The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1890-09-26
A COMPOUND MODEL,

Payne Gray had II motI,nr-in-aw.
Her name was McLatchct--B Nc
l.atclct-and she was y mothcr-in-law
OF the good old type so dear to- roman
cis,s and farce writer's. inasmuch as
SHE knew ~ great deal more about
Payne GrcN's business than he did him
self, made his house her happy hunt
ing ground. aud 20, to be- almost as
mucn dislike'l by her own daughter us
by her daughters husband.
Payne Grey was an artist. and. in
comparison with his hrothcr-in-law,
llamish McLatctet. could hardly hc
called y successful artist; for, whereas
the latter painted the portraits Of more
or less distinguished lad Is or gentle.
men ut $500 y head-or. to he more
correct, accurately reproduced their
dresses and suits and furnished them
with new faces at that pricc-Paync
Grey was content to take his scenes
from the life of the masses; and every
body knows which of the two lines of
art is the more successful in these
days.
So long as his mothcr-in-law did not
push her interference into the domain
of his studio, PAYNE Grey trained him.
self into an indifference to- her med.
ding elsewhere. She might arrange
his tables for him when he gave his
little dinners. and even 90 so far AS To
revise his list of guests; she might
teach his domcsticS their duties; OF
give emphatic opinions upon his choice
Of pictures, or hric-,-hrar. or presents
for his wife. He suffered all this fol
the sake of peace and quirtnrss: but M
till now he had been absolute monarch,
in his studio.
One unfortunate morning. however,
Mrs. McI.atchct happened to read in
tue newspaper paragraph headed
"Disgraceful Conduct Of IN Artists
Model" from which ii appeared that Il
female member of y acommnnity usually
remarkable for responsibility and hon
esty, imagining herself badly treated
by her employer. had wound up Il
mornings sitting by putting her um,
brela through cr own counterfeit,
prcscntmcnt aud cutting the eye of the
artist open with the fclrulc of her
weapon.
This gave Mrs. McLatchct the cu,
for a new attack. She rounlly abused
the fraternity of mo.lcls in general and
the female model in particular. Sh,
quoted instances Of guilcless youn.
artists being lnrrl to per'li,on by frai
but fair Dcs'lcmonas. Rclcrcas, an,
puritan mai,lcns. She warned lie,
daughter of the risk she WAS runnin.
in allowing her husband to pass lonr
hours of each day in the company d
women who were. to use her own
phrase, in the majority OF eases III,
better than they should he. She hell,
up her own son. llamsh Mclatclct,
as an instance of Il Young man whu
was successful without having recourse
to the aid OF hrcling beauty Of fac,
and symmetry Of figure; and she de.
plored Payne Grey's preference for n
line of art which She declared to he but
q remove above the ignuhie.
"The world of art in which my
Hamish lives and h,ra,hcs,n she said.
''is one OF lrlincmcnt ard culture. I
would gladly consent to sit down ut
table beside any lady or gentleman
he has painted during the last ten
years. Your husbands world is that,
of the pothousc and the servants hall. "
Now. lamisl Mcl.atcllct was good
fellow, and sincerely niticd poor Payne
Grey, with whom lie had maintained!
an unbrokcn friendship ever since they
first met. To him Payne Grey con
fdcd his latest trouble, aud, after a
quiet dinner together one evening they
agreed. by fair means or foul. Mother
in-law MrLa,cl,ct's persecution must
be put to IN end.
Payne Grey wanted to avoid an open
row for the sake CT Mrs. Payne Grey.
who was \ quiet. kind-h"ared little
body, dcSirous OF living at peace with
all mankind That there WAS anything
between her son and her son-ir-Iaw
Mrs. Mcl.atcIet never dreamed.
| Meanwhile the two artists were hard
at work for the then approaching
academy exhibition.
well, dear, said Mrs. Mcl.atchct
one day TO her daughter. '':,nd how is
Payne getting on? / sincerely hope
that he has turned u"er Il new leaf,
and that we Shall see his signature no
more appended to Representations Of
bold-faced hn>si..s tlancing-yirs and
such like. My Iiamisi is sending up
a kosalind in Ardcn'-a most bcauli-
ful face and figure | believe it to be-:
and. although don't know the lady,
he assured me that it WAS an excellent
likeness
"payne's picture has something TO
do with English rural life. think"
said her dauglitcr-'a fair or some
thing of that kind"
Dear! dear! ,lear." exclaimed Mrs.
McIatchet. Twill he never scar above
tl,ata Pray what is there clcvating o,
refined i'll a country fair? II he he
true to nature-and do him the credit
to believe that he generally is-hc will
hardly associate :; Saturnalia of the
masses with much refinement"
Full "f these ideas Mrs. McI.atchct
the following morning started or for
her so+l-in-law's studio. Pavnn Grey
opened the door himself. and her quick
ears ut once detected rustic of gar.
ments which seemed to proclaim pre-
cipitatc flight Oh some ones part
Then her glasses were tixe,! upon
large canvas. which represented. as
her daughter had hin,cd. an Enmlisl,
rustic festival. with the usual accrssor-
les Of fiddler. bcer-barre!s, danrin.
youths and ham>cls. the wllitc-haircA
squire the EliHabetilan house in the
background. etc. The central figures
were four i'll numbcr-two men aud
two girls--the latter not remarkable
for beauty, but graceful and easy in
attitude.
We'll. mother and what do you
think of it?" asked Payne Grey.
"Thc picture is we'll enouy Il. in its
way. Payne replied the lady. "bu:
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