The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-11-27
THE po|lRT' n; III 4
-. ~ 800, or I.enry sreyilIe.I

2 MatlraCp WAS " s..i. -
DEPTHS or the forest. bad ceased Taln,na,
hmf tha DROPS ps WRters we're siltt roitinS
srnn, lenf n leaf Vii h the light sound OF q
Ineartv.axhausted fountain trickiinE Into
lits hajf oiled BASIN, aud fn the distance stne
dark pstli opened out into wet giade OF OF, y
deem preert 81 exquisite softness. me y
trunks or the trees were very BLACK tnelE
branches blacker still, and the massive
touYhss OF the chestn nt.trees above atne
yol,nr painter head scented like HE higa
arches OF eathedra. at the hour When ais
IL dark Ia the church and when the coiorel
windows cast Into the. gloom CLEANS OF
TIGHT 40 intense and so terious tnae you
you'd think them iit up by hre OF i've g
Goals from without, J, |. 800 80. y
Maurice loved this hour the decline o.
day, when after the rain the sun mas snoWn
out, and when gray tint is cast over sseIy-
thing, blending outlines, soitening anel ~
and Investing every shape Wild . sln l,s.s.
and exquisite roundness. tie Waiksa slo 10Y
II. discovering every moment Ia tne. WEI
known forest some beaniy til .nen - .an-
known, and he was thrilled 10 Inc very
tlepths OF his being by that tender admira-
ton for nature which is one OF the cnaiae
terislics OF genius. ,.,.aa
Having reached the glade he looked
around him. 'rhe grass was green ana
brilliant; the delicate leaves OF the shrubs,
shining beneath the water which nad WASH
az, f,,an,. o,medsa fine, lace.like network
aoainst The dark background OF the great
fnrest beyond. He stopped 10 order 70
ace better, to observe better, and 10 taKe IN
hotter the Impression Of the wet forest,
more impressive and more human, 80 10
snnak. il, its great shadows than beneath the
Sunshine in all the spiendor OF the day.
The nretty and graceful figure OF young
o;rl stood out against the foliage OF the
Rirch.trees. She advanced with supple
mnyement, without perceiying Maurice
who. as irnmoYablG as the trunk OF cnesi-
nut-tree, was watching her. W men t"o
steps from him the young girl perceived
him. She started and let-fali Few twlgs
from the fagot OF wood that she was carry
ing on her head. .,,,;,n.
and her large black eyes shone OUT merrilS
beneath the tangle OF her bionde hair:
ne looked at her without answering. "A
cc,oomnIete harmony, which no words can
Gender. reigued between the slender figure,
the laughi6g face, the iace-like foliage o.
the Glade and the .tints Of the landscape. :
"Stand still,"s said the young man; u
am going to take your portrait"
she wished to push back her hair, which
had fallen over her face, but he prevented
her by gesture.
i" Remain as you arc"
He seated himself on stone and sketched
rapidly the outline and features OF ms
yoI1np model. She was peasant, but delicate
and refined US the young girls OF the pea
santry often are before their complete
and often tardy development. The eyes
were already those OF woman, the smile
was still that Of child.
"How old are you," asked the painter,
still working,
"I shall soon be sixteen"
"Already !. I saw you three years ago
little bit Of thing"
IT was very little" said she, with pref
ty laugh, and frank and bold as SPAR
row, tsbut grew fast and on st. johns
day shall have lovers"
aWhy on st. Johns day asked the young
man, stopping TO look at her,. ~.
"Because one must have lover TO dance
With round the boDtire."
So soonl That pure brow, those inno-
cent ewes, that childish mouth, all these
were to be protaned by the boorish sallantry
of rustic! Maurice felt vague Jealousy
down in his heart.
"Will you have me for lover! Z" SAID
he, resumins his work.
"Ohl you you are gentleman, and l,
I am peasant"
The Young man answered nothing.
al cannot see any longer; will you come
back here tomorrow, little earIer!"
"For my portrait ?" .~.
eyes" - 80.
"I will come back. Good evening, SIR"
She raised her bundle OF wood and went
away into the deepening shadows, beneath
the archway OF the dark chestnut-trees.
Maurice went home dreaming Of the fair
haired child. he had seen her often, and
had always looked at her, but with the eyes
of an artist. Now it seemed to him that
he looked at her with the eyes OF a
Jealous lover. That night and the next
ilay seemed interminabIe to him; ana
long before the appointed hour he was IN
the glade. 81,
girl arrived, a little late-aiready Playing
the coauette-she was quite surprised.
cit is really myself" sara sue. " III
YOU give it to me?" .,
"And that one, what VIII you 10 Win
| it?"
.It will 20 to Paris, it will be put in a
large frame, it will be hung in beautiful
gallery, and every one will come and look
at it,"
| "Ah! yes, / know, in the Elk bibitiou."
uHaye you heard OF the EXhibition?"
"There are gentlemen painters here who
work for the Exhibition, as they say, but
they never took my portrait"
| Daylight was fading gently; Maurice
found, as on the preceding evening, the ex-
uuisite soft tints which had so charmed
him, and his work advanced hundred
cubits toward posterity.
He saw her again several times beneath
the checkered daylight Of his improvised
studio, and he took pleasure in making
this work his best one. Already celebrated
he had no use to make himself name, and
| vet he was sure that this picture would put
the seal to his reIoWn. -
by the time he was quite satisfied with it
winter had come, and Manufactured hi, lit
tie model. he loved her too much TO tell
her SO, too much to sully this field.fower Of
whom he could not make his wife, but
enough to suffer at the thought Of leaving
her. j She had none Of those qualities which
secure the happiness OF q life; neither depth
OF feeling nor the devotion which causes US
to forget everything, nor the passion which
is an excuse for everything; she was pref
ty teld-fower, little vain, little coquet.
fish, with no great faults nor yet great vir-
tues. Maurice knew that she was not for
him, and yet be loved the graceful lines OF
her figure, as yet scarcely developed, and
which her home-spun gown chaStely enfold-
ed without Disgusting. He loved the deep
1 eyes, the laughing mouth, the fair hair that
was always in disorder, the little handker-
chief tied across her breast-he loved it oil,
and ii was with reluctance that he went