The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1892-11-26

luat way.
81 can't say that ever did," Lennox
had to admit. 81 should fall fiat on my
nose, I'm sure"
"And then she always makes me
smile SO much. One day l had to keep
on smiling when my mother was very
ill at home. At last just burst out
crying. 1t was silly, of course. and
Miss Fleck was very angry. Did you
ever have to smile when you wanted to
cry?"
''Perhaps have, dear"
He took Elizabeth's little hand and
stroked it gently, being much moved by
the unconscious pathos of her revela-
tions.
Just then the little colored boy stuck
his woolly head through the portiere.
"Mr. Farnham jest telphomed dat he
can't come up to dc stujo to-day, Miss
French" he announced. ''He say he
sorry, but he can't hep it nohow. He
be heah to-moh."
THANK You, jeff" said Elizabeth,
with dignity. Then she turned to her
new friend and gave him grave little
bow of farewell.
$50 you and Elizabeth have become
acquainted?" said Farnham, a few days
later. to Lennox. "Well, she's worth
knowing. The most original, charm
ing little old maid in all New York!
She supports her mother and herself
by her posing"
'You don't say so!''
"Ycs French, poor fellow. died two
years ago of pneumonia. Too much
devotion to art. Used to paint stormy
autumn scenes, you know, and sat out
in the wind and rain once too often.
He painted things full of feeling. OF
course the public didn't appreciate
them, and as he wouldn't paint pot
boilers, his family were probably no
richer then than they are now"
Couldn't the widow earn anything?"
mighty little. After his death she
tried literary work, believe; but she's
an invalid, and the strain was too much
for her. She simply had to leave off or
die, poor thing! So she folded her
hands, and wondered what in the world
would become of them"
Then the little girl took to posing?"
Eyes. knew she could pose we'll,
young as she was. for had often seen
her do it for her father. why not let
her pose for money! said. Her fresh,
round, sweet face is just what artists
who paint children are looking for OF
course Mrs. French was Mortified at
first-said the child was too young to
60 round town alone, and all that sort
of thing. But there really was no other
way to keep them from starvation, and
Elizabeth has been the head of this lit
tic family OF two ever since. No one
presumes to call her Bessie or Lizzie. :"
''Such dignified. clever little crea-
ture!" said Lennox.
Sand such a capital critic! declare
that if I've painted thing that she
doesn't quite approve of I'm actually
afraid to send it off to an exhibition"
John Lennox had just returned from
long absence in Paris to pitch his tent
in New York. After some little delay in
choosing quarters he opened studio
in West Fifty-seventh street. Eliza
beth posed for him occasionally and
they became the best of friends.
81 should like to take you with me to
New Jersey one of these fine days,
Elizabeth" said Lennox one morning.
II want to paint few sunlight effects
with figures in them. Do you think
your mother would consent, if prom
Used to take good care of you, and jump
after You if you fell off tie ferry boat?"
"Miss Fleck lives in Hobolxen, and
I've often been on the ferry" said
Elizabeth, smiling. There is really
no danger, you know!"
Lennox obtained Mrs. French's con-
sent, and he and Elizabeth thereafter
passed many afternoons in the sweet
smelling Jersey meadows.
The last and best study of all was of
Elizabeth. in bright-red gown, kneel-
ing in sea of starry-eyed daisies,
plucking them with tender yet eager
look.
The figure was almost life size.
Through the whole picture the intense
sunlight streamed. Slight as the motive
Of the picture was, Lennox felt that it
was the best thing he had ever done.
He had worked rapidly upon it, fearing
that his inspiration or the sunlight
might fail before it was finished.
1t was nearing completion one fine
afternoon, when Lennox got up from
his stool, stretched his tired arms and
said:
I'm as hungry as bear. / can see
that you're tired, too, Miss Elizabeth.
I'll go up to Hollis farmhouse, and see
If they can let us have q quart of milk.
Do you want to go with me?'
''sl'll wait here" said Elizabeth.
"Some one might steal your picture"
mo fear of thatr' said Lennox.
laughing. They're not inpressionists
in New Jersey. But I'll be back in a
few minutes, my dear"
OFF he started, whistling blithely.
When he had got the milk, he stopped
to chat a moment with the farmers
kindly wife,