The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-12-14

the color tiew into her beautiful face. She
telt convinced now that she had been fool
lsh to bring her drawings with her and to
submit them to the critical eye of the re-
nowned Claude Maclean.
Il was afraid that your verdict would be
dlscouraging one,h she said, making a
strong effort to command her voice and to
speak indifferently, though the quivering of
her lips told how deep was her disappoint-
ment
81 beg your pardon" returned Claude.
I GU have misunderstood me. Nature in
tended you to be n great artist. You have
made mistake in choosing nursing as
your forte. Your vocation lies else
where"
Come and look ct this, mother" be went
on, holding out for Lady Falconridge's in
spection one of the drawing on which ne was
gazing with keen professional interest 1t
wasa large water color drawing of a Lancer
mounted on a splendid bay, advancing at
full trot, with pennon flying.
Lady Falconridge examined the picture
With care She judged, as did her son, that
Its merit did not lie merely in the accurate
drawing of difficult subject, though the
hgures OF both horse and rider were per-
feet, but in the vigorous feeling of healthy
anlmaliSm impaired to the Lancer and his
charger. 1t was es if WiDifred herself had
had felt the bounding pulse with which the
subject rode forth, and had contrived
to embody the same feeling of
exhilarating life, so that the picture had the
effect of quickening the pulses of the be-
holder. Lady Falconridge continued look
log at the drawing with fixed attention,
whilst Winifred stood by with laboring
breath, scarcely able TO control the wild
beating of her heart, as she found herself
exalted by Claude'S praise from the lowest
| despair to state bordering on rapture.
r..k ~ a q
conridge, laying the drawing down, and
turning to Winltred. You have missed
your vocation, and we must try and help
| you to your true one. You were meant 10
| be an artist, and, do not doubt, great
onen
"rhere is no doubt Of that" said Claude.
Look here. mother, and here and here"
| he continued, turning over the drawings for
| his mothers inspection and then, addressing
| Winifred. he added: You want the truth
| from rae, without carping criticism and
without hatteryN
"If you please replied Winifred, speak
ing softly through herebalf-clossd lips.
Then you shall have it. Nature meant
you for great animal painter. We have
had none since Landseer, but it looks as
| though his mantle has fallen upon you.
| Rosa Bonheurs early work contains nothing
| finer than that Lancer of yours. AS for
your other drawings, your landscape is
| weak-very woak-could scarcely he
| weaker for one showing 50 much capability
| in other directions, but that We can i'm
prove"
1t seemed to Winifred as if that antique
room in Glen-Orloch Castle was some en-
chented chamber to which she had been
| conveyed whilst in a dream state, and that
presently she would wake up and find her
self in her ward at St. Jude's hospital,
waiting on her patient. She, a born artist,
rival of Rosa Bonheur on her own field "a
possible successor of Landseer himself! She
could not believe it; and yet this was grave
ly affirmed by O man who was himself an
associate of the Royal Academy, whilst his
mother, a woman of intelligence and sense,
stood By, smiling appreciation of her sons
praise. 1t was too much for her. She
could only look first from one and then to
the other, and then the tears rus ed to her
: eyes.
could murnlur, and Jne next moment, obey
ing an instructive movement, she lay sobbinG
in her arms
Lady Falconridga patted her face as she
he'd her TO ner bosom, just as one might
soothe little child, but made no other effort
60 check this outburs7, whist Claude looked
on, with almost boyish stupidity, wonder
ing in what way Winifred's feelings had
bee wounded.
SIT is verv stupid of ne TO make such an
exhibition, - said Winifred after a pause,
drying her eyes and smiling through her
tears.
"You could not help it," remarked Lady
Falconridge, s.othingly. II can quite I'M
ders and what you fee!. We women
sometimes cry for joy as well as for sor'
row."
"And row may know the history Of the
picturegn asked Claude, little Ia er, when
they were all seated by the fire, and the
portfolio had been laid aside. "Where did
you get your subject from|
II saw the Lancer pass one day when
was looking out of the window at st.
Jude's. He was quickly followed by q
troup, and the dancing and juggling Of
thei. accoutrement5 as they rode swiftly
past, seemed to set my heart dancing"
Like Words Sorth's heart danced with
the daffodilsp" said Claude.
~ suppose so. But it was the first man
who somehow impressed himself on my
mind"
'And then" persisted Claude.
"When | was next off duty, began it.
It took me some time to finish it,"
"After a monetary glance at your sub
iect,n said Claude. "Wonderful, wonder
full That's what / call it. Simply won
derfulm
II expected criticism from you, MIR.
Mnclean, perhaps reproof, and not praise,
said Winlfred, simply.
She felt overwhelmed by this praise, and
difiident of her own powers with the mod
esty of true genius.
''You have had both, replied Claude. "a
have told you that your figure painting
especially a.imals, is admirable, but that
your landscape is simply execrable."
e2"Not execrable, surely, Claude" said
Lady Falconridge smiling, in protest of her
sons vehemence.
utterly detestable," he went on. Can
not YOU unde rstand, mother, that Miss West
wants TO lie troddea upons Praise is sickly
on her palate, like lollipops, so | am doing
the treading upon her that her soul longs
tor"
Both the ladies laughed at the ndirete OF
Claude's confession. mo, speaking seriously
Miss West" he said "Your landscape is
really very bad. There can be no second
opinion about that, and animals don't look
their best in q paved court yard. Our
Highland cattle for example. | have nc
doubt that you could draw them with power
and feeling, but without the heather below,
and the soft sky, or the storm rack above.
what will your animals look likes You are
born to be an animal painter, but you want
severe practice in landscape"
And 50 the talk went on, from one point
TO another, Claude enforcing his opinion
that the greatest landscape painters that
Great Britain had produced were OF the
Scottish school q artists, and that Scotland
| ,Uae sa0r e.ecelEeuce the b8DuY hunting