Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-11-25
MY DRESDEN SNEPHERDESS.


tgeigrsvlal
I.
NV father had been portrait painter
ni some little motto ia bra day, but no
died while i was still in the nursery,
inaving nay mother % Determine my
career for me She fondly bat errone-
Uusly imagining that the mantle OF my
father must OF necessity descend upon
his only child, had me educated as an
artist. am not clear that she could
have taken a better course. for ] was one
of those awkward and tantslizing speci-
tnens Of humanity who exhibit no mark
I'd bias or predlleciion - help decision.
] distributed nay affections with magnii-
cent impartiaity among music. science,
srt, indeed. anything 10 which friend
or circumstance called my hectlng az
Scnhon.
> IN duo courso I went 20 tho academy,
and had the opportunity Of seeing 90
not 90 so far as 90 say studying ihe an
taeonistic methods Of the great painters
Of the Jay. also Of learning what my TEL
low students could teach ne. They too,
were lot without their conflicting IDEAS
upon art, but concerning me they had p
unanimous opinion. 10 Was-tbat L
should never pant q decent picture.
! regret 20 bav0 20 record that mp to
The present nothing has occurred 70
prove t.at opinion Ill founded.
did. however, develop talent Tor
"patcliag end mcRding,' which bias
stood ne 10 good stead as regards that
notto-bo.despisrd qge'ton, auincoms -
necessary my father had 10 more be-
Qucathcd 70 ne than his genius
tried NY hand first upon a portrait
a fav 0reat aunt (which Rm sorry % say
lad iaAen a victim 10 the toy-pistol Of
mv knickerbocker dayt), and 80 com
plctoly did restore the lady o. her
former appearance thst had tho Rratif-
cation q hearing my work unCru3gingly
praised 10y some Of my fathers old
fricu4s-ry FIRST experience 81 the kind.
eff you cannot paint an original
picture. said ono OF them, cat least
son can restore ono in q manner truly
brilliant
$50 ia The course Of time ] rot great
deal of this work 70 do and took q real
pleasure iu IT,
one morning, after had been follow
iag tbs vocation for some years with
tucccs.. / found on entering my mo-
fher'a brcakfast-room q letter from an old
feIou student. A rich WIdower living
81 the country had. It appeared, pur-
chased o number of diIapidated pictures
which hoe considered too valuable 10 bs
trust 3 ont Of his sight, and he wanted
some one Trustworthy t0rest0re them on
fhe spot
"I have vcuhlred." wrote mv friend
to mention your name 10 him. but
warn YOU that the pictures are in all
probability mere rubbish, for Mr.. Heath
Ssn known victim Of unpriuciplsd deal
crs. and can be persuaded 20 buy any
picture, provided 1t has q sufficient mum
Ter Of C0nts of dirt nn1 yaruisl ~ rem
0cr 1t der6 end mvBicrinus. But, ny
der Compton, DE will pay Ike D
yuuce-aud umor goes that he has an
Incommouiy pretty daughter.
smiled go the last sentence. My
correspondent lburrlcigh by nance was
in and out Of love three times s year ON
ia nvcragc, while wcs esther 80 unat-
iraciive or oyor-lasiidious that / had no
tender episode OF ny own TO relate at
tLo club or dream Of in the solitude Of
my studio. 10 was said Of ne That l
should end by marrying "a lady chiefly
cootpcuous Tor the absence 81 oil the
charms which theoretically ! was known
60 ct euch store by. Bat in this case
joy friend, prophosel less truly than
ttcv did regarding my painting, as TINS
fto,v will show.
A few days after the receipt Of Burn
le.gh's letter all my arrangements vero
complete. and I set forth to perform my
patching toak ct Mr. hcatb's resi-
fcuce among the Surrey hills and pos
nWy, thought ] specuialiyeiy, To fall IN
ioyowith the pretty daughter. But Vitaal
&. WIS 6aCpuct.