The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1886-07-03
kur, Tracy met and joined Valerie and


cided that the face of the little Count
ess is just what ] want for my Psyche,
My figure is of a girl of perhaps four
teen, but her Eccellenza Valerie looks
at times much older than she is; in
fact, she often seems to be contemplate
ing, with those big, purple, Russian
violet eyes of hers, the doings of past
ages she has lived among. Just her
look | would like my Soul to turn upon
her immortal butterfly. Would you
ask her parents to grant me the honor
of a" few sittings, or would she sit to
me for 4 little while each time YOU
come to the studio, without going
through the form of asking permits
sion2"
I'm sure she would; and | think it
would be the safer, more certain way
not to mention it to the Won Lilien-
bergs."
So a copy of my little Valerie's sweet
face was begun in clay, to her amuse-
ment and Tracy's evident satisfaction.
One day. after the third or fourth sit
ting, Chloris, Countess Lilienberg's
maid, told me that the family intended
leaving Heidelberg in a few days. This
report proved to be true, and my first
regret wastor Tracy's unfinished work.
Many more sittings would be needed
before the model of Valerie's face
would serve as a copy; we did not let
her sit long at a time, for fear of firing
her, and little had been done as yet.
We carried II ill tidings to the studio
that afternoon, and Tracy was even
more troubled than l had supposed he
wonld be.
Il am stalking every thing on this
STATUE he, said, solemnly. Next
years rent of the studio, my board bill,
washer-woman. future career, all. My
Psyche is promised a place in the Run
den Saal. from which either museums
or private individuals buy all but
trash
Get old Sigwart to take a cast OF
her face suggested Herr Itland.
Not a bad idea; the very thing, in
fact, if the Countess Valerie and Miss
Langdon do not object"
"What is to be done, and how long
will it take?:' | asked. feeling rather
alarmed, and noticing that Valerie
turned a shade paler.
1T would be done in less than an
hour, and with very little discomfort
beyond smearing some butter on the
little girls front hair, and putting long
paper tubes in her nose. Could you
stand that for a few minutes, Count.
esq
Valerie laughed. and said she would
like to have the soft warm plaster
poured oven her face.
odd Sigwart's den is not a dozen
steps from here, and tomorrow after
noon we could make pilgrimage there
and have it all wei before the castle
clock struck five
You are quite sure it will do Valerie
no harm, Tracy?'
"NUt the very least
The next day, in profound secrecy,
of course We went TO old Herr Sig
warts Worship. In spite of all their
CHEEKY speeches to the contrary, | felt
very uneasy. and wished | had not
given my consent to the cast being
made, but the preparations were all
completed, anil | could not withdraw.
Besides, it was all for Tracy's sake,
and this thought gave M more cour-
age; with the aid of the cast, he could
work without Valerie. A man
strangely white, ike a miller, or snow
man, received us and was introduced
as Herr Sigwart.
"Lrt IL begin without delay" l
said, ~nervously; eve must not be out
Late
Valerie lay down on a sofa, and we
covered her up carefully to the chin,
in a sheet. The pretty rings of hair
on her forehead were then smeared
back with butter to keep the plaster
from sticking, and a towel wrapped
closely where the line of butter
ceased.
st has such a horrid smell. Miss
Langdon!' was the only complaining
speech she made.
Her eyebrows received q like treat
ment, and to protect her eyes and
lashes, oval bits of paper dipped in
sweet oil were laid over them. closing
them quite tight and safe. Tracy
twisted tubes of paper a foot or more
long, which were put in her nostrils,
and then the old snowman ap-
preached with his basin of liquid
plaster.
Are you ready, V~alerieP"
Yes, all ready
"Then close your mouth and don't
be frightened when you feel the plaster
on your face
mo, dear; give ME your hand, ana
then they may begin"
A funny little object she was, lying
there rolled in a sheet like II bolster,
with her hair slimed away out of
sight, her cyelids battened down. and
her pretty nose made ridiculous with
the paper horns. She was still more