The Penn's Grove record., 1888-09-22
lounge and tried to sleep, in spite of
troublad droama and viai0nq ~

rOuDIe0 0reAOS anu VlSlOuSs
"'About 9 In the morning the taciturn
footman appeared and silently cleared
away the untasted lunch, replacing 1t
with a dainty breakfast. AS he turned
to go he said. Should you wish for
anything, sir, there Is the bell. My
lady will come to you at TO- Promptly
at that hour the door opened and | rose
with some awe and much curiosity to
greet q tall, large woman, with white
waving hair and piercing gray eyes,
who carried In one hand my little pict-
ure of judith and Holofernes." She
greeted me coldly and said, Il took
quite a fancy to this little thing, Mr..
Norton, and wish you to paint a SINH
lar subject upon this anvas. indlcat.
ing the one on the easel. Il prefer
Salome with the head of John Baptist,
and have posed the model and made all
the accessories myself. Some Of the
details of the head in your little picture
are not quite correct, as you will
shortly observe. / hope you will find
colors and materials provided, and that
you are ready to do a little work this
morning."
"'Upon my assuring her that l had
paints with me, and that l was ready
to do something at once, she went to
the end of the great room. drew aside
a large portiere, and, Isuppose, touched
a secret spring, for q panel slid back
revealing an alcove where stood the
most beautiful young girl 1 had ever
seen, dressed In Eastern costume. She
was deadly pale, her lips were slightly
parted as she gazed with a look of fas
cinated horror at a huge silver salver.
on the table before her, on which lay
the head or the footman who had
brought me to the place. Apparently
t,ae head had Just been discovered"
"'The CHASTITY experience Of Bellini
had become mine. tainted. When l
came to myself there was a soft rustic
and tread as of some one leaving the
room, and Il strong, pungent, but re-
freshlng odor. The panel was closed
and the terrible old woman stood over
me-"
"'Have you ~recoveredP' she asked,
Il am sorry you are 30 weak. | sup
posed you had painted from cadavers
enough at the schools not to mind a
simple head. 1t is not always a young
artist has such an offer as l am about
to make you. Listen; L will pay you
two thousand pounds If you will paint
this picture to please me. See if you
cannot bear the sight now like a mani
and again she touched the spring, and
again the fearful tableau was presented.
AS l lifted my shudde:lng gaze upon 1t
the young girl raised her lips and gave
me n helpless, imploring look, which
steadied me, with a sudden rush of
sympathy for II who must be suffer-
ing even more than -"
Turning to the great canvas, l
began with trembling hand 10 sketch
the picture before Inc. Soon L almost
forgot the horror of the thing Is my
love of art gained the ascendency, and
| strove, S&itSek I'LL my powers To portray
the beau DIfuf1face and figure of that
girl. Every low and then the old
lady rose and closed the panel, l sup
pose in order to give the model a rest,
but as soon as it was opened there stood
the living picture Just as before. The
pose and accessories were perfect, ex-
cept that the models face showed an
innocence and sweetness which the
daughter of herodius could never have
possessed. After two hours the old
lady announced that Saloine would
pose no more that day, but that might
work meanwhile upon the head, and
finish that as soon as possible. Once
more raising her eyes to mine, the
young girl, at a sign from her elder,
turned and disappeared behind the
drapery which formed the background,
the old lady left the room after bidding
me ring if l wished for anything, and
saying that Salome would pose again at
ten next morning."
81 was left alone with that head,
but l drew the portiere, to conceal it.
Lunch was brought by il grim Old
woman who said nothing as she place |
1t upon the table, and all afternoon |
worked upon the head, spending the
evening over aquiet pipe and some rare
and interesting books. which [ found
in the chamber. Four days passed
much in the same way, when the Old
lady declared the head to be finished
quite to her liking, and on the fifth
morning Salome posed beside the empty
salver.'h
"She breathed more freely and so
did I, but her face was still pale. and 1
doubt If 1t ever lost that look of terror.
How beautiful she wasl How l
laDored to portray her rare loveliness!
The old lady was extremely critical,
but not so critical as |; for my whole
soul went out toward the mysterious
girl. l painted as 1 W painted
before. l fingered lovingly over every
detail, and, greatly as 1 longed for a
breath of fresh ait aud tie touch OF the
glad sun, 1 almost dreaded to finish the
picture. l would not, if l could, have
signed my name to the canvas, but
wishing TO place some infallible mark
of recognition upon 1t, into the EN-
broidered border of Salome's scarf,
where IL would escape any ordinary
gaze, l wrought the crest of my moth
er's family. At length the old lady
announced that in her opinion the
picture was finished, and that there
would be no more slttlngs. SalOme
gave no sign of hearing the remark,
but 1 stopped to pick up Il brush before
J. answered that | still felt the need Of
some further work upon it, and that it
would Eequire r%etouching and glazing
here and there"
"There will be no more slttIngs,'
said my patron, CURLY, out you may
as long as it seems necessary for
your retonchlng.'"
"Seyeral intolerably dull days fol-
during which L did what was
necessary to the picture, and saw no
one besides the old servant, who served
my meale, and cared for my rooms, and
who seldom spoke. The long conllne-
and nervous tension was telling
upon me, and l determined to go away
Friday, feeling that L could do no
more to my picture, but | longed to see
Salome, Friday morning saw me with
my valise packed, and 1 babe the serv-
ant tell her mistress that my work was
done and L should like to leave during
the day. She bowed silently and
while L paced up and down
the long room, wondring how | could
send some word OF farewell to the
girl who had so taken pos
session of me. Just then with a slight
,ouud the panel opened and there stood
the object of my thoughts, no longer
clad In Eastern dress. but in some
white wooden robe, her hair hanging
~ ~ INn. $50 F,tI 80