San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-08-29
THE UNEXPECTED.

sit is the unexpected which happens"
says the French proverb. l like the prov
erb because it is true-and because 1t is
French.
Edouard Charpentier is my name.
/ am an American by birth, but that is
all. From infancy, when had French
nurse; in childhood, when l had French
governess; through youth, passed in a
French school, to manhood, devoted to
French art, have been French by sympa-
thy and education.
My school is the pleine-aire, and my mas
ter, could but find him, is NJ. Duchesne
M. Duchesne has had pictures in the salon
for three years, and pictures elsewhere,
eagerly bought, and yet Paris knows not
NJ. Duchesne We know his house, his
horse, his carriage, his servants and his
garden wall, but he sees no one, speaks to
no one. Indeed he has left Paris for a
time, and we worship afar off.
have sketch by this master which l
treasure jealously-a pencil sketch of a
great picture yet to come. await it,
NJ. Duchesne paints from the model, and
paint from the model exclusively. 1t is
the only way to be firm, accurate, true
Without the model we may have German
fantasy or English domesticity, but no
modern French art.
1t is hard, too to get models continually
when one is but student after five years
work, and ones pictures bring francs in
deed, but not dollars.
Still, there is Georgette!
There, also, were Emile and Pauline.
But now it is Georgette, and she is adorable!
IT'S true she has not much soul, but
then she has charming body, and it's
that l copy.
Georgctte and get on together to ad-
miration. How much better is this than
matrimony for an artist! How wise is NJ.
Daudet!
Antoine is my dearest friend. / paint
with him, and we are happy Georgette Is
my dearest model. l paint from her, and
we are happy.
Into this peaceful scene comes letter
from America bringing much emotion.
1t appears | had a great-uncle there, in
some northeastern corner of New England
Maine? No, Vermont.
And it appears, strangely enough, that
this northeastern great-unCle was seized in
his old age with passion for French art
at least | know not how else to account
for his hunting me up through lawyer
and leaving me some quarter of million
when he died.
An admirable great uncle!
But must go home and settle the prop
srty That is imperative. l must leave
Paris, must leave Antoine, / must leave
Georgette!
Could anything be further from Paris
than a town in Vermont? No, not the
Andaman islands.
And could anything be further from
Antoine and Georgette than the family Of
great cousins find myself among?
But one of them-ah, heaven! some
forty-seventh cousin, who is so beautiful
that forget she is an American, l forget
Paris, | forget Antoine-yes, and even
Georgette! Poor Georgette! But this is
fate.
This cousin is not like the other cousins
Ipursue, inquire, ascertain.
Her name is Mary D. Greenleaf. shall
call her Marie
And she comes from Boston.
But beyond the name how can describe
her? / have seen beauty, yes, much
beauty, in maid, matron and model, but /
never saw anything to equal this country
girl. What figure!
No, not a 'fgure''-the word shames
her. She has body, the body of young
Diana, and body and figure are two
very different things. am an artist, and
have lived in Paris, and know the diff
ference.
The lawyers in Boston can settle that
property, | find.
The air is delightful in northern Yer
mont in March. There are mountains,
clouds, trees. will paint here awhile.
All, yes, and will assist this shy young
SOUL
Cousin Marie" say I, come, let me
teach you TO paint"
sit would be too difficult for you, Mr..
Carpenter-it would take too long"
"Call me Edouardr" cry. 'Are we not
cousins? Cousin Edouard, beg of you!
And nothing is difficult when you are with
me, Marie, nothing can be too long at your
sider'
Thanks, Cousin Edward. but l think
will not impose on your good nature. Be
sides, shall not stay here. l go back to
Boston to my aunt"
find the air of Boston is good in March,
and there are places of interest there, and
rising American artists who deserve en-
enlargement. will stay in Boston awhile
to assist the lawyers in settling my proper
ty; it is necessary.
visit Marie continually. Am l not a