West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-05-09
AN ARTISTS VISION.


How many sleepless nights and weary,
wandering days that haunting face had
cost me, and yet seemed as far from
Its discovery as ever, while the picture
ON which my hopes of fame were built,
and In which so many beautiful thoughts
and dreams were enshrined, stood un-
finished on my easel strove again and
again to paint the face had seen in my
visions, but alas the moment seized nv
brushes and palette, i found myself
painting an ordinary woman's beauty in
stead of that soulful and mystical lowell
ness grown perfect and precious through
centuries of spiritual communion with the
denizens of the dim land of dreams.
At last, one night, after painting all
day in. vain, threw myself down on a
tiger skin in front of the picture, utterly
wearied out, and fell asleep, though to
this day l am not sure if what seemed
merely sleep to the material part of me
was not really spiritual experience, sent
by those unseen helpers who are ever near
us, to prepare and strengthen me for the
future pain.
saw mountainous coast, with deem
faint blues as they met the sky, already
breaking into the golden radiance of
dawn.
Gradually, as / gazed, the fairness. of
the golden dawn changed into lurid
coppery hue, and save the bells, not a
sound was heard, while felt growing
horror and terror in that heavy stagnant
air.
strove to fly and in the darkness.
which was growing slowly, suffused with
a weird unearthly light, as If the pitiful
stars had faltered back into the morning
sky to comfort the wailing people,
stumbled over something in my path, and
pferlng down, saw it was an open coffin,
wherein lay yelled woman. Half un
&C ccpsciously / stretched out my hand TO
raise the veil, and saw the hunting face
Iought everywhere in vain for my
pisturc.
sprang up with cry of terror. and
aToke in my darkened studiol But the
face was as clear now as If she really Law
before me in her coffin, and still very
family fancied could hear the clashing
of those weird bells in the distance.
1 lighted my lamp and worked on and
off, with that strange feeling Of posses
sion one has sometimes-as If some
mighty power outside us were guiding
our hands and inspiring our thoughts.
Gradually the dawn, faint and pale and
ghostly, rs IL comes to us in London.
stole into my room. | extinguished my
lamp, but still worked on, and at last
there lay the lovely face, clear and dis
tinct.
My picture, "The Vision" was duly
sent to the Royal Academy and accented
not only accepted, indeed, but actually
hung IN the place Of honor in one Of the
best rooms, and was overwhelmed with
the generous congratulations of nv
brother artists, mingled with inquiries
about the model who sat for my princess.
could see very few of them believed my
story, that / had painted from no living
model, but only from a dream face. and
my closest friend, Reginald Doone. cx
pressed the general feeling, when ne
said.
"Ah, well, old man, you want to keep
her to yourself. / don't blame you. for
there is not such another face in England.
BY Jove" he broke off under his breath.
with a mischievOus look at me, .slook
there; is that dream, tOoW
And following his glance. saw fo
my amazement and delight, the original
Of my picture. Involuntarilv 7 glanced
1T IT, Yes; every line, every curve Of
the sweet face was reproduced with
absolute fidelity, and stood as il turned
70 stone as she paused before the picture
and an old gentleman who was with her
said, in tone Of surprise.
why, Ina, that is your portraitlr
''Oh, no, papa; ] am not beautiful like
thatr
'Imust have that picture, " he added.
rs, after another long look, they passed
on.
had placed price Of 1000 quineas
on my picture, wishing to keep it for
myself, and thinking no one would be
likely 70 give that sum for the work Of
comparatively unknown artist How
ever, found shortly afterward that II
was sold 70 n wcll-known dealer.
followed my "Visiou" at distance
through the gallery, asking every one
knew who she was, but no one could tell
me anything about her. and ne last
when they left, ! was fain to follow sfiu
thinking from their carriage might be ablo
to discover some clew. However. to nv
surprise, they walked some little distance.
and then got into a haosom / iumped
into another, and ordered the driver to
follow theirs and stop where II stopped
Much 70 my disgust, PaddiDgton station