Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1892-09-17
THE LILAC WITCH.
An Artists Alteration for His Won
derful Masterpiece.


Must your father have twenty thou
.'Scs, Henri, or else"-her lip
quivercd littlc-''or else the mort
gage Will be forecloscd and father will
lose all his land, and we shall be home
less
Mot if 1 am aroundr' said Henri,
stoutly.
Sophie looked proudly at him and
then aronnd at the wall of the studio.
What mn artist Henri was.
She calue to him and laying her hand
gently on his shoulder, gazed sadly into
his eyes and said:
II know, Henri. l know. But then
you arc poor now"
~ will rise-gct picture into the
Saloa--uiakc money"
'Ncs- dear, but if papa loses all his
property, and besides" and her gray
eyes grew moist ana she looked wisu-
fully away.
And besides?" repeated Henri, with
anxioas inquiry.
And besides, papa has been limiting
at The marriage proposals of Jean
Bertrand, an old playmate of mine,
who offers to pay off all the mortgage
on the day of his betrothal to me-"
$50 you, Sophie. you don't mean that
you-ttsat your father"
Sophie looked down sadly at pair of
neat little feet
"HeDri, you know | love you, and
that I have promised faithfully to be
your vile; but think of poor papa, and
think nf all | owe him-oughtn't l to
be ready to make any sacrifice to save
him frnm ruin?"
Then they both looked sadly away in
silence. Suddenly Henri squeezed So
phie's hand SO hard that she started
rioleutly-
wait, Sophie" he exclaimed. "I've
got Plan. We, you and |, can earn
that tweuty thousand"
Yes, yes; how?"
"Why, you be my model, and I'll
paint you."
''0i,, will you? But-but you couldn't
sell picture of me for twenty thousand
francs"
In Ruswer Henri drew her before a
little square mirror hung between the
two windows. and made her look at her
own reelection.
''Ss.s shesr, Sophie just look at your
eyes-are shcy not the deepest gray,
with golden lights in them? and are
not yuur lips as red as this carmine?
and just see that little pointed chin!
how could paint that. and those pink
c,,cs.1es-frcsh as a baby's!"
Sophie Began to blush at Henris en-
thusizsm. and, turning from the glass,
locked into his dark face, which was
lii apHilh the glow of an almost poetic
iaslrrntton-
And. you know" he went on,
"'somctiiing tells me that / shall paint
you lg&ier than ] ever painted any
thiug bcfore-that you will be my
msrsc. my inspiration. You must wear
a ioU,ely fitting lilac-very soft lilac
roi,e, ann you will have your hair
'duwn- hnnging over your left shoulder,
which Tiu peep through your curls like
D white dove in golden cage. And
you nust hold Il spray of lilacs in your
haaA ard be reclining under lilac
b!sii, and I'll call you the Lilac Witch
Didn't you ever hear OF the legend of
the Liiae Witch? Grandma used to love
to tell Lae about her; she was very
bcaustSai fairy and men came around
to eatrh II smile from her red lips. and
Tire man hhe smiled on was maee bold
10 do high deeds; bu. if his heart was
sira1n away to another woman, in "a
moEacnt she spoiled all he had done,
aud nude beggarly wretch of him.
Resides, yon know. the lilac will go so
we'll msth your complexion and hair
snd cyta"
And M It WIS planned. The sittings
wne daily Sophie was a very patient
model and Henri was full of inspira.
tion and worked with certainty oi
sncSss. He made studies of her face
iH all pessable moods and expressions,
Ala by enlling what was most entranc.
ing 10 esess, he began TO create an ideal.
He tisrrm the whole vigor OF his poeti:
soHa s1tts his work, striving to get that
longing, inspiring look in the large
gray ryes. which, mingled with an ex.
pressira,. hah Of pity, half of triumph,
In tt'c xesa Of the face, was to make up
thr ideal of tho Lilac Witch. de found