Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-07-07

"Well, my Sunshine will be like young
Nourmahal, the light of the harem.
Dark-eyed, like an Eastern beauty, with
clouds of dusky chestnut hair, she shall
possess, not
"A beauty forever unchangngy bright
Like thr long, sunny lapse Of a summers days
light,
But that loneliness. ever in motion, which plays
Like the light upon autumn's soft shadowy days.
Shall | read you the poem, Hester?n
A CLEAN of pleasure shot up into the
dull eyes, and the girl answered with
half-breathless accent that showed the
deep poetic nature underneath the cold ex-
terror, 81 should like it so much"
Then after that, every day when supper
was concluded and those weary dishes
back again in their places, Hester would
come out on the old porch, and Henry
Spencer would read her Moore's lovely
melodies and stories until twilight forced
them to close the book. Sometimes he
would coax her away from the old farm
house to wander over the hills and watch
the golden glory of the sunset as it faded
away into shadowy night. Then he would
talk To- her of other sunsets, other lands,
where these same sunbeams glinted over
icy peaks or shone on the warm surface of
a tropical sea. Through his wonderful de-
scriptiOns he pushed aside the narrow
bands that encompassed Hester's life, and
led her into new world of beauty And
the girls heart gradually grew light with
the brightness reflected from the artist
own sunny nature. She began to talk
this quiet Hester, heretofore so silent be-
cause there were none to listen to what she
had to say. She was no longer dull and
stupid. Bright and sweet were the merry
fancies that fell from the smiling lips
The shadow went out of her eyes, and the
lines of care smoOthed themselves away
from her forehead.
There was a wonderful change coming
slowly over Hester. Under the artists
moulding, the weary girl, oppressed with
the dull routine of disagreeable duties,
was becoming brilliant, beautiful woman.
Life was no longer a dreary thing to be en-
dured with patience, but rich heritage
full of glorious possibilities. And Hester
was happy. She thought she had found a
friend-did not know, this inexperienced
Hester, that she was only wandering in the
path familiar to all maidens since the time
when Eve loved Adam.
One day she asked the artist if he had
found the model for Sunshine"
He smiled and answered "Yes."
"Who is she?'
Tomorrow you shall see'
In the morning Hester knocked at the
studio door, anxious to see the face whose
portrait should be the companion piece for
her own.
"Where is she?" asked the girl, as she
looked around the shabby room that con-
tanned no other womans form but her
own.
"You shall see her presently" and Hen
ry Spencer smiled as his glance met Hes
ters puzzled look.
Then he rose from the great old-fashion-
ed armchair where he had been sitting,
and, taking her gently by the hand, seated
her in his own place. Resting one arm on
its ugly leather back, he bent over her I'M
til the sunny blue eyes looked full into the
depths of the dark ones beneath
81 did not find the model for Sunshine,
Hester; | created her. Up here among
the mountains, where even the breath of
the summer wind is cold and chilli found
lonely woman who had lived life of I'M
suitable labor, amidst uncongenial compan-
ions, until a dreary shadow of perpetual
gloom lowered round her brow and settled
itself in the depths of her dark eyes. But
of late the shadow has lifted, chased away,
dare to think, by the sunshine of love
Look, Hester, at the reflection in that lit
tie cracked mirror yonder. Do you see the
fair, sweet forehead, so calm and quiet.
and the lovely eyes, bright with the glitter
ing light of happiness? There is the mod
ell for Sunshine Now, Hester, lift your
lips to mine, and tell me that she is my
own-mine to shine around my life, my
heart, my home. Tell me, darling, that
have found my model and-my wife"
No answer came from the trembling lips
beneath him, but as his own rested on
them they returned his kiss.
Sunshine" was not painted-a wedding
interfered. But at the great exhibition