The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-01-20
The Model for .sSunsh,na. -

The picture was finished, and tn,
painter stood for moment before i
with the quiet, satisfied air of MAJ
who knows his work is well done.
"Come and look at it, Hester. Tel
me what you think of Shadow"
The tired sitter rose from her cbai,
and came round in front of the easel
YEARLY she pushed the heavy weight O
chestnut hair of her pale forehead, anC
gazed long and earnestly into the dull
dusky eyes of the picture. They were
like her own. never CLEAN of bright
ness in their shadowy depths: only thai
earnest, patient look. full of gloom anc
darkness.
Does il please you, SIR"
''Ycs. Ilcster-and you?'
II think il is like me-" answcrcdrtht
girl, signing. Then she gathered ur
that mass of dark hair that the paintci
had disarranged to suit the purposes OF
his picture, and turning slowly away
asked him, "Do you need me any
longcr?"
"Not to-day, thank YOU"
Hester Deane went away from the old
farmhouse parlor that the artists ipoe.
nuity had converted into a Temporary
studio, and proceeded to take up the
hrrlan Of i;fa ~e":. Tha,, wore yo,.,.
happy hours, those she passed III that
shady old room, while the magic touches
of the painters brush transferred her
pale features to his canvas-happy be-
cause they were quiet. But this burden
oflife pressed sore upon Hester's should.
ers, and the lash sthat drove her from
one arduous duty to another never
rested.
Hester's home was an old farmhouse
in New England, perchcd upon a bleak
New Hampshire hill. Her only com.
panion was the invalid stcp-mother
whose bitter tongue stung her quiverine
soul with wounds no less hard to beal
because the instrument that inflicted
them was so contemplate. Her father
was good man, but cold and hard as
the rocks that surrounded his humble
dwelling; and jim, the only Other
member of the family, was thought
less boy, whose mischief and careless
ness made Hester many an extra houl
of labor.
In the shadow her life had lain, thil
girl with the low, broad forehead, be
hind which was stored an education tha
would have enabled q man long ago Il
achieve comfort and independence
Here in this old brown farmhouse she
had lived and worked, unwarmed b,
love, uncheered by sympathy, until th'
GOODNESS and the gloom settled into he
dark eyes, dulled their beauty, and Gu
deep burrows in the fair, pale forehead
Hester Deane was twenty-four. TIL,
neighbors said she was thirty, she hat
been lonely old maid so long. Heste
bowed her head but did not contradic
them.
This was the girl whom Henry Spen
Ger, the famous portrait painter, met a
he was wandering among the trou
streams of New Hampshire. Her shad
owy face, draped in the dull, gray twi
light, met him one night as he was re
, turning to his lodgings, and the desir
: seized him to fasten its dull beauty o.
his canvas and take it back with him +
, the city. An introduction was an cas-
J thing among these honest country folk
and he was soon established as lodge
at the old farmhouse, where ever
chance was seized upon to add to tn
, scanty living that was wrung with s
much labor from the stubborn soil.
+. Poor Hester shuddered when in fam
: ly conclave the question was decided [
d stake n lodger," for she knew no,
n much it would add to her care. The
y when the demand came upon her to s.
for her portrait, Hester was bewildereC
Where should she find the time? Br
y she did find it, and those long sitting
IS gave her the rest she so much needed
= She was less tired-poor Hester!-a
. though she knew it not.
e Now the picture was finished, an
d IIester's first thought upon its concll
= sion was the weeks ironing that vet r,
e mained damp and wrinkled mass
the clothes-basket. Thus il was tn
:. she turned so wearily away from Il
,r fair portrait of herself in the parlor
70 face this burden of uncOngenial lab,
that waited for her IN the Kitchen.
T. Henry Spencer looked after her
Is she passed out of his sight, and over Il
gentle face of the artist came an EXPIRE
g. sion of tender pity. Then he looked
the picture-the fine eyes, with the du
cloud in their depths-and the fan,
came to him, 81 will paint another pi
L. ture, and call it Sunshine
b. AS Hester was standing at the kitch,
ms door that evening the artist came al
Ie- took his place at her side. Chester
y want companion piece for 'Shadov
Will you help me find a modelY"
"Will not Bessie May do, sir?'
The artist shook his head as
thought of the belle of the neighbour
village, with crimped locks and simp'
ing smile. "No, no, Hester; not b.
4 sie."
y ~ do not know any other, SIR"
"There is no hurry; / shall find
if you will help me. But mean 10 n
. for while first"
'E Hester looked at him. Rest! WI
~ did he know of work, this prospero
per man, whose brush was the magic wa
Es that brought golden shower arou
or him, like the water that rushed from {
i.ocl OF iho ionoh of Macao, rod