The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-06-16
MR.. SINGLETON'S MODEL.

What is it guides my hand, what thoughts pos
sCsS me,
That have drawn her face?
o sweet dreams
That through the vacant chambers OF my
Walk in the silence, as familiar phantoms
Frequent an ancient house, what will yc with
mci
-LLongfcllow.
When Cissy Denzil came of age (she
was an orphan) she determined that she
would indulge her own capriccs to the
fullest extent. She sent for her aunt,
an inoiicnsive old lady of sixty, to cha
pcrOnc her, and rented house in Bry-
anston Square, not for the sake of tho
commanding situation, but because it
was n dull ncighborhood, respectfully
fashionable and calculated to exercise q
soporilic effect on her lively imagna-
ton The agent declared the house to
be thoroughly well-draincd and upholS-
tered, and, as it happened to please her,
in less than week she was as much at
home there rs if she had lived in town
all her life.
Cissy Dcnzil undoubtedly possessed q
dangerous originality. Without intend
ing it, she was n constant thorn in her
aunt's side. No sooner had Miss Web
ster recovered from one moral shower
bath than she received another. Now,
Miss Webster did not like shower baths;
they gave her cold and interrupted her
in the pursuit of the Who'll. duty of wo-
man, which was, in he case, to eat,
drink and dress well, to go to church
regularly and to awaken Cissy to sense
Of her many shortcomings.
But Cissy merrily refused to be rous-
ed. She was not at all overwhelmed by
her iniquitics. II do like TO sec things
for myself" she would say. "What is
the use of living if | am to be wrapped
up in cotton wool, taken out for an air
inc, and then brought back again like
those impossible dolls which children buy
in the Lowther Arcade? How can | live
my life if | do not know what existence
really is like? Owing to my ignorance
of the world, shall make some dread
full mistakes, and then ii will be all
your fault, aunty. VIII it not, Mr.. SIN
glcton?'
Mr.. Singleton was an artist who read
ily commanded large price for his
pictures. He was an old man, and had
known Cissy Dcnzil from her childhood.
To him she was wont TO appeal when
Miss Webster became plaintiff Cissy
amused him; he abcttcd her vagarcs,
provided that he saw they were harm
less.
Il did not know that YOU had such u
taste for realism he replied. "Evi-
IDENTITY Miss Webster will have Il hard
time OF ii, unless we can cure you.
Poor aunty.' said the girl, crossing
the room and kneeling carelessly at tho
Did lady's feet. II am sure that | shall
some day give you fit.
"If YOU want to get little insight IN
10 what human nature really Is said
Singleton, jokingly, come to my, study
any morning and study the models
Put on plain dress and bonnet, ana
ret there early Ten O'Clock will be
soon enough. You can easily reach
Holland Park road from here. II you
will come, I'll have some of the litter
cleared away, and you can watch me
paint, sit, or do what You like, | often
see twenty or thirty models in n day
Patient Grisclda, Cardinal Wolscy, Fair
Rosamond, Iucrczia Borgia, and other
well-known character come to me by
the dozen. If | don't want them they
try the next studio. Artists are cluster
ed as thicklv together up there as law
ycrs are in Bedford Row. That bare
headed, disguised very much DISCUS
"a. sometimes IL man with history
French noblcman who sold papers in the
Strand, was frequent sitter of mine;
he's dead now, poor fellow.
Am | to sit on the usual terms'
asked Cissy. What are the usual
terms. Mr. Singleton?'
"a shilling an hour, and luncheon
found, said Singleton. "ln your ease,
Cissy. the luncheon shall be uncNcep-
.ionable.h
Agreed" gayly cried CiSsy. "Do
40: groan, aunty." Miss Webster al
ways made scpulchral noises when she
lid not approve anythingD There
is nothing wrong in going to studio,
especially if it be swept and garniSh-
I'd"
Singleton went away and speedily for
rot all about the matter Cissy rcmcm-
bered.
The next morning CisSy started for
Holland Park road, intent upon viewing
4 new phase of existence. She took
Rollo with her enormous tawny
mastitf, whose head was serenely I'M
conscious of the mischief wrought by
his tail among Cissy's dainty bric-a-
brac. Rollo was of the opinion that all
bric-a-brac should be made of tin, cast
iron or other solid metals, and testified
bis Joy at being freed from the danger
,us vicinity of cgg-shell china. with
many bark and gambol.
Without misadventure this modern
Una and her lion reached Singleton
studio, Cissy's face glowing with health
and beauty, and Rollo much excited by
many a fruitless chase after cats, which
would slip between ratings when he had
thar,