Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-02

anu Weo Quitv eiV"v go ~
"Ah, iassie y be exclaimed. !"
am : very solitary man nov. With no
one 10 care really for me. but feel
that the spirits Of my lost ones hover
constantly around me. Still | have
INV farm laborers and their families and
take IN interest 10 their welfare.
have built Z club for the men and
school for their children on my estate.'
while be talked watched his face,
and noticed the extreme beuevolence oil
the expression.
That day, seeing the piano opened,
he asked me as . great favor to play
for him.
II shall sing Highland Mary for
you"
He sat behind me, but IS there was
a lookipg-glass in front of me | could
see his face, and was surprised at the
strong emotion 1t betrayed; his face
grew almost white, while tears stood in
his blue eyes.
"Tbe golden hours on ANGELS wings
Flew DER me ana my dearle;
70, dear 10 me as life and light
Was my sweet Highls I'D Mary"
"Ah, lassie "he exclaimed, "what
a treat to hear you sing! You have
the voice If an angel"
| sang "Ye Banks and Braes o. Bon
pie Doom"
The handkerchief was in constant re-
QUESTION heard him sob out loud.
"You have moved me, lassie, to the
core. | cannot stand any more; it
brings back too strongly the days OF
auld lang syne; so you must pity the
sorrows Of poor old man."
He left me, looking greatly agitated,
and with red eyes, promising to return
in a couple Of days, at the same hour,
for three.hours' sitting.
The cbills and trouble | had over
this portrait cannot DO described.
Some days it was fearfully like; then
| would put touches here apd there,
and the likeness would vanish. I did
not wish to render merely the features
Of the man, but sought to bring out his
inner character.
81 never saw so painstaking las
sie," he remarked one day, " You are
so absorbed, so much in earnest, you
surely must succeed"
81 hope and want to do so, Mr..
Cameron, but you are difficult sub
ject. 1t is the expression which | find
difficult to render. Just now the por-
trait is passing through variety of
stages truly appalling"
That afternoon as Mr.. Cameron was
departing my brother came in. | saw
him casting a supercilious look through
the eyeglass at my sitter.
"Well," Jack remarked with his
cynical smile, 81 cannot congratulate
| you on. the beauty Of your sitter; he
looks like a cattle-droyer. And what
a nose, by Jove expect he is fond
| of the whiskey-bottle !"
lie went into my studio and gave vent
to loud guffaw.
"Well, Ursula, you have succeeded !;
this is hideously, brutally like the old
cove. 1t would do for sign-post for
country inn, o drunken Silenus, or
mine host with tankard Of beer and a
long clay pipe; but it is vulgar"
"Do you think so? ?" l exclaimed,
very respondent; sis it a failure,
Jack?"
"No, it is too like" and he laughed
again shut there is such a thing as
being too true; you have softened no.
thing. Now that nose is an exact rem
dering of the original, pimples, and
color"
That night I was in despair. took
the portrait up to my bedroom, placed
it on the easel facing my bed, hoping
that on awakening next morning after a
refreshing sleep should see what was
wrong, and where l could fiatter and
tone down defects. / had a nightmare
that night the portrait seemed that OF
an ogre with at least half dozen
swollen vermilion noses.
had dim sensation of getting out
of my bed, lighting a candle, fetching
my palette and brushes, and, in my
nocturnal garments and asleep, painting
on the picture.
Next morning the housemaid came
into the room with the hot water.
"Oh, miss q" she exclaimed, "what
has happened to the picture? 1t is all
sorts Of colors, chiefly blue and yellow,
and looks like a corpse. Oh, it is
dreadful"
l sat up. What did see? The por-
trait indeed looked like a decomposed
corpse,
II must have worked at it in my
sleep, Susan; you see my palette is full
of color, and my brushes have paint on
them. 1t is too, too vexatious-what
shall do? Get me the turpentine which
is in the studio"
When got the turpentine | managed
to efface the nocturnal somnambulistic
work; but the fates were against me,
and wept bitterly. Was this picture
going to be failure!
When Mr.. Cameron came for his sit
ting be noticed my detected appearance,
and asked me if anything had happened
to annoy me.
81 have headache" What would
we poor women do without our head
aches? for they cover such multitude
of sins and Omissions.)
"You worry yourself too much over
this portrait; l feel ashamed OF the
trouble l am giving you. / had no no.
ton that pOrtrait.painting was so diff
cult"
"Yes, Pam in a slough Of despond.'
scraped and Stumbled. After al
hours work the old ghost reappeared
and, strange to say, looked better thar
it ever did before-there was a pleasan
surface to work on.
Mr.. Cameron was more silent thar
usual, but his eyes rested on me will
greater earnestness, and his mannel
was very sympathetic.
You are a very Woodworking
lassie " he exclaimed, sand S,
gifted. / shall be sorry when the sit
, tings are over, for have enjoyed you
, society too much almost"
"You have been very patient, Mr.
Cameron, and now I am going to Civ
| you q few days holiday, in order Il