Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-04-24
A PORTRAIT OF A LADY.
III MARY KYLE DALLAS


brought mp and introduced to inc BIZ i'm.
poriant gentlemen, who inform them tina:
painted that wonderful likeness Of Mrs.
.. l always coascientiously en-.
uc'vor to make the best picture call
l5nt, rs never forget to make a inltrou
III least fifteen years younger than she is
and to omit every crows-loot, line and
Wrinkle that years have traced upon her
face, guilty blush comes to nv own
when the mcndacious stranger repca.s +:
"Wondcrfnl likeness, wonderful. Mr..
5 to the life For my own pleas
nrc often sketch ragged and character
lstic faces, old faces, worn faces. but
never to hang in the drawing-rooms of
the rich, who ali desire to be smooth and
smiling, and to look AS though they had
paid time to forge: them
My portraits, however, ,lil no. i'm, ,
on the walls of ricn men when this
story begins. hal never yet had one
accepted At the academy, and | had be.
gun to believe that | never should. |
had canvases galore, on which the lam.
trcss and the little match boy, the lnun.
dress and the boot black figured con.
spicuously. They stool with their faces
turned to the wall about the room. But
orders | had had none since | had paid
my tnilor's bill in ful-lcneth family
group of himself, his wife and his six
children. This sort of thing, you NAV.
Imagine, did not pay we'll, and | had re-
solved to go back to Corndcl. where
they would receive me with open arms.
and Kill the fatted turkey for nv sake.
10 90 back and take to farlninu aud
TRY to like" Marie Jane Pell. who's.
lailcrs farm was near to ours, rs had
so often been requested to do bv my
mother.
Certainly, could never ask Stella
Hope, with whom was tremendously
Ill love, to marry me under
such circumstances, TO be =
farmers wife and milk cows and MAKE
buttcr-Stclla, who had graduated M
Vassar and was so brilliant and SO stylish
had just hunted up pen with APPOINT.
found my ink bottle, and written Mt the
Top oil sheet OF paper: dear Parents, e"
when, turning, bcheld lady standing
ny me. She was young woman. with
the popularity of black eyes and very
blonde hair. She was pale but bcauti.
full. On her left check was soft brown
mole that looked, ut distance, like n
patch OF court plaster. She must have
come III carriage, for she wore no bon
net, but only a large and very remarkable
cloak of some oriental fabric. As
looked ut her, surprised and startled.
and veXed at having been caught in INV
shirt-sieevcs-certainly, the last thing /
had expected was II callcr-shc took her
scat in the large chair prepared for sit.
tiers, and said, softly:
Never mind. Begin to paint me. |
have so little time to stay"
She was certainly Il very Dcculior nor
son, IN her manner rs well rs in her looks.
but she was very winning, nevertheless.
Moreover, she seemed to compel me do
as she demanded.
l happened to have new canvas Of
the size on which usually painted half
length portraits, and placed it upon my
easel, and rapidly s!Ic,chcd in the head
and figure. The work fascinated me.
W hen the first printing was accom-
plishcd, and could do no more until it
mad dried, | signiiic,l ms much. and ut
tiiis shc rose and stood before the can
vas.
sit is good she said "Now look at
me well. l may not be able to come
again. Store every line and feature in
your memory, and if do not return, fin.
ish the picture. 1t will be we'll worth
your time and trouble. DO not FORGET
this little mole on my cheek. Do not
forget how wear my hair. DO not for
get tins ring upon my hand"
ohe smiled, gave me little bow.
opened the door, passed through it, and
closed the door behind her. ran to the
window expecting to see the carriage
drlvc away, but it was already cone. if
one there had been, and felt sure no
Iady could have walked in such dress.
put my canvas in the sun, and, after n
space Of three days, placed it upon the
easel, and taking my brush, began to
work upon it. had been requested to
hnish 1t, whether the lady came to sit or
not. Usually, this would have been i'm.
possible; but the vivid memory that ]
retained OF her features, her colorino
anu her costume was astonishing.
For Yearly fortnight | worked upor
the picture without model; but when
IT. was completed, l felt sure that it wa,
9 excellent likeness. 1t was certainly
pc best picture had ever painted.
waited for the lady in perfect confidence
that she would return, but she ncye,
came; and at last | ceased to expec,
her.
| The picture was not six months old
when the academy exhibition opened.
had had a remittance from my father
and had resolved to fight little longe
before ! returned to tnc farm. One o.
two little bits OF work which had brough
ne pccunary profit had fallen to me
and was more hopeful framed m,
portrait. sent it to the academy, and. I,
my great establishment, found it accented