River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1872-10-18

the beautiful grill She oouldnot even
give her father a suitable greeting.
Trembling and confused, she stood be-
fore him, and he saw with violent dis
pleasure the tears bursting from her
eyes. Tears were poor accompani-
ment, indeed, to the obedience due from
child to a parent.
Anna felt the gaze Lucas Smart
riveted on her face, while she explained
that she'was willing to return with her
father, and remain the faithful obedi-
ent, daughter, but in reference to her
future husband she begged that the
decision might be delayed few years.
Frau Katherine meanwhile encouraged
her by signs.
The old man received this request in
great anger, and cursed at once Ger
hard BOWS studio, and his own folly
in ever having sent his daughter there.
Nov shells good for nothing in the
world !! " lie cried, striking the table,
and setting free great cloud of dust,
to the distraction of the master; /" for
what is girl good for but to be mar
RED? She has learned no more than a
thousand others, and now [ shall be
poor all my life, and she with me
Anna drew herself up, and cried,
with glowing cheeks and flashing eyes:
"Wait a little, father, before you
condemn me, and insult my master
Let me place before your eyes an evi.
dence of what have learned with him.
Let me show you that can earn enough
by my art so that need not carry on
my shoulders, all my life long, the mo-
ney-bags of an unloved husband. And
if 1 can furnish such proof, then give
my heart free choice! If / fail, will
go home with you to-day, and IN one
week 1 will be the wife of Lucas
Smart
Old Smythers could only answer
eyes" His child seemed to him a
very princess, so proudly and so COM
mandingly she stood before him, with
her blonde braids resting like crown
upon her forehead. But the rich mil
Ter plucked him by the sleeve, whisper
ing:
"Let us go home. Your princess
is too grand for my mill, and there are
other girls in Client
nC OlO iiAolllS NIbIlOuU d MOIOl,
him down into chair beside him, and
the two sat close together, eagerly wait
ing.
Anna seated herself at the table, and
cut from a roll of parchment bit of
the size Of bean, mingled the colors,
and bending her head low began to
paint. 1t was as still as death in the
room. The master worked on, appar-
emily Indifferent as to the result.
Franz Mieris stood with disturbed face
before his easel, and painted the por-
trait of Judge with a green necker-
chief and blue nose. Near the half
drawn curtain, in the back ground,
stood Frau Katherine, deadly pale with
folded hands, and over her left shoul.
der looked the sculptor's intelligo..o
face, a clear beam of love streaming
from his eyes upon the painting maid
en-. The wild roses outside the window
pressed curiously against the panes,
and beetles and butterflies nearly beat
out their brains upon the glass, while
the spamows loudly related to each
other, and every one who chose to lis
ten, that inside the studio there, every
thing was not quite as it should be.
Now and then Annals glance hastily
sought the face of the rich miller, and
the faintest intimation of sportive
smiling fitted across the deep earnest
ness of her sportive face.
At last she arose, and stepped to-
ward Gerhard Dow, she said, ''your
eyes shall first behold my trial piece.
Toll mo if ~ &c a orOnH work ~
Gerhard Dow laid upon the palm of
his broad right hand the tiniest paint
ing that ever artist fingers had created,
and gazed upon it in amazement.
"Child, you have learned more than
l could have taught you'll Such work
as this, neither 1 myself, nor any other
painter in the Netherlands, could
equal. l know not who has secretly
instructed you. Thank him, not me,
for your success. You have created
the most exquisite miniature genre
picture that my eyes ever beheld
So saying, he approached Herr
Smyther and Lucas Smart, and held
out his hand. Franz Mieris came near
and peered over their shoulder, and all
three gazed in amazement upon the
wonderful miniature painting, whose
every line was executed with the most
enchanting clearness and delicacy.
There was windmill with its sails, a
stout miller who strikingly resembled
Lucas Smart, horses with sacks, carts,
and many people crowded together,
but each figure entirely perfectly per-
feet and distinct in its kind.
The stern Judge showed his little cap
from one ear to the other, and said
slowly:
" You are right nobody can equal
that We need no other fortune Lu-
cas- Smart, put the princess out of your
mind. As you said, there are other
| maidnne IN, Chant XNn Will nn-4n.