Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-03-21


The next day was Sunday. Sun day
truly! The sunlight lay bright and
clear upon the pavements, and the
houses and people cast sharp, clean-cut
shadows on them, like French pic
ture. The air was delicious, the vines
on the houses were all in bloom, and a
swept blue sky glowed like great sap
phire over all, while down at the horizon
$50 much of horizon as one can see in
the city, lay couched little grayish-
white clouds, like quiet flock of sheep.
Yet hadn't word to say about it all
when Greenwood, the landscape painter,
joined me and said: "What glorious
day, Burrows! Like Eden, isn't it p
"Ahr' said I.
Well, well! I suppose you figure
painters don't care so much for nature
see more beauty in mems and women's
phizzes,h and he walked on.
saw dog lying basking in the sun
on some steps. "I'm like that" l said
to myself, like that poor, dumb crea-
ture there. The sunlight and beauty
flood me and make me drunk with
them, and have no words to be crate
full with. How this day would be in
i
know. where Molly makes the bright
center of the sunlight Yet l should
be dumb there too"
found myself in a great crowd of
gayly dressed church goers, packed so
closely that could scarcely see any,
thing without, so l saw all the more
that country where Molly was, and saw
her sitting at work in the little country
parlor, coming out on to the porch to
meet me with her bewitching smile
and voice, and felt the blue eyes fixed
for moment on my face until the
blood rushed up to meet them, saw her
going through the little wicket gate
into the garden, and smelt the smell of
the roses until I was almost faint.
was reused from my revery by
little scream, and a woman in front of
me made that curious backward move
ment heaven knows how they do it
without fallingI) to save her dress.
1t was not | that had stepped on it,
but tall man beside me, but she fixed
upon me as the delinquent, and gave
me piercing look and 6 frown. |
blushed guiltily. She frowned upon
me again, and L blushed more, while
the real sinner strobe away unpublished.
Presently the crowd went into church.
and l was left alone in the sunny
streets, where | wandered all the day,
dreaming of that country where Molly
was.
The next morning woke to the dread
reality. AS put my key to my studio
door | turned away my head that
might not see how the little sign "Jo-
seph Burrows, Artist" sneered at me.
My sitter came most carefully upon
his hour. He found me mounted upon
a stool, measuring off the main proper
lions on my canvas. He came in a
great light overcoat, and stood with one
side Of it grandly thrown back, while
ne rested upon a stout stick he carried.
was despairing and overwhelmed.
was never meant to do the colossal.
There was no firing the man. He
stood without ceasing until two o'clock,
and then proposed that we should lunch
together and return to the work after
ward. He carried me off like lamb to
the slaughter. He made me eat raw
oysters and drink ale.
| suggested that I never drank ale.
!" Do you good do you goodr' said
my sitter. "Just try it; best thing
for you. OH you must y and l drank
the nasty stuff: and back we went to
the studio, where my invincible sitter
stood until it was dusk and l could see
no more.
Z" Be here again tomorrow at ten,'
said he, buttoning up his coat, putting
on his hat, wrenching my hand until it
aehed, and slamming my studio-door
until he made me jump.
L was exhausted. just dropped my
unwashed brushes and my halffull
palette on the floor and myself on the
sofa, and there | stayed until the next
morning, when [ went home to nv
astonished landlady's to dress and
breakfast, and came back to the studio
to find my sitter standing at the door,
his hands behind his back with his cane
in them, while he was reading the OBJ
noxious sign on the door.
"Holloa holloal Before you this
morning." he said, wrenching my hand
again.
We went in together. 1 picked up
my palette and brushes and put them
one side, and got a fresh palette and
brushes, and my sitter having already
posed himself l set to work again.
No rest until two o'clock, when he
took out his watch and said, " Oh time
for lunch. Come alongw and I went
INTERESTINGLY.
+" Beginning to like ale, aren't you ?"
"Not much"
Goa! but you will soon. Do you
good Take another glass; Oh! you
mustr'
Back again to the studio, and my
sitter posed before had regained the
breath had lost on the stairs. No rest
until it was dusk again. 1 actually fell
from my high stool and staggered UP
against the wall.
" Not tired I" says my sitter, as if he
was the pattern of all the world. "Ohl
you'll be all rested tomorrow. Good
night. I'll be here tomorrow at the
same time"
He buttoned up his great coat, stuck
on his hat, tried to wrench my hand
but l jumped nervously out of his way
slammed my door and was gone.
Twas trembling in every limb, nv
head splitting. dropped my palette
and brushes ON the floor, threw open
both windows and the skylight, and
dropped upon the sofa.
i l.