Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-12-13
4 Model Mid.

A Model Maid
| Aimee, who was one of Frere's early
| models, has been Tonne, or maid, in the
| family for over twenty-five years. She
| is drill-master and nursery-maid for
the children who pose, and is great
institution. She goes for the children
and returns them; keeps a mental in
| ventOry of ages, sizes, types, and can
tell Monsieur Frere on the instant just
| what child he ought to have for a re-
CURED action. LET me see, my good
Aimee" says the artist, at the end of
one days work, tomorrow | BEGIN q
new picture. [ remember long ago
seeing Rosalie Siegnac getting dinner
for her sick mother, with the aid of her
| little brother. 1t was a pretty picture
l said when | saw it, | must paint that
But ROsalie has grown into atall young
woman now, and her brother is with
the angels. Seek little. whom shall
we get to pose for the figures? Wiz
Fitine do for one?"
Aimee purses her lips and rolls the
corner of her apron. Monsieur for
gets-that girl grows like q SQUASH
vine; she is fifty centimetres too tall. ;"
Elsie, then?'
elsie is engaged to sit for Monsieur
Chialiva's turkey picture"
How would Annette do?''
''Annette is too fat; Clarice is never
still, she is as restless as the vane on
the chimney; Marie is sulky; Babette
has the chicken-pox; Jeanne has gone
to Granville. There is no one but An
gelique, and she is freckled and red
headed"
"She will do nicely. can leave the
freckles out, and her hair is just the
thing. For the boy, l suppose we must
take Amedee."
"Amedee is too mischievous; [ had
the trouble of lost soul to keep him
away from the strawberry beds. Bap-
tiSte, now, would be better behaved
HE is homely little fellow; do not
! think could use him. What has be-
come of that little Henri La Fontaine,
with the blonde curls?'
''His mother has had them cut since
the hot weather; besides, he has the
mumps in both cheeks. However, /
will get him if Monsieur DESIRES"
''Certainly not; but tell me whom I
ought to have?"
''Narcisse might do, if could keep
him awake. (rhat child would sleep
if the Prussians bombarded the cha
teauD Quentin is a little runaway;
when he sees me coming he makes
straight for the forest, where no one
can lay hand on him. Emile is in
school; he is a good student and his
mother will not let him pose except on
Saturdays. Maurice is beautiful as an
angel, but shy as a rabbit, and he
weeps if one but looks at him. If
Monsieur should tell him to hold the
soup-ladle he would faint with fright
Anethol is a gOurmand; if he is desired,
/ must fry q whole kettle of merUeiILeS,
and he will eat them, every one"
Can you not overcome Maurice's
timidity? Sure | have not the reputa-
ton of an ogre"
"No, Monsieur; it is because you ere
so good and great in his eyes; it is the
reverence for saint. To speak with
you is almost to him as if the picture
of the Cardinal Odet de Coligny on the
church window should step smilingly
down toward us! Surely then we should
al faint with terror. -
perhaps if | should play a game of
LudIDleS WIFI ulIl, u6 WOuIu Icel 11SS O1
awe"
Monsieur must not so trouble him
self. The child is fond of fairy stories;
[ will tell them while he is posing, and
distract his mind"
No matter how many children figure
in his picture, Monsieur Frere requires
to see them all in their proper positions
in order to relate them one to the 9TH
er. Aimee keeps the battalion in Or
der: she washes their faces, arranges
their hair, costumes them, comforts
the homesick. encourages with candy,
or Furnishes the refractory, deals out
the copper sous with which they are
paid at the end of the sitting, and car
ries a report to the parents OF their be-
havior; and the woe-begone, half-starv-
ed children of the drunkard know that
between their tasks Aimee will take
them to the kitchen and feed them I'M
til they can eat no more.
What wonder that Aimee fancies that
much of the credit for the success of
these pictures belongs rightly to her
since all that Monsieur does is to spread
the paint on the canvasi-INrS Lizzie
" Chanlpney IN December st. NjcAo-
lGS
NO orr