
COmplexioned. Reginald Ashe was perhaps
three years his junior, of a lighter build than
Ills friend, tall, elegant, with clear cut fea-
lures, dark liquid hazel eyes with long black
lAshes, and ink black silky moustache and
lair
Fill your glass, dear old boy, and we'll
drink to our mutual good luck. Here's to
YOU, my Damonr
nd To unu INV DvtI,;.e ,o+,,,,oI +1,o
sailor. And the young men glanced at each
ether wishout saying more, after the fashion
OF us phlegmatic Englishmen. But there was
world ot.sincere affection in the glance, brief
hs 1t was; and the heart of each beat a little
more rapidly as they grasped hands.
"Heighho" sighed BERTHE, "its almost time
10 be afioat again. Leaves up on Tuesday,
u shall be OFF TOR my summer tour when
you're gone, BERTHE; there'l be nothing to
keep me IN town then"
But your old fiiends-'
"Other friends? o bah! don't care
about the worlds linary friendship. A man
asks you to dinner with him at his club twice
in season if you are prosperous, and cuts
you in the street if you wear a shabby coat
That's the friendship lit is libel on the
name) Of nine fellows out of ten. No, no
Berlie; hold the doctrine, that in friendship
as in love, one should suffice. I'll owl no di-
Vided allegiance"
BERTHE looked eratifed and said nothing.
Sand So" continued Reginald" "when the
Thunderbolt weighs anchor, Pm off to Wales,
or some other picturesque locality. Down,
BIutus, down" he said to large white cat
who had jumped on his knee, and was en-
deasoring to make plaything of his meer-
schaum.
BERTHE laughed.
GLOW you spoil that cat, Reggiew
"Sot passion for cats-st.aIl put him in a
picture some day, with high dlddle diddle
the cat and the fiddle etc. L wonder Land.
seer never took the nursery rhyme for a sub
ject-there's The little dog and the cow"
"Landseer is not tgreat at cows"
He's great at everything. SIR"
wei, as you please. What's to be you
own subject for next seaSou?"
"The meeting of Henry VII. and Ann
Boleyn."
so. o! we aim at being historical in style
we are ambitious, it seems!"
Yes, we are"
$50 on"
81 mean to swell out your figure, and make
you, Henry"
"Much obliged, Pm sure"
80, he wasn't so very bloated when he me
Anne first" laughed Reginald. "Hstory of
ten lies"
''Does it, indeed?"
'And he had noble presence, and by some
was thought model of beauty"
"Shows their taste, then, ii l am to sit for
him."
81 shall make a Sir Thomas Wyatt of my
self"
"Ah, you do look sweet and sentimental
with those ustrous dark eyes"
sect outw
'Not bit of it."
"But now comes the dilemma. can't fine
model that at all comes up to my notion o
the fair Anne"
"Misericorde Hamlet! with the Prince G
Denmark omittedw
"JuSt so. l fear shall have to abando
the subject and choose another"
wouldn't Leila Davenant do?" asked Bel
tie, with just the suspicion of a blush color
ing his bronzed cheek.
leila Davenaut! Anne Boleyn didn'
squint.'
Neither does Miss Davenantp cried Berti
Indignantly
Reginald Ashe looked at him curiously.
it?
Nonsense, Reggie! as if l shouldn't have
told yon il ii did! What secrets have 1 frou
you, dear old fellow?"
Reginald was touched
well, you'll tell me when yon lose you
heart, then ?"
GOT course l willard your"
"To be sure l will''
SIT is mutual bargainp'
at is"
''Shake hands on it, them"
Berthe rose
Il shall see you once more before | SAIL Reg
gle; shall look in on Saturday. 90 TO Ports
mouth on Monday. you'll give me fare
well supper, won't you?"
YES, yes, of course" said the other in a
voice not quite steady, and with something
very ike dew in his eyes.
Goodbye then, dear old felloww And
with cordial grasp of both hands that was
next door to positive embrace, these two
young men, who had not considered it effem-
mate to feel and show affection for each other
parted.
"Ah," sighed Reginald, when the door had
closed behind his friend, show | shall miss
him, Well he'll be back next year Mean.
While must work. And now to find a model
for my Annie"
Early in July Reginald Ashe was comfort
aply established III very pretty apartments
IN the cottage OF highly respectable widow.
IN one OF the most picturesque localities OF
North Wales. Here he sat to work in earnest
on ms great picture" as with all the fond
ness OF young artist he termed the work
Which ne hoped would make him famous the
ensuing spring. He had so far advanced with
lhe painting, that it was impossible to put of
any longer the sketchipg-in of the principal
inquire; and he resolve !, since he could find no
iouel 10 his taste, To trust to his creative fan
~ aiohe lor the portrature Of the lovely and
n-lated Anne. Reginald had greatly hattered
MS landladys vanity by Introducing her to his
canvass IN The quality of one of the attendants
on hathelne of Arragon; and the conse-
Yuehce was, that the worthy soul took intense
IhUeieSt Ill the painting, and believed she was
uesilned TO be immortaliZed on the wall of the
Royal Academy. But Mrs. Crupe, good wo-
man, had no noton of a poets or painters
ldea OF Anne BOleyn, and could say that
MISS Lillian Wrasse, the parsons daughter
was reckoned the finest girl in these partisan
very KIND to everybody, and no doubt would
be willing to sit to Mr. Ashe"
Reginald, who was just setting out on his
usual mornings excursion, and had all his
sketchng paraphernaia slung across hisshoul-
ders smiled at this and said
mo, no, Mrs. Crupe; perhaps some GOOD
fairy may send me real flesh and-blood Anne
during my mountain rambles; and if not.
must trust to my IDEAL"
The day was splendid, although as intensely
hot as it usually is in the month of July. A bue
heat mist overhung the purple hilltops, and
seemed like the veil of beauty, to wish to hide
their glories from the heather-land below. A
VIDE expanse OF moor, growing crimson with
lne meath blooms, which were already begin
nlng to burst into blossom, was dotted here
anu tnere with focks of the diminutiye noun
J S%,i o oneep' and herds of shaggy, black and
Jun cdttle, at once suler picturesque and in
.i"eu"p'e' Inc wide spread panorama was
in ! III all directions by windino NOM
lam streams, winch, although ruunino verv
low oh account OF the extreme heat of tho
weather, yet retained sufficient waIer in " tt .ne
channels to supply the browsing focts ard
herds, and to add greatly to the beauty of tho
wild and exquisite picture. The SIM not yot