The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-09-24

tions.
Just then the little colored boy stuck
his woody head through the portiere.
"Mr. Farnham jest tePphomed dat he
can't come up to de 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, 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!'
"Yes. 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, l 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?"
"Yes. l knew she could pose well,
young as she was, for l 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
frst-said the child was too young to
go 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
tie family OF two ever since. No one
presumes to call her Bessie or Lizzie" ?"
'Such dignified, clever little crea-
ture!" said Lennox.
"And such capital critic! l 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 a studio
in West Fifty-seventh street. Eliza
beth posed for him occasionally and
they became the best of friends.
~ shoAld 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
ised to take good care of you, and jump
after you if you fell off tie ferry yboat?'
"Miss Fleck lives in Hobolien, and
I've often been on the ferry" saic
Elizabeth, smiling. ''There is really
no danger, You know"
Lernox 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 o.
Elizabeth, in a bright-red gown, kneel
ing in sea of starry-eyed daisies
plucking them with tender yet eagel
look.
The figure was almost life size
Through the whole picture the intens,
sunlight streamed. Slight as the motive
of the picture was, LennoX felt that i
was the best thing he had ever done
He had worked rapidly upon it, fearing
that his inspiration or the sunligh
might fail before it was finished.
1t was nearing completion one fin
afternoon, when LennoX got up from
his STOOL stretched his tired arms ant
said:
I'm as hungry as a bear. ! can SCI
that you're tired, too, Miss Elizabeth
I'll go up to Holts farmhouse, and Sc,
if they can let us have quart of milk
Do you want to go with me?"
"l'll wait here" said Elizabeth
"Some one might steal your picture"
"No fear of that" said Lennox
laughing, They're not impressionist
in New Jersey. But I'll be back in
few minutes, my dear"
, Off he started, whistling blithely
When he had got the milk, he stoppe
TO chat moment with the farmer
T. kindly wife.
, II took peek at you t'other day,
said Mrs. Holt, land the way that lii
tie midget knelt thar in her red dres
! in them posies was as purity a sight a
;. ever see. Holt says he's goin' to Ne'
= York to see that picter when it's hun
: up. Says he'd like to buy it hisself, c
= he he'd money enough. La! there he
a now"
a 81 thought you'd gone home, drawle
n Holt, solemnly shaking hands wit
Lennox. "Aln't thet little gal O. your
along to-day?"
4 Il left her in the meadow. She wa
afraid some one might steal my pi
: ture."
Land o. Goshen!" gasped Holt;
n jest let thet Durham bull o. mine loos
in thet medder lot! thought You mus
* IA gone home long agoP'
"Jabez Holtm screamed Mrs. Hol
!. rushing for the door, 'if ther child
J. kilt"
All three ran toward the mea'
ow. Lennox's heart was beatin
Y wild alarm, Presently they hear
n loud screams. The artist hardly dare
| to look before him. They could hes
c the angry mutterngs of the bull.
II As they neared the fence of the mea'
ow lot, Mrs, Holt began laughing by
terically.
y did you ever see anythin so redil