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

nan.
Is vsry well, ! an willing to give
this sum for . good likeness. When
shall come to sitp The sooner the
better; am . bird Of passage, and am
In London only for short time" lie
fumblsd in his pocket and handed mo
bis card:
Mr.. DOUGLAS CAMERON.
The Burn, Dumfries.
81 am Z farmer. with . good deal OF
land north Of the Tweed. Now, may
I ask your name and address 2"
As had no card with me / wrote In
his pocket-book:
Miss WARD, "a Thistle Grove,
South Ksnsipgton, S. W.
"Csn you come tomorrow at llg"
:" AN right, in my Sunday best"
Saving this We shook hands, and he
waddied briskly out of the room.
Hooked sadly at Andrea del Sarto s
portrait, and it seemed to sympatbize
with me. Iput up my easel and canvas.
Ny eyes and brain were so filled with
the image Of Mr.. Cameron that his red
nose haunted me.
lived with my brother, my only re-
lative, for l had lost my parents at an
early age. Jack was . clerk in the
Foreign Office. lie considered himself
q great swell, and did not at oil ap-
prove of my going in for art. l knew
he would protest against my under
taking the portrait Of person l knew
nothing at oil about.
So that evening after dinner, while
Jack was smoking q cigar, l took my
courage in both my hands and related
my adventure in the National Gallery.
Jack wore an eye-glass, and this bit
of glass was capable Of intense express
zion. When he was annoyed it seemed
10 grow rounder; when he was super
cilious the glass became impertinent.
When / had finished my heart sank
into nv boots, for Jacks eye-glass
seemed enormous, making him look like
. Cyclops, his one huge eye glaring at
me.
lie shook Bis long narrow head.
When annoyed his voice was even more
drawing and nasal than usual this
time it was feprfully drawling. He
pulled out q long Whit Of blue smoke
from his Havana.
swell, / declare, Ursula. | had be-
gun to flstter myself that l knew the
length and breadth of your eccentrici-
ties, but this last performance beats
everything. l have always suspected
that there is insanity in our family |;
now am certain of it. That you, who
belong to q respectable family-lour
father was q post-captain in the Royal
should consent to paint the por-
trait of a Scotch farmer whom you
casually met prowling about the Ma
tional Gallery without any sort of in
PRODUCTION! 1t looks like lunacy."
~ want money Jack; that is the
long and short of it. don't deny that
have enough to eat and drink, but |
have other requirements; and to tel
you the truth, have ambition, and
don't share the opinion that woman is
created merely to be the slave of the
lords Of the creation, to sew buttons
on their illustrious shirts and mend
their many socks"
Jacks eyeglass became impudent.
"Grapes are sour in your case. But
forgot your poor curate, your patient
admirer. Perhaps you consider him a
sheep and not man. How will he
like your joining the noble army Of
spinsters who cry out against my sex?"
"You may sheer at me, but not at
Harold" / exclaimed, with flashing
eyes and flushed cheeks.
Don't excite yourself; l am not
sneeripg at your curate. and though he
bleats and has a perpetual cold in bis
head, he is q most worthy soul; but
don't think be would appreciate this
last action Of yours-painting the por'
trait Of an elderly fogy whom you DOM
know he may be ticketof-leave man
Please see that the silver spoons arr
locked up and that there are no gooc
umbrellas in the hall" He unfolded
his batiste handkerchief, which emitted
a perfume Of Jockey club, and to my
relief went upstairs to his room with
q novel.
Next morning at IL o'clock pune
tually there was loud rat-a.tat-tat at
the door. | peeped from behind the
curtain in my room and beheld Mr..
Cameron in a very black new suit Of
clothes standing on the steps. While
waiting for the door to be opened he
had taken out a pocket-comb to trim
his long whiskers. The housemaid
came and handed me his card {; her face
was puckered up trying to restrain
smile. had told her | was going tc
have my first sitter.
"Well, miss, excuse me, but he II
no beauty. How can he want to have
his picture done with such red nose
1t do astonish me-"
tried not to laugh, and putting OF
high-art pescock-blue apron EN-
broidered with yellow lilies went dowr
to meet my sitter. He had been ushere(
into my Sanctun,-sanctO rum, consecrateC
to my art.studies. 1t was a nice room
with north light. There were severa
good plaster casts from the antique
autotypes from some of the best mas
tiers hung on the wall. There were
couple Of easels, an oak chair ready TO
my sitter, and in a corner stood m.
skeleton.
In welcoming Mr.. Cameron my Skin
caught the foot of the skeleton, whicl
ratified ominously.
"what a horrible thing, Miss Ward
How can you keep such terrible ba
of bones in your room9 1t makes m
flesh creep, assure you."
"Have we not all q skeleton in tn
cupboard?" / answered, smiling gay
ly. 81 keep mine here; it is uSefr
when l draw"
"Would you mind, Miss Ward
taking it away? You may think m
foolish, but this skeleton makes IN
miserable"
"Oh, of course l will :" and takin
it up in my arms carried it into tn
next room.
"Thank you but rather than ths
| ~o,, ehculd thiuk ma trouhlaaOme