St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-07-20
ruE MODEL FOR SUNSHINE. "

~ stood for a moment before
with the quiet, satisfied ar OF a
n man who knows his WORK is wei
done. ,ool, az II Hester
= II me- what you think Of 'Shadow.'"
lt The tired sitter rose from her chair
a T." came round in front of the easel.
a Teorilv she pushed the heavy
W e;aht of chestnut hair off her pale
NMre36cad and gazed long and
lDoo,rnestly into the dull, dusky eyes of
s .Se n;ctilre. They were like her own,
' Inye r a CLEAN of brightness in their
ppSodowy depths; only that earnest,
osotient look, full of gloom and dark
ND SDoes it please you, sir?"
"Yes, Hester-and YOU
Z 81 think it is like me-" answered
I ,be Eli, signing. Then she gathered
80 That mass Of dark hair that the
"p had disarranged to suit the
purposes of his picture, and turning
y.IowIy away, asked him, do you
need me any longer :"
mot today, thank you"
Hester Deane went away from the
I'D farmhouse parlor that the
artists ingenuity had converted in
70 temporary studio, and proceed
Cd TO take up the burden of life
AGAIN. They were very happy hours,
those that passed in that shady old
room while the magic touches Of the
oainters brush transferred her pale
features to his canvas-happy, be-
cause they were quiet. But this
burden of life pressed sore upon
Hcster's shoulders, and the lash that
drove her on from one arduous duty
TO another never rested.
Hester's home was an old farm
house in New England, perched up
on a bleak New Hampshire hill. Her
companion was an invalid step
mother, whose bitter tongue stung
her quvering soul with wounds no
less hard to bear because the instru-
ment that inflicted them was so con-
temptible. Her father was good
man. but cold and hard as the rocks
that surrounded his humble dwell
ing: and Jim, the only other men,
Der of the family, was thoughtless
how. whose mischief and carelessness
made Hester many an extra hour OF
Iabor
In the shadow her life had lain,
this girl with the low, broad fore
head. behind which was stored an
education that would have enabled
man long ago to achieve comfort
and independence. Here i'll this old,
brown farm house she lived and
worked, unwarmed by love, uncheer-
ed by sympathy, until the GOODNESS
and the gloom settled into her dark
eyes, dulled their beauty, and cut
deep burrows in the fair pale fore
head. Hester Deane was twenty
four. The neighbors said she was
thirty, she had been a lonely old
maid so long. Hester bowed her
head and did not contradict them.
This was the girl whom Henry
Spencer, the famous portrait-paint
er, met as he was wandering among
the trout streams of New Hampshire
Her shadowy face, draped in the dull
gray twilight, met him one night as
he was returning to his lodgings
and the desire seized him to tasten
its dull beauty on his canvas and
take it back with him to the city
An introduction was an easy thing
among these honest country folk
and he was soon established as q
ledger at the old farm house, where
every chance was seized upon to the
scantv living that was wrung witt
so much labor from the stubborn
soil.
Poor Hester shuddered when ii
family conclave the question wa:
decided to take a ledger" for sh'
knew how much it would add to he
care. Then when the demand CAM
upon her to sit for her portrait
Hester was bewildered. Wher
should she find the time? But sh
did find it, and those long sitting
gave her the rest she so much need
ed. She was less tired-poor Hester
although she knew it not.
Now the picture was finished, am
Hesters first thought upon its cor
clusion was the weeks ironing, tina
yet remained a damp and wrinkle
mass in the great clothes-baske1
Thus it was that she turned S
YEARLY away from the fair portral
of herself in the parlor to face thl
burden Of uncongenial labor tina
waited for her in the kitchen.
Henry Spencer looked after her a
she passed out of his sight, and owe
the gentle face of the artist came a
expression of tender pity. Then h
looked at the picture-the fine eyes
with the dull cloud in their depths
and the fancy came to him, II WI
paint another picture, and call
Sunshine"
AS Hester was standing at til
kitchen door that evening the arts
came and took his place by her sid
Hester, / want a companion pie6
for Shadow Will you help me I'm
q model ~