Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-08-29
"A DAUGHTER OF THE GODS"

A young lady and young girl stood
in the dusly passageway of the fourth
floor in an old studio building in New
York. They had traversed crooked
passages and steep stairways innumer-
able, and were now breathless and
puzzled, not knowing which way to
turn.
well, if this isn't a delightful hole
to drag one up tor the girl exclaimed,
CHANGING dlsdainfully into the dingy
distances on every hand. 'Margare t,
we. must have gotten into the wrong
building. Hans never in the world
could have stood this sort OF thing.
Why, its--it's-detestabl
She was hardly more than child,
and her serious, charming face was
gathered into u frown OF much dis
pleasure and disgust.
''But I'm afraid he has stood it," said
Margaret, with look OF hopeless con-
viction. ARTISTS don't seem u mind
-er-that sort of thing, you know"
rather doubtfully.
What nonsense you are talkingm
retorted the uncompromising Olivia.
"a man may live in garnet alone
and all that, but | don't believe he
likes it one bit! I'm very sure Hans
Vischer doesn't, Bohemian though he
calls himself No wonder he's in a
hurry to marry you, Margaret; you've
got money enough to keep you both
from starvation, at all events"
But Margaret Rogers was studying
the numbers over the doors, and she
discreetly let her sisters last remark
pass UNDECIDED.
"Why this is number ten, >" she said
''and here's Hans name on brass pal
cite. Since the door is half ope n. let's
step in and surprise him at his work.
But Hans CHEEKY presence was missing
from the room, and the studio offered
them but sombre and silent welcome.
Margret drew her shawl about her with
a little shiver. She felt as If a Chill
had fallen on her. And where IN tho
world was Hans2 He certainly knew
that they were coming, for he had
asked her particul lrly 10 come and in-
spect his most ambitious work, a figure
piece called "a Daughter of the
Gods" before sending it off TO the fall
exhibition of the academy. She had
never visited his studio before, and had
expected a warmer welcome than this
certainly.
What a queer place an artists
studio is" said Olivia, in an awed
tone, walking about gingerly and in
speeding everything that came in her
way. Sit down aud wait for Hans.
Margaret, while / take some impress
sions-if that's what you call it.
Thus instructed, Margaret sank list
lessly into a curiousy carved chair,
and began to gaze abstractealy out of
the window at the blank wall opposite.
You would have called her very
handsome woman, / think, as she sat
there tapping the floor nervously with
the tip OF her parasol. She had unu-
sually fine eyes, and her well-clad
figure expressed both grace and dign-
ity.
'Do you knew. Margaret, l think |
should like to lee an artist?" Olivia rat
tied on, making telescope out OF her
hands in order to properly see n
"skied" picture. They are always
planning and making such charming
things, don't you know? ] don't think
l should mind she stairs-much. Why,
if that stupid Hans Vischer hasn't
stuck his Sunset in New Jersey, which
/ thought the prettiest landscape in
the spring exhibition, away up in that
dusty corner, where it's half hidden
by piece of nasty yellow drapery. II
that's all he thinks of it, he might give
it TO me-"
Here's new picture of road and
some gees. Ever so much atmosphere
and feeling, and all that sort OF thing,
Margaret. The sky is perfectly love-
ly! And here's the Death of Laertes,
which the critics called a screaming
absurdity. You remember how fnri-
Gus Hans was when We showed him the
paper, and how he called critic
'howling idiot?' l don't remember
ever seeing Hans angry before. Poor
fellow! He doesn't seem to sell many
pictures, does he? They are all here
yet, even 10 that charcoal sketch of an
old woman smoking n horrid black
pipe, which Hans declared was the
best thing he had ever done. But as
he's always saying that of the last
thing, / didn't put much faith in his
statement. Artists do say such ridicu-
lous things"
"Ohl Margaret, do come and look at
this lovely, lovely face! That must be
"A Daughter of the God sand isn't
she charming! It'll take the prize, /
know, and Hans will wake TO find him
self rich and famous yet"
Margaret, TO tell the truth, had not
been giving her sisters remarks on
art the attention they undoubtedly de-
served, but she rose at once on men,
ton OF the new picture, little eager
flush rising to her face.
Charming, indeedr' she murmured
with proud and pleased smile, as she
gazed, and gazed at her lovers last
picture, which was certainly, 1.-THE best
he had ever done" "The pose is per-
feet, and the face-Heavens! how
beautiful it Isl"