Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-07-25
THROrGH 4 GL1ss DARKLT

'Some of our modern art cant seems to me
excessively absurd" remarked Mrs. Decker.
"Now what could be more ridiculous than
conscientiousness applied TO painting; or all
this Ruskin-istical twaddle about truth in art,
when the more strongly picture suggests
nature the more perfect lie it becomes p
II think" suggested IIetty CTowninshield,
looking up from her painting, THAT Ruskin
explains that somewhere in lis definition of
the word art and its distinction from artifice. "
'Wel, arthce is an art, replied Mrs
Decker; and there is no ham in it, if 1t
is only artistically handled. Dear me, what
a dreary place the world would be without
its little deceptions. for one am very glad
that now We See through glass darkly, and
that men especially are "A near-sighted race.
There's Mr.. Featherstonhaugh, for instance.
never have TO be particular when he calls to
seat myself with my back to the light, for
fortunately it is not considered etiquette TO
inspect lady's face at a distance of three
inches, and anything beyond that is perfect
blur to him
Hetty's face flushed as deeply as the car
dlnal flower which she was emblGzoning so
daintily ON Mrs. Deckers white satin mcniS.
"And l am glad, she said, that we have
the promise that sometime We shall see face
to face that there will be no misunderstood
ing, deception or doubt in the beyond"
Mrs. Decker shrugged her shoulders. "All
very fine in theory but how uncomfortable in
reality You know Mr.. Featherstouhaugh,
do you not, Hetty? Whatever induced him
to come to America" ?"
"IIe is interested in old paintings, espe-
cally in American portraits of the Revolu-
tionary period, COpleys and Stuarts and so
on. He spent last summer at the Centennial
studying all that he could find there, and since
then has been in Boston, where he has had
access not only to the public collections but
has had peep at nearly every family por-
trait in the city. Here in New York l have
put him in the way of a good many old
Knickerbockers, and there our relations end.
| think he is making catalogue of our Rev
olutionary art"
"But that is simply ridiculous" mused Mrs.
Decker. AN Englishman with his galleries
of Gainsboroughs and Sir Joshuas and Van
Dycks comes to this country to study our
poor little pictures. Depend upon it he has
some ulterior motive"
''For instance ?" suggested Hetty.
For instance, some family reason some
great-great-aunt who had made runaway
match and come to America and whose de
scendants he is desirous of finding, in order
to render back a portion of the family for
tune. You have no traditions of an English
ancestress, have you, Hetty"
mot of that period our family line is a
very direct one and leads far back into col
onial days"
"Then I'm afraid you can't claim the for
tune" said Mrs. Decker as she fastened the
silver clasps of her rich fur-lined mantle be-
fore her friends tiny oheval-glass. "There,
dear, good-bye have the menus done by
Thursday. I'll send Robert for them. No,
can't stay any longer, for the Loan Exhibi-
tion closes day after tomorrow and haven't
been in yet to post myself ON what's the fash
ion Just now in bric-a-brac. Come with me,
that's dear want your opinion about some
draperies." Fifteen minutes later Hetty,
who was always ready to oblige her friend,
stood with Mrs. Decker, catalogue in hand,
before portrait at the exhibition. 1t was that
of girl of eighteen, dressed in the style of a
century ago. 1t was evidently an old por-
trait and one highly valued, for though an
oil-painting il was under glass the tints of
the rose-colored brocade were little faded
and mellowed by time; and the exquisite
sweetness of the face, which had all the deli