The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-04-03
AN ARTISTS IDYL.
By HENRY GREvILLE.

By HENRY GREvILLE.
Maurice strolled aimlessly through the
outrageous forest. The rain had
ceased, but from the leaves drops of
water still dripped with the light
sound of trickling fountain. At a
distance the path he was following
opened on a green glade. The trunks of
the trees were dark, their branches
darker still, and the spreading foliage
of the chestnuts, meeting above the
head of the young artist, seemed like the
vault of cathedral at the hour when
the declining sun sends through the
many. colo:ed windows q mysterious
light into the obscurity of the interior.
Maurice loved the hour when the day
dies, when grey tint falls upon all OBJ.
jects. confounding their contours, soften
ing their angles and rounding their out
lines. He walked slowly, each moment
discovering IN the forest some beauty he
had not seen before, and filled with that
tender admiration for nature which is a
part of genius.
Having reached the glade, he looked
about him. The grass was green and
fresh; the delicate leaves of the trees
glistened under the drops of rain which
had fallen upon them. He paused that
he might better observe the scene which
seemed more impressive in the gathering
shadows than in the full light of the
sun.
He saw the pretty slight form of a
girl advancing from a clumb of beech
trees. She walked with supple step,
without seeing Maurice, who, as motion.
less as the trunk of the tree near which
he stood, looked at her intently.
When few PAGES from him the girl saw
him, trembled, and let fall small bun
die of fagots she was carrying on her
head.
"You frightened NO." she sad, smil-
ing, and her large dark eyes sparkled
gayly under her tangled yellow hair.
He looked at her moment without
replying. Complete harmony, which it
Is impossible to describe, existed be-
tween this pretty smiling girl, the
foliage of the glade and the tone of the
landscape.
'Remain where you are" said the
young man, II want to sketch you"
She was about to brush back the locks
that had fallen over her forehead, but he
stopped her with gesture.
"Stand just as you are"
He seated himself on a stone and
rapidly sketched the face and form of
his young model.
: She was peasant, but delicate and
slight as are these young girls before
their complete development, which is
often late. Her eyes were already those
of a woman her smile was still that of
child.
'tHow old are you9" asked the artist
as he worked.
81 shall be sixteen soon."
''Is it possible! 1 thought YOU
younger"
81 am small" she said with a frank
smile, ''but shall grow quickly, and by
Saint Johns Eve l shall have lover"
"Why on Saint Johns Eve2" asked
the young man, pausing in his work and
looking at her.
'tBecause then we shall dance around
the bontires."
So soon was this pure brow, these in
nocent eyes, this childish mouth to be
profaned by the caresses of some young
man of the village. Maurice expert
enced a vague feeling of jealousy.
"Would you like to have me for your
lover" he asked as he returned to his
work.
''You? All! you are gentleman,
am a peasant. Honest girls do not
listen to gentlemen"
The young man made no reply to her
words, but said:
81 can see no longer. Will you re-
turn here tomorrow little earlier"
''For my picture'"
eyes"
~ will return. Good evening""
She took up her fagots, and, passing
under the arch ne chestnuts, soon dis
appeared in the shades of evening.
Maurice returned home, dreaming of
the girl with the yellow hair. Although
he had often before seen pretty peasants,
whom he had regarded with an artists
eye, he seemed to look on this girl with
the jealous eye OF lover. That night
and the next day seemed long to him,
and some time before the appointed
hour he was in the glade.
He worked by himself. and when, q
little later, the young girl arrived. look
ing at the sketch, she exclaimed with
an air of coquetry and surprise:
''Ah, it is l. Are you going to give
tito me2"
"Ao, will mae small picture for
you"
"Ard this one, what are you going to
do with it,"
1T is going to Paris, it will be put in
large frame, it will be hung in the
grand salon and all the world will 60 to
see it,
''Ah. yes, know, at the Exposition. "
''You know what that is:"
"There have been artists here before
who painted pictures for the Exposition,