Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-02-04

Al q hcW WCShSs HOWeNer, bHe mead OF /
the Venus was freed from the stone. and
10 the wonderment of Mildred. the face
that she had seen hewed bit by bit from |
the cold white marble seemed all at once
TO have life, to be real, and more, 10 be !
her own.
She laughed, and slia cried.
ii feel as IL some one had shut me up
in that stone. ages and ages ago" she
said, land that only now you had come
TO take me out"
And what do you suppose you would
have done had never came?' Clement
asked, chiseling away at the Cupid lips Of
his statue.
Always been dead, suppose she
said with sigh, looking up at him with
a roguish smile.
The look was too much for Clement.
The marble lips could not hold him
when the red ones were there, Just wait
ing 10 be kissed nor could he work more
that day-he was too happy.
But for some unaccountable reason
society had got it into its head that
young Scott. 1.-THE distinguished Amer
lean sculptor" as lac was commonly
called, had left society and gone into Sc
clusion 10 work. Strange stories got
about. He was finishing a statue he
had been ut work upon for years, it was
said, and Immediately artists began to
interest themselves concerning his where
abouts. The newspapers, working in
the interest Of the public. had made II
their particular business to look into the
Il In ~ h.t f..l
They found that he was at Hull, and.
because he would not be seen. they IN
ferred that he must be working upon
some masterpiece.
That was the story that went abroad.
Artists and newspaper men by the
score came to Hull, all anxious to catch
a first glimpse OF the new work of art.
Scott had finished little more than the
head and bust Of the statne of his Venus
OF Milo; one OF the broken arms to bs
was still in the crude marble, aud he
absolutely refused 10 have his work
viewed and criticized by this curious
crowd-at least before he had finished.
II was perhaps week after this sort
OF curiosity concerning SCOTS new work
had set in, that Mildred and he, in the
studio together. were running through a
batch Of letters. They were, rs usual,
chiefly requests for interviews, or the
like Among them was n note from the
president Of the Society Of American
Sculptors. He wished Mr. Scott to give
him and few OF his brothers in art the
pleasure Of beholding what he felt sure
was TO be the greatest of American
sculpture masterpieces.
Scott laughed. What perfect non.
sense!" he said. as he read tho letter
aloud II was thu same old iiattery. and
all caused, he thought. by his medal
He got up and walked across tho studio
to where his work stood. and pulling on
the sheet that covered ii called to Mil.
dred in dramatic voice:
Look! the masterpiece Of American
sculptures" and he pointed his finger a,
the half finished statue
They both laughed, and thon Mildred
added more seriously. But, Clement, il
il fine"
II am glad you like IT," he said. ii
don't care what they think; and, besides,
what do those cads, who haven't seen
any OF my work. know Of my work!
| II
of them could tell plaster east from 4
marble cutting. They are ignoramuses
in regard TO art--the most Of them" and
Scott threw the sheet back over the
statue. Disguised.
They can't tell sculpturing when they
SEQ it" he went on. why, if Were u
fix YOU up As the statue doubt even IL
they would discover the deception.
And, by Jove. Mildred, I'll do i'll I'll fix
a box to look like marble. stand you in
it. drape your shoulder aud whiten your
hair and face. With the use of some
plaster Of Paris we can make your breast
seem TO come directly out from the
rough stone: and your arm-why. Mil
dred, we can take that off. Yon will be
the real Venus of Milo. and I'll wager
they won't see the deception. Are yon
willing, Mildred?' he asked, all excite
ment now.
DO you think they would be de
ccived" Mildred asked. What Joke
If they were" she went on. catching the
spirit Of his plans. What joke."
And SO it was decided Scott sent tho
president of the Society Of American
Sculptors favorable answer to his let
ter. He stated the day and named the
hour he should be- pleased 10 receive his
artist friends. and though he assured
them his statue was quito incomplete,
still he said they should have a peep at
IT, Mildred and himself at once began
preparations for the exhibit. and long
before the appointed day came they were
in high glee over the prospects, for their
private rehearsals had proven more than
successful.
And then the trial and the end of it all
came. Ii was beautiful day about the
| FIRST Of June The studio had been ar
ranged with especial care for the occa-
sion. There were bits of the sculptors
art about the room, some profles in
white against black plush upon the
walls, and draperies hung in profusion.
At 2 o'clock the invited guests, artists
and journalists, about dozen in num-
Der, arrived at the little summer home
Of the Scotts on the hill. Clement re-
ceived them and entertained them over
cigars with the talk OF men and things
which usually interest such people. For
full hour they sat this way. he could
see plainly that his guests were becom-
ing impatient for something moro en-
citing than talk. but still he kept them
In the studio
Some one called 10 see Scott He ex-
cusei himself and was gone some min