The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-08-17
hat tho church Of st. Catherine2 / inquired

should have been thinking Of St Catherine
while In the church.
Ellis exoelIency has boon at Siena. beyond
doubt, Them she said.
No not Yet, told her, but, II she would
pardon my presumption. II was only since |
! had seen her III the church that | had been
thinking Of st.. Catherine. Surely she must
have been painted frequently for the saintp
Her face flushed for u moment as If she felt
| the compliment, but then she shook her head
without raising her eyes, and again that
| beautiful expression of meekness came over
| her face, as shs said.
OF the blessed Santa Cattarina from seeing
my poor plain face
"Pardon me- answered; II am q painter,
and yet thought, and think still, that II |
| about to draw, could not find u more perfect
| face than that 81 the signora.- OF perhaps !
should say IF signorinal'
"His exoelency is right In tho first"
bowed.
"Dut, pardon me-" / said quickly, II have
| no right to speak to slgnora In this way; /.
10 doubt. speak UT what could never be- ae-
compli=hed. J must only try TO recollect
signora's face FOR my picture
lfhon she looked VI suddenly, with her face
more deeply tiDged
docs his eSeellency mean that my poor
face would be worth painting as the blessed
| saintp''
ut would be q subject for the talents Of the
finest" ! replied.
"Does the sgnore desire to paint the
| blessed Santa CattarinaY she asked quickly,
M before
| assured her that such was my Intention.
"Jhan he will paint II from my face II he
Wishes" alls said. 20 rapidly as To seem To bs
abrupt aBut II must be done IN the norm
| Ing never III the evening"
| assured her that the morning WAS the only
| time IL could possibly be done Then, DIT her
request gave her my card With my address
In Venice upon 1t, aud she left me hastily,
saylng
with him Ill the morning
She gave single glance nj my face, then
bent her head and fastened away, leaving me.
with my hat IN my hand. to put any construc-
ton thought fit upon her abruptness.
had finished breakfast next morning and
had gone out to my balcony to smoke u olga
| rette, when ] saw just beneath where | was
| standing gondola with q solitary figure OF n
! woman closely yelled, as IL the custom with
Venetian ladies'. aboard. / fanclsd could
recognizes the figure as that OF the woman
was trying to bring myself to expect. and
was not mistaken. The gondola came along
| sido the house, and heard the passenger tell
| the bOatnan to return In OH hour, 1t was tho
| voice Df my future vt. Catherine.
| left the balcony to 20 down to welcome
| her and bring her up to my temporary studio.
How can thank signora enough for this
indispensable kindness To q stTanger2' said.
| NJ she seated herself.
1T is nothing. sgnore," she answered, with
a little flush. VII s you whoare good ~ think
my poor face worthy to appear MS the blessed
saint Her eyes frightened for MI Instant as
she spoke then they dropped again. aud the
expression which had at first struck me re-
turned.
There was short but embarrassing silence
for did not like to treat my visitor MS d pro-
fessionnl moda and begin working ut once;
but, after d few moments had passed without d
word. | asked her II she would care to glance
over my portfolio. She thanked me, and I
showed her o number of pictures and sketches
that | had done during the month. She
looked ut al with interest, hut II WAS only the
interest of d schoolgirl looking at d picture
book. She knew nothing of art 1t was plain
to see from the remarks she made. She liked
bright colOrs and pretty faces, but that was
Seeing that she was tired of the pictures i
asked her II 1t would be agreeable to her to
give me her first sitting. Then she frightened
up, and felt that this fair creature was not |
devoid Of vanity.
very artist-lise way ] begged to know If 1t |
would Inconvenience her to allow her hair to |
fall On her shoulders. In u moment she had |
loosed black velvet band, and her shoulders
her splendid black hair. tried to regard the
change with no more than purely artistic feel
lnRs; but had considerable difficulty In do
Ing 10. her face looked SO lovely In Its hunIl-
!ty from the midst Of that weath Of hair.
However ] busted myself with my palettes
until recolected that my model was a
and might not think d little adml-
ration out Of place, 80 allowed few express
'tons OF tho deli ght felt to escape me. md |
,ould see that she did not feel at all hurt by
anvthing said In this way.
For an hour then had Ter before me, and
yhe lovely expression which | was endeavor-
nR 10 transfer to my canvas never passed
rom her faco. She was the very model of n
modal and | nnf hal In liy.x ft,nfr |
lad been accustomed to sit for artists But
when | thanked her at the end OF the hour
md asked her II II was not 50, she said She
lad never been painted In all her life; this
vas the first time She had ever sat for |, bic
ure. After promising to be with me at the
anne hour Oh the following day my visitor
eft me, yelling herself, and returning to her
,ondola that was below.
! must confess that this sngularly romantic
fair had some effect upon me; for an Eng
ishman travelling for the first time is disposed
9 0verrate the romantic element Of every oc-
,lrrence that take place before his eyes III
hose strange Southern countries whose ma
ure he cannot comprehend without q good
eal Of study. began to feel very much like
he hero or u romance, and my feeling was
Increased BY reason Of the mystery surround
az the beautiful model
nc next morninga at tho same time the gon-
Ola drew Up ut my portal, and for another
our had my model before me- with her hair [
oose and her long lashes making q shade
pom her cheeks. AT the conclusion Of the |
ltUnR we had longer conversation than on +
he previous day, but not word was spoken
s to a husband. 1
When she was leaving she told me that an j
interval 81 two days must clapsc before she /
ould return to me. / assured her that f. '
'ould make no differences to the picture, d
hough | should count the moments until /
Mould see her again. She flushed, smiled
emily, and yelled herself n
1t was only when the third day after this il
as approaching that became aware of the
cry great interest which had In the picture d
this ut. Catherine. / spent the greater u
~ ~ lne Two Gays 81 the Interval III eabi- y
ating what had already done, and somehow d
le original Of my picture had become 50 inn II
ressed upon my mind thatI felt could with t,
II difficulty complete the portrait without an q
her sitting. certainly d,d count the mo- Il
ents until the morning when the gonIola ii
lth the yelled figure should return, and