The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-02-27
turn al garments and asleep, painting in

turnal garments and asleep, painting in the picture.
 Next morning the housemaid came into the room with the hot water.
 "Oh, miss v she exclaimed, "what has happened to the pictnre2 It is all sorts of colors, chiefly blue and yellow, and looks like corpse. Oh, 1t Is dread fuli7
 sat up. What did seeI The por- trait indeed looked like decomposed corpse.
 must have worked at 1t in my sleep, Susan you see my palette is full of color, and nay brushes have paint n them. It is too, too, vcxatious-what shall do? Get me the turpentine which is in my studio"
 When got the turpendne l managed to efface the nocturnal sem zmbulistic work; but the f.tes were az Ainst me, and l wept bitterly. Was this picture going to be fatlure2
 When Mir. Cameron came for his sit tin. he noucei my dejected appearance, and asked me if anything had happened to annoy me.
 "l have a headache" (What would VIC poor women do without our head aches for they cover ssch multitude of sins and omissions)
 You worry yourself too much over this portrait; feel ashamed of the trouble am giving you. had no no ton that portrait painting was so diff cult" .-.- .'|-..... -.A.nH ',-. s'-..-
 "Yes, am ia Slough of Despond. :" scrAped and scrambled. Alter an hours work tho cid ghost reappeaTed and, strange to say, looked better than it ever did beSsre-there was a pleasant surface to work on.
 Mir. Cameron was more silent than us- ual, but his eyes rested on Me with greater earnestness, and his manner was very sympathetic.
 "You are a very hard working lassie " he exclaimed, and 90 gifted 1 shall se sorry when the sittings are ever, Tor 1 have enjoyed your society too much al- most"
 "You have been very patient, Mr Cameron, and Aow am going to give you lev days holiday in erder to allow your portrait to dry thoroughly"
 On leaving that day Mr Cameron held my hand loager than usual, asd sighed
 Psor sld man felt sorry for him he was loaely.
 The next day being Thursday, went to the National gallery aad set to work on my copy of Andrea del Sarte; his face seemed more beautiful than ever. That days work refreshed and conforted nc
 That evening received letter fre@ Harold telling me that he had something important to say to me. Something i'm portantl Most probably he va, going to have living, and if so, our marriage would soon take place.
 The next morning a magnificent bouquet of roses was left at the dosr for Miss Ward
 How Aice of dear Harold tO ke SO thoughtful mentally exclaimed, whils snifing the glorious roses and enjoying the bright feast of color The bouquet was wrapped in silver lace and round the stem l saw for the first time card, which had escaped my Aotics:
 From Mr D1nald Cameron, with his very kindest regards"
 Oh, so 1t was not from H4rold! Bu, how kipd of Mr. Cameron! Nov l mus, really fater him. Taking up the DOT. trait did my vexy best ,e put in Senev. olent expression. l mellowed do VII the nsse, and tened down tho warm colorins of the face, aAd managed in a measure to give the expression of bcnevoicnce. The black coat looked too new to be artistic, the shirt front bulged out like a ia, pigeons breast, and the coral studs were too prominent :; the hands wesc not well painted, bat the carbuncie ring was a triumph of skin.
 When Mir. Cameron appeared again, I faneied he looked thinner and paler. thanked him for the bosqaet.
 An, lassie, no more thanks it has been real happiness l wish you woold accept flowers from me every morning. long to do somsthing that might give you pleasure. don't really know wha, am to do when this portrait is over"
 You astonish mo. Mir. Cameron, in regreedng the sittings are over mos, people consider sitting for portrait such bore"
 "Ah, no. not to char ;ing, young, gifted creature like you. You must re- membas am lonely old man, and ssl- dom find my way into the society of young ladies'"
 Would you like another peep at your portrait2n l said rather brusqaely, for wished to put an end to the personal turn tho conversation was taking. You have fiattered ma" he remarked, after looking at my performance for a isw seconds in silence; but never mind that; like to think that you have seen mo in suca kindly light"
 Shall sing for you. Mir. Cameron ? You have sat long enough tor me to-day"
 went to the piano, aAd while was looking for some music in the rack, Mr. Cameron sat down on the music stool.
 "Are you going to play for me" l asked, smiling at him. C should like to hear you so much"
 He did aot answer, but tugaed round and round on the steal, mopping the precipitation from his face witA a scarlet handkerchief. There was a queer sx- pression in his face; svideatly he was suffering from severe attack of Aer- vousness.