The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1892-09-22

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?"
"Yes. l 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
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 rne
presumes to call her Bessie or Lizzie"
''Such dignifed, clever little crea.
ture!' said Lennox.
And such capital critic! declare
that if I've painted a 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
ised to take good care Of you, and jump
after you if you fell off tie ferry boat?'
Miss Fleck lives in Hoboken, 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 sou Of starry-eyeu daisies,
plucking them with tender yet eager
look
The figure was almost life size.
Through the whole picture the intense
sunlight streumed. Slight as the motive
of the picture was, Lennox felt that it
was the best thing he had ever done.
lie 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
III go up to Hollis farmhouse, and see
If they can let us have a quart of milk
DO You want to 60 with me?'
"lll wait here" said Elizabeth.
"Some one might steal your picture"
NO fear of THAR said Lennox,
laughing "They're not irapressionists
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
kindly wife.
II took peek at you t'other day."
said Mrs. Holt, land the way that lit
tie midget knelt thar in her red dress
in them posies was as purity a sight as
! ever see. Holt says he's goin' to New
York to see that picter when it's hung
| up. Says he'd like to buy it hisself, eff
he he'd money enough. La! there he is
now"
II thought you'd gone home, drawled
Holt, so]emnly shaking hands with
Lennox. "Aln't tibet little gal O. yourn
along to-day?"
II left her in the meadow. She was
| afraid some one might steal my pic
ture."
LAND O. Goshen!" gasped Holt; II
! jest let tibet Durham bull O. mine loose
in tibet medder lot! I thought you must
"a gone home long ago!'
odOCA Alo1G: oCIcdHCu MIS- o.,
rushing for the door, ''if Their child is
kilt-!n'
All three ran toward the mead
ow. Lennox's heart was beating
wild alarm. Presently they heard
loud screams. The artist hardly dared
to look before him. They could hear
the angry mutterings of the bull.
As they neared the fence of the mead
ow lot, Mrs. Holt began laughing hys-
terically.
Did you ever see anythin' so redilz-
louS in all your born days?' she gasped.
''Oh, thank Heaven" gasped Lennox.
shes not dead.''
Dead" cried Mrs. Holt More
| alive'n you or me, l should say! Did
you ever see the like? That little
cricket on this side the fence a-hollerin'
and a-shakin' her dress, and a-aggra-
vatin' tibet bull fit to kill"'
Hearing voices, Elizabeth looked
round and smiled, still futtering her
red gown at the bull.
"Im keeping him away from your
picture, Mr.. Lennox!' she called out.
He thought the picture was real lit
tie girl in a red dress, guess, and you
know cows don't like red. So he was
going to smash it, but when screamed
at him and commenced to shake my
dress at him he came over here
AS Jabez Holt went into the meadow
and handed Lennox his sketching traps
over the fence the bull tossed the dirt
high above his head and eyed his mas
ter wickedly. But he was afraid of
Holt, who had repeatedly subdued him.
Besides. it was that tantalizing little
girl in red he wanted to get at.
$50 you lured him away, Ell, Eliza,
beth?'' said Lennox.
Eyes. After you had gone 1 began
to pick daisies for mother. was near
this fence when I heard the bull boo!
He was rushing right toward your pic
tnre Sn Sh<,ntcd and elm bed over