Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-10-01
The ARTISTS PICTURE.

1t was small cottage of the poorer sort,
but had an air of neatness that made it at
tract the attention of passers-by though
| there were few who went that way who did
not know the cottage and its inmates; fer
strangers, or the people from the great city
few miles eff, did not often pass along
the out-of-t the way road that lay before the
little house. At long Intervals strangers
would pass that way, and on one warm af-
ternoon a man from the city stopped before
the cottage. Its mistress was busy among
| her flowers near the door. As he looked
npon the well-kept yard, and saw the shin.
ing milk. pans airing beyond the house., and
noticed the tidy and pretty form Of the mis-
tress. he wondered if she would not make a
good wife.
"May have drink of watel?' he ask
ed.
"Certainly," she answered, and, turning,
displayed pair of bright eyes and two red
checks that made the man again wonder il
she would not make good wife. The
water brought, and, after drinking it, the
man asked: "Do you live here with your
husband?"
"My husbandp' laughingly exclaimed the
girl, and her cheeks appeared to grow more
red, 'Tndeed, no sir. l have none such. ]
live here with my only brother, who Is an
artist"
"An artist" replied the man. 1T am On
artist. too. My name is Barnardo."
IT have heard of you and of your grand
pictures; and SO has Otto, my brother, and
he often says he wishes he could paint as
| you do, for he has met with poor success.
People do not seem anxious for his pic
| tures."
"Perhaps he needs little instruction to
perfect himself. I would gladly give it to
him." said Barnardo.
Chow kind of you, and how glad he will
be-" answered the girl. whose name was
Gertrude. 81 will tell him at once. He is
now inside, painting"
"Yoa need not tell him. Let me- see bis
work without his knowing who am, said
the artist.
Otto was busy at his easel when Barnar-
do entered. On seeing stranger be stop
ped his work, as the thought ola patron en-
tered his mind. Though he had heard of
the man before him and seen his pictures
he had never before seen him.
"Your picsure seems almost finished, !"
said Bsrnardo.
"Yes, though I must admit that it does
not quite suit me, and requires little more
work, though have put much on it,"
''Too much," answered his visitor. "You
have experimental too much to get the de-
sired effect, instead of knowing beforehand
what you wanted to DO"
care you painter" asked Otto.
"Yes, ard l am willing to help you, if
you wish it. My name is Barnardo."
"Indeedv' exclaimed the young man.
'::Then I must hide my work from your
eyes. How fortunate; but do you really
\ - oxrvi1I ha for
my pictures, as they are for yours"
"I hope more anxious. But tell me,
what is this picture? Evidently sick man
and poor boy bringing him food"
| eyes" answered Otto, who was delight
ed to think SO great an artist should take
interest in his work. "Yes, the man is one
who has spent all his years in doing good
for others, and is now very sick, having been
kept to his bed for many months. And he
is very poor. The people whom he has
helped have all forgotten him, and he would
starve but for the boy, who is his son. See,
the room is almost bare of furniture Ht
has parted with bis few possessions, . little
at time, in order to keep life in himself
and son and the faithful dog, who is con
sidered a member of the family. The boy
has drawn the bed to an open window, 81
that his father can see the beautiful trees
the blue sky, and the clesr water OF thi
lake, which appears to be bearing in it
depths counteiparts of the f1eecy cloud
floating in the sir above. He is now watch
ing the white sails of the boats in the dis
tance and thinking Of the great ship tina
went TO the bottom of the deep ocean ter
years before, carrying his loving wife ant
all bis dear little onas excepting the boy a
his side, who, with himself, was lifted ii
the arms of the waves and laid unconscou
on the sandy shore, which makes only
narrow line at the horizon to the left Of tn
high mountain yonder. See, the boy trie
to look happy in order to cheer bis father
though in fact hs is very miserable, for h
is hungry and has given the last morsel il
the house to bis father for breakfast. 81
denies himself almost everything. And b
and the poor dog BY his side, after going t
bed supperless, often arise in the mornin