Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-11-13
AN ARTISTS IDYL,

1t was IN the midsummer OF 1S-
that Lad of sixteen or seventeen years,
but so small he appeared much younger,
might have been seen in the province
of A driving before him two or
three dozen sheep. The youthful shep-
herd had that thoughtful, sad express
sion, peculiar TO those who spend much
OF their time in solitude. Romances
had not turned Petit Fierre's head. for
such was his name. He did not know
how to read, nevertheless he was a
dreamer. Day after day he would lean
against tree, his eyes wandering over
the horizon In a sort of ecstatic con-
temptation.
What was he thinking of? He did
not know himself. He saw the sunrise
and sunset, the different tints of the
foliage, the shadows of cloud and
mountain, without taking heed thereof,
but they influenced him never .heless,
and he thought it weak spirited, almost
an inhrmity, TO be thus influenced by
water, woods and sky. He would say
To himself. ''There is nothing so won
derful in all this; trees are not rare,
neither is the earth, why should 1 stop
TO LOOK at an oak or a hill, forgetting
L Il
have lost more than one sheep, and the
master would beat me. Why am not
like the others-big and strong, always
singing--instead of spending my time
looking at the grass, my sheep?' One
might have almost thought that Petit
Pierre was in love-but he was not
sylvan shepherds are not so precocious,
and this Corydon had hardly yet noticed
q Phyllis
Entering a meadow covered with fine
grass, dotted here and there with
clumps of trees, altogether picturesque
spot, Petit Pierre threw himself on a
rock, and leaning on his stick looked
not unlike a shepherd of Arcadia,
while he gave himself up to his
thoughts. His dog sagaciously judging
the sheep would not go far from a spot
where the pasture was so inviting, with
his head on his paws and his eyes fixed
on his master. lay at his feet motion
less. The sheep disported themselves
IN their happy, needless fashion. 1t
was a charming, peaceful picture-so a
young girl thought as she entered the
meadow from another side.
"What a lovely spot for sketchingr'
she cried, taking her drawing materials
from her maid, who was with her.
Throwing herself on a little knoll,
regardless of her fresh white robe, and
arranging her drawing materials, she
began with a firm hand to sketch the
SCENE before her y great straw hat
cast a transparent shade over her lovely
features; glimpse of her sunny hair,
in round knot at the back, made her
not unlike one of Ruben's pictures.
Petit Pierre, absorbed as he Was, had
4 81.
charming apparition. Fidele had raised
his head, but seeing nothing particu-
larly antagonistic, returned to his or.
mer sphinx like attitude. When Petit
Pierre glanced finally on the dainty
white figure before him, he suddenly
felt as if his heart had stopped beating.
To overcome this emotion he rose to
his feet, and whistling TO his dog left
the spot.
But that had never entered into the
young girls calculation, who was about
putting in the young shepherd with his
flock as an Indispensable accessory. She
threw down her album and pencil and
flew in the direction of Petit Pierre,
and insisted on his returning to occupy
his former position on the rock.
Tou," she said, laughingly, "must
stay in this position until L tell you
that you can go-this arm little more
forward, and your hand a little TO the
left
AS she spoke, with her white, deli
cate hands she placed and arranged
Petit Pierre in the position to suit her
What beautiful eyes he has, Lucy
for a PEASANTS eyes," she continued,
with another laugh to her maid.
The model arranged to suit her, the
light-hearted young girl returned TO her
drawing which was soon finished.
''I ou can get up now and go, but it
is only fair l should reward you for the
fatigue have caused you, remaining
still so long, like rustic saint.'
TIE shepherd very shamefacedly, very
slowly, came TO the yonng girls side,
who slipped piece of gold into his
hand.
That is TO buy new vest for the
Sunday fetes,'' she added.
The She herd glanced furtively on the
half open album. stood transfxed with
amazement, without closing his hand
where the new twenty frank piece
glittered. The scales fell from his
eyes; a sudden revelation came over
him- In half stupefed voice he said,
following the different portions of the
drawing:
Tile trees, the stones. the rock, the
dog-and I am here, the sheep, too, on
this paperl''
The young girl, amused at his admi-
ration and naive establishment, showed
him other drawings-lakes, chateaux,
rocks-then, as 1t was growing dark,
she rose and with her maid disappeared
ON the TO td to a great chateau.
Petit Pierre followed her with his
eyes as long as old OF her gown re-
manned in sight The humble shepherd
began 10 have a confused idea what it
meant TO watch the trees, the clouds.
the landscape The emotion he expe-
rienced on seeing anything beautiful
assumed different proportions. He was
neither then fool nor An imbecile. H.,
had seen on the chimney piece in the
cottages images of Genevieve de Bra
Uant, and the Mother Of Sorrows. with