American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-01-18

and small; the lids of the eyes were larg,
and full. and the 1ashes fine and long
The teeth We're regular and perfect; ant
even the tiny ear was Il marvel of eXquis
lite form. The hair felt must be of :
soft golden color; it had not the vigor o
black or brown, and passed through my
hand like meshes of silk or floss
see nothing: but inst nct-fancy-
who can tell me.what it was Taught me
every line of the form, every color, every
grace, of my nightly companion.
AT last divine inspiration seized upon
me. Since all her loneliness was mine
why not copy il? l resolved to paint her,
to have her for my own forever.
Then, behold happy man at last. My
dingy garnet was transformed into a pal
ace Of light. Day after day l fingered at
my work, forgetting to eat or drink in
my gladness. d y after day the picture
grew, until at last l saw her! A sweet
pale face, the soft low brow Swallowed
with a cloud of golden hair. delicate
sensitive mouth and chin, the glory OF
her eyes hidden by the transparent lids, a
face and form beautiful as woman's and
holy as an angels, abided upon my easel.
The day upon which 1 finished it l was
wild with delight. 1 waited for the night
with feverish eagerness, for l wanted to
tell my pale cold girl all that had done
for her.
But alas! when night came 1 sought
her, and she was not. My hand wandered
in vain for the familiar drapery; it had
vanished with its sweet burden forever. l
sought my candle, and lighted it with
my picture, l must have died with sor-
row, but she was there to gladden. my
eyes and comfort my heart.
But Twas starving-literally starving.
l mad not penny left With which to buy
food, and my greedy old landlord was
clamoring for his rent. He forced his
way into my room one morning, and cast
He was cowardly enough to be afraid of
it, and put out his hands In an agony of
terror.
''Why. you miserable man," 1 said, ''are
you afraid of a picture ?''
He staggered out upon the landing.
Trust me for q little while; MIR. Per-
ret 1 said, 'and 1 will pay
He wrung his hands. and declared he
Wa, wanted no money, and begged OF me, for
peace. Ee called Heaven to witness he
was poor, miserably poor.
"All that you see low is not mine, :" he
cried piteously; ''they are my custom
ers'. on the faith Of a mani"
Then let me also be a customer" 1
said,. taking from my pocket silver
watch. ''What will you give me for
this?''
To my surprise, he wrung his hands
ingly:
''What do you want for it?'' he whined.
81 m so miserabiy poor. 1t is worth
What do you want for it?''
Its worth ten dollars,' said, and
followed him down into the store. He
seemed in a terror of excitement; and af-
ter giving me the ten dollars appeared to
hesitate about taking the watch. 1 left
him watching me as l went down the
street to get my frugal provisions for the
week.
When l returned, grim silence pre-
vailed in the house, but was too much
to notice it.
had resolved to place my picture in the
Ii you should ask me why, l
could not tell, but something determined
me to ask for its admittance, and it was
received. They even praised it and tick
eted it with number.
what name?' they asked.
'sAh 1 do not know" L replied.
The obliging gentlemen looked at it a
while, then at me, wonderingly. ''Sup-
pose we call it "A Vision?'" said one of
them.
''But does not vision imply something
SccIE l. dshcus
swell, won't they see your painting %
he replied. ''At all events, it's nice fan
ciful name, and I'm a judge Of these
things.''
He seem d, in a grandiloquent sort of
way, gOod-natured enough, and l thanked
him for his suggestion.
Presently l stood before my picture,
and found it was called, ''No. 2S9-A Wis
ion.''
1 lett her there, and went back to my
old home. The store upon the ground
floor was closed, the shutters were up,
and as l passed the door of the back-room
l saw that it was empty. All the bundles
and tickets were gone; but upon the
counter lay my silver watch. 1 looked
upon it in bewilderment. What did it all
mean? If the old Frenchman had fled
with the goods of his customers, why not
take mine also? He had paid me its nom-
of this spasmOdic honesty? What fear
ful mystery envelopsd everything in this
dreary old house? Why did he shrink
from me with terror? and why was he
wild with fear at the sight of a picture
l went up to my garnet. and found the
desolation there indispensable.
Since the sweet phantom refused to
come to me again-since all that remain
ed to me of her rested in that great,
warm, luxurious gallery-since that
wretched man had fled, why should
cling to the old habitation? l felt that
excitement and semi-starvation had al
ready done enough for my brain. and de-
termined to shake this dust and phantasy
from me. would go out in the clear.
cold sunshine, and labor, and hope, and
live like the human creatures above me.
That day left the house in West Broad
way, and took a cheap lodging up toWh.
Il .,,sf
day by day. 1 knew that in the old vii
lage where [ was born, no one would rec
OgniZe the gaunt, shabby. wild-eyed man
for the Joyous, hopeful youth than only a
few years ago seemed filled with the rud-
diness of life. l felt at times desperate
longing to rid myself of my reveries and
dreams. This strife for gold seemed to
me manly thing then, full OF vigor and
common-sense and courage. l envied the
waiter at the cheap clearinghouse, the ne
gro that carried the coal; and going down
upon the do * one day, l joined a body
of men that trundled barrOws to and from
a great ship that lay near by, aud shouted
and strained my muscles with the rest.
All in vain; my physical power was too
weak, the tension upon my nerves, too
strong. All gained by my days labor
were blistered hands, aching joints, a
singular dizziness in my head, and a dol
lar and fifty cents!
When L entered my room that night
found this note upon my table:
'tNfr. Paul Wade:
DEAR SRI have learned that your picture
in the Academy, No 2S3-a Vision, is in the
possession of the artist 1 desire to purchase it.
An early reply Will much oblige.
Yours very truly,
''ANTOISE GERvASE.
''BLANK HOTEL"
The idea of parting with my picture
for gold was luGicrous enough to make
me laugh, if 1 had not forgotten how.
Immediately sent this reply:
ON 1HfOiRe Gerrdse: