Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1884-07-23

tits perfect fright" said Miss
Mr.: Blender shrugged his shoulders
in deprecating manner, and the lady's
face became very red.
you promised me a good likeness,
sir" she said, "for which I agreed to pay
you twenty pounds!"
Mr.. Blender bowed.
II do not consider this a likeness at
all. 1t must be alteredl"
$40 alter it would be to destroy the
likeness"
"You decline to make any change.
such as I might suggest?"
Mr.. Blender replied that he was not
accustomed to paint portraits after the
suggestions of the sitter, but according
to his own judgment; that he allowed
none but perfect licensees to 20 forth
from his hand and under his name,
though he made point of adding what
ever softening touches could be Judi
clously introduced. He had done so in
this instance.
Miss Stratton glared at him indig-
nantly. Here was insult added to in
jury.
All that I have to say is. that I do
not consider the picture likeness, and
must decline to take il" she said, reso-
lutely.
"Do you mean, madame, that you de-
cline to pay for it?"
Certainly, sir! I cannot be expect
ed to throw away twenty pounds on a
carlcature such as this I" she replied. in
dignantly.
Mr.. Blender then proposed to refer
the question of the likeness to anv per
sons whom she might select; and Miss
Stratton Immediately sent across the
street for the grocer and his wife, with
whom she had dealt for score of wears.
"Now, Mr.. Green" said she, as soon
as they entered, "Just look at this pict-
ure, and tell me if you could ever have
imagined that it was intended for me %
Mr.. Green smiled with recognizing
smile, but receiving an admonitory
nudge from his wife, looked solemn
and doubtful and shook his head.
"Lorl said Mrs. Green, "Why,
you don't mean to say, Miss Stratton,
as it was ever intended for your"
Mr.. Blender calls it likeness"
said Miss Stratton, with sarcastic bitter
ness, and expects me to pay EGO for it
as such. call it caricature. Look
at the smirk and the head thrown back
and the long nose and hard black eyes,
with no shade about them. No, Mr..
Blender, 1 will not take this picture.
You have heard what these good peo.
pie say, and am certain that nv most
intimate friends would not recognize
me-" :.
Every good, madame" said Mr.. Blen-
der with great politeness. "You are
perfectly sure that no one would rec
ognize the portrait as your own?"
Perfectly"
Il am satisfied" said the artist. STEM
ping back and bowling, as the lady, fol-
lowed by the grocer and his wife,
passed out.
And when the door was closed on
them, he smiled to himself in a verv
peculiar and significant manner.
Some days after this, Miss Stratton
was passing down the main street. when
her attention was attracted by a group of
passersby, who had stopped in front of
fashionable booksellers.
CHANGING at the window, her foot
steps were Instantly arrested. and she
stood still, breathless With surprise and
dismay.
There was her portrait-the identi-
cal portrait which she had pronounced
caricature-only that while the fiq-
ure remained intact, the rest of the
picture had undergone a complete
metamorphosis.
The garden was changed to q SUNNY
glade in q wood; the fountain in the
background had given place to q
gypsy tent, and before the thin, smirk.
ing, befrizzled figure in lace and vel.
vet, stood beautiful dark-eyed younq
girl in simple graceful gypsy costume
intently studying the palm of the
lady's hand, while two roguish faces
peeped at them from behind tree.
The picture was labeled "Tellino
Past Fortunes" - :,
*Why, it's the image of Miss Mill.
cent Stratton," said one and anothe,
to the beholders. did you ever see
such ikeness2 He, he, he'll"
And in the midst of the exclama.
tions and the laughter, Miss Stratton
beheld the new minister coming nm
the street, evidently bent upon seeine
what attracted the crowd.
Not for worlds would she have had
him behold her painted in this char.
acter, and she instantly rushed into
the shop and confronted the propri.
etor. -,
@Take it down at once-instantlv r
she exclaimed. 81 will buy it,
The man obeyed.
The picture disappeared from the
window Just as the clergyman came up.
and seeing him pass the door. Miss
Stratton, rejecting upon the narrow ea.
cape, felt like fainting.
However, she recovered herself. and
in state of the utmost excitement
made her way to Mr.. Blenders studio.
Sir she indignantly demanded chow
dared you exhibit my portrait as You
have done, and without asking nv ner-
mission? It is an insult and an ontraoa
for which I viii have legal satisfso.
tion." So Is - I
And she sat down, trembling and
breathless. : - ~
y beg your pardon, madame = said
! Mr.. BENDER, with perfect composnre
shut did you not assure me that Il ~
no likeness, and that your hest friends
would not recognize Is @ such r.