Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-01-12
The Model fer "sun.hIne." :"

Tue picture was flushed, and the painter
stood for a moment before II with the qui-
ct satisfied air of man who knows his
work is well done.
"Come and look at it, Hester. Tell me
what you think of Shadow"
The tired sitter rose from her chair and
cIme round in front of the easel. Wearily
she pushed the heavy weight of chestnut
hair OF her pale forehead, and gazed long
and earnestly into the dull dusky eyes of
the picture. They were like her own, nev.
er a CLEAN of brightness in their shadowy
depths; only that earnest, patient look full
| o: gloom and darkness.
"Does it please you, Slr?"
"Ye', Hester-and you2"
"a think ii is like me-" answered the
| girl, signing. Then she gathered up that
mass of dark hair that the painter had dis.
arranged to suit the purposes of his pic
ture, and turning slowly away, asked him,
"Do you need me any loDger?"
"Not to- day, thank you"
Hester Deane went away from the old
| farmhouse parlor that the artists ingenui-
| ty had converted into a temporary studio,
and proceeded to take up the burden of
| life again. They were very happy hours,
| those she passed in that shady old room
while the magic touches of the painters
brush transferred her pale features to his
canyas-bappy because they were quiet
But this burden Of life pressed sore upon
| Hester's shoulders, and the lash that drove
her on from one arduous duty TO another
| never rested.
| Hesler's home was au old farmhouse in
New England, perched upon bleak New
| Hampshire hill. Her oniy companion was
the invalid siep-mOther, whose bitter
tongue stung her quivoring soul with
wounds no less hard to bear because the
instrument hat inflicted them was Sc con =
temptibe. Her father was a good man,
but cold and hard as the rocks that sur
rounded his humble dwelling and jim,
| the only other member of the family, was
a thoughiless boy, whose mischief and
carelessness made Hester many an extra
hour of labor.
In the shadow Ler life had lain, this girl
with the low, broad forehead, behind which
was stored an educati, that would have
enabled a man long ago 10 achieve comfort
aud independence. Here in this old brow n
farm house she lived and worked, un-
warmed by love, uncheered by sympathy,
until the coldness and the gloom settled in-
| to her dark eyes, dulled their beauty, and
cut deep furrows in the fair pale forehead
Hester Deane was twenty-four. The neigh
bors said she was thirty, she had been a
lonely old maid SO long. Hester bowed
| kas Int "A i.t a
This was the girl whom Henry Spencer
the famous portrait painter, met as he was
wandering among the trout streams of New
Hampshire. Her shadowy face, draped in
the dull gray twilight. met him one night
as he was returning 10 his lodgings, and
the desire seized him 10 fasten its dull
beauty on his canvas and take ii back will
him to the city. An introduction was an
easy thing among these honest country
folk, and he was soon established as a lodg.
or at the old farmhouse, where every
chance was seized upon to add to the scan.
ty living that WAS wrung with so much la.
Dor from the stubborn soil.
Poor Hester shuddered when in family
conc'aye the question was decided TO "lake
a lodger," for she knew how much 1t would
add TO her care. Then when the demand
came upon her to sit for her portrait, Hes
ter was bewildered. Where should she
find the timer But she did find it, and
those long sittings gave her the rest she sc
much needed. She was less lred-pool
Hester i-although she knew 1t not.
Now the picture was finished, and Hes
ter's first thought upon Its conclusion wa.
the weeks Ironing that yet remained
damp and wrinkled mass in the grea
clothes basket. Thus IL was that she turn
ed so wearily sway from the fair portrai
of herself in the parlor to face this burden
of uncongenial labor that waited for her il
the kitchen.
Henry Spencer looked after her as sh
passed out of his sight, and over the gentl
face OF the artist came an expression o
tender pity. Then he looked at the pictur
the fine eyes, with the dull cloud In thei
depths-and the fancy came to him, "I will
paint another picture, and call 1t Sun
shiAe.'"
AS Hester was standing at the kitche
door that evening the artist come and tool
his place by her side. "Hester, 1 want
companion piece for Shadow win yo
help me find q model"
"Win not Bessie May do, SirH"
The artist shook his head as he though
of the belle of the neighboring village
with crimped locks and simPering smile
"No, no, Hesteri not Bessie"
al do not know any other. Sir"
u SsThsRe b no hurry j abAu tiad har1