The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-02-07

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worked only when he felt like 1T. Mil.
dred was frequently by his side in the
studio. Now and then she would pose
her head to give him an idea of a curve
or line, and always it was more In fun
than in seriousness that the work went
on.
In a few weeks, however, the head Of
the Venus was freed from the stone, and
TO the wonderment of Mildred, the face
that she had seen hewed bit by bit from
the cold white marble seemed all at once
TO have life, to be real, and more, to be
her own.
She laughed, and she cried.
II feel as if some one had shut me up
in that stone, ages and ages ago." she
said, land that only now you had come
TO take me out"
"And what do you suppose you would
have done had l never Gamer" Clement
asked. chiseling away at the Cupid lips of
his statue.
always been dead, 1 suppose" she
said with a sigh, looking up at him with
a roguish smile.
The look was too much for Clement.
The marble lips could not hold him
when the red ones were there, just wait
ing to be kissed; nor could he work more
that day-he was too happy.
But for some unaccountable reason
society had got it into its head that
young Scott, 1.-THE distinguished Amer
lean sculptor" as he was commonly
called, had left society and gone into Sc
clusion to work. Strange stories got
about. He was finishing a statue he
had been at work upon for years, it was
said, and Immediately artists began to
interest themselves concerning his where
abouts. The newspapers, working in
the interest Of the public, had made it
their particular business to look into the
matter. In part they were successful.
They found that he was at Hull, and.
because he would not be seen, they in
ferred that he must be working upon
some masterpiece.
That was the story that went abroad.
Artists and newspaper men by the
score came to Hull, all anxious to catch
a first glimpse of the new work of art.
Scott had finished little more than the
head and bust of the statue Of his Venus
of Milo; one Of the broken arms to be
was still in the crude marble, and he
absolutely refused to have his work
viewed and criticized by this curious
crowd-at least before he had finished.
1t was perhaps a week after this sort
of curiosity concerning SCOTS new work
had set in, that Mildred and he, in the
studio together, were running through
batch of letters. They were, as usual,
chiefly requests for interviews, or the
like. Among them was note from the
president of the Society of American
Sculptors. He wished Mr. Scott to give
him and a few of his brothers in art the
pleasure of beholding what he felt sure
was to be the greatest of American
sculpture masterpieces.
Scott laughed. What perfect non
sense" he said, as he read the letter
aloud. 1t was the same old fattery, and
all caused, he thought, by his medal.
He got up and walked across the studio
to where his work stood, and pulling off
the sheet that covered it called to Mil
dred in dramatic voice:
Look! the masterpiece of American
sculpturep and he pointed his finger at
the half finished statue.
They both laughed, and then Mildred
added more seriously, but, Clement, it
is fine"
II am glad you like it," he said. 81
don't care what they think; and, besides,
what do those cads, who haven't seen
any of my work, know of my work?
Their praises annoy me. | doubt if some
of them could tell a plaster cast from a
marble cutting. They are ignoramuses |
in regard to art-the most of Them" and |
Scott throw the sheet back over the |
statue, Disguised.
"They cant tell sculpturing when they !
see ii, he went on. why, if were to |
fix you up as the statue | doubt even if |
they would discover the deception. |
And, by Jove, Mildred, I'll do it, I'll fix |
a box to look like marble, stand you in
it, drape your shoulder and whiten your |
hair and face. With the use Of some |
plaster of Paris we can make your breast |
seem to come directly out from the |
rough stone; and your arm-why, Mil
dred, we can take that off. You will be
the zeal Venus of Milo, and I'll wager
they won't see the deception Are you
willing, Mildred" ne asked, all excite |
ment now.
DO You think they would be de-
ceived?" Mildred asked. what a joke
if they were" she went on, catching the !
spirit of his plans. What a joke!"
And so it was decided. Scott sent the
president of the Society of American
SculptOrs a favorable answer to his let
ter. He stated the day and named the
s0uT lie sh0did Dc pleased 20 receive his
artist friends, and though he assured
them mis- statue was quite incomplete,
still he said they should have a peep at
1t. Mildred and himself at once began
for the exhibit, and long
before the appointed day came they were
in high glee over the prospects, for their
private rehearSals had proven more than
successful.
And then the trial and the end of it all
came. 1t was beautiful day about the
first OF June. The studio had been ar
ranged with especial care for the occa-
sion. There were bits of the sculptors
art about the room, some profiles in
white against black plush upon the
walls, and draperies hung in profusion.
AT o'clock the invited guests. artists
and journalists, about dozen in num-
Der, arrived at the little summer home
Of the SCOTS on the hill. Clement re-
ceived them and entertained them over
cigars with the talk of men and things
which ,1Sr1aflv interest sr,cl naor1a r. |