Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-01-20

Aphrodite. He looked carefully at tia
face as he uncovered it, but could dis
cover no speculation as yet in the calm.
full gaze of the goddess.
! The foreign gentleman was inclined
to be laxative under treatment, and
the conversation came around to public
amusements. I'm my country" the
customer Salu, without mentioning or
betraying what his particular country
was, in my country we have what
you have not, places to sit out in the
fresh air, and drink a glass of beer.
along with the entertainments. You
have not that in London?"
BLESS your soul, yes" said Leander.
who was true patriot, plenty of
themr'
'Oh, did not aware that-but who?"
| SWELL said the hair-dreSser, there's
the Eagle in the City Road. for one:
and there's the Surrey Gardens-and
there's RoSherwich," he added after q
pause. CThe Fisheries Exhibition, It
may be said, was as yet unknown)
"And you so there, often?"
1--WE been to Rosherwich."
WAS it goot there-you lake it, eh?"
well, said Leander. they tell me
it's very gay in the season P'rhaps I
went at the wrong time Of year for it."
What you call wrong time for it,"
! ''Slack, nothing going on" he ex-
planned. like it was when | went last
,, Saturday"
you went last Saturday. And you
stay Il long time?''
Il didn't stay no longer than l could
help" Leander said; "all our party was
glad to get away
The foreigner had risen to go, when
his eyes fell on the Venus in the corner
You did not stay long. and your
party was glad to come away?" he re-
peated, absently. 81 am not surprise
at that" He gave the hair-dresser a
long stare as he spoke. mo, l am not
surprise. You have Il good taste, my
friend; you lake the antique, do you
not?' he broke off suddenly.
"Ah! you're looking at the Venus.
SIR" said Leander Eyes, I'm very par
tial to it,
ct is a taste that COSTS" his customer
said.
He looked back over his shoulder as
he left the shop, and once more repeat
cd softly, eyes, it is Il taste that costs"
81 SUPPOSE" Leander reelected rs he
went back, "it does strike people rs
queer, my keeping that statue there;
but it's only for one evening"
The foreigner had scarcely left when
an old gentleman, n regular customer,
looked in on his way from the city and
ut once noticed the innovation. He was
an old gentleman who had devoted
much time and study to art i'll the in
tcrvals of business and had developed
critical powers of the highest order
He walked straight up to the Venus
and stuck out his under lip.
'Whcrc did you got that thin%?" he
inquired "Isn't this place of yours
small enough without numbering it up
With statuary out of the IIuston Road?"
81 didn't get it there said Lcander.
'T-I thought it would be andy to 'ang
the 'ats on"
Dear, dear" said the old gentleman,
| "Why do you people dabhlc in matters
you don't understand? Come here,
Tweddle, and let me show you. Can't
! YOU see what Il miserable sham the
| thing iS-a cheap, tawdry imitation or
the splendid classic type? Why, by
merely exhibiting such Il thing, you're
vitiating public taste, sir, corruptng it."
Leander did not quite follow the re-
bukc. which he thought was probably
| based upon the gOddcsS'S antecCd"nts.
| ''Was she really as bad as that, Sir!'
he said, 81 wasn't aware so, or l
shouldn't give any offense to customers
by letting her stay here"
AS he spoke he saw the indeiinable
| indications in the statues face which
denoted that it was instinct once more
with life and intelligence, and he was
Mortified ut the thought that the latter
part of the conversation might have
been overheard.
"But I've always UNDERSTOOD he
said, hastily, that the party this re-
presents was pufiickly correct, however
free some Of the others might have
been; and | suppose that's the costume
Of the period she's in, and very hccom-
ing il is, I'm sure, though gone out
since"
"Rahr' said the old gentleman, its
poor art I'll show you where the thing
is bad. / happen to understand some
thing of these things. Just observe
how the top of the head is out Of draw
ing. look at the lowneSs of the forehead
and the distance between the eyes: all
the canons Of proportion ignored, abso
lutc1y ignored"
What further structures this rash old
gentleman was preparing to pass upon
the statue will never be known now
for Tweddle already thought he coulC
:; discern q growing resentment in hel
face under 50 much candOr. He coulC
!. not stand by and allow so excellent
customer to be crushed on the floor o.
his saloon, and he knew the Nenul
: quite capable Of this; was she not per
n petually threatening such a penalty Oh
$ much slighter provocationt
+ He rushed between the unconsciou
q man and his fate. 81 think you sa1'
r your hair cut?" he said, and laid VIC
(, lent hands upon the critic, forced hin
It protesting into a chair, throttled bin
with a towel and effectually diyerte
IT his attention by series OF persons
Is remarks upon the top Of his head.
e The victim, while he was being shan
g Dooed, showed at first an alarming ter
a dency to revert to the subject Of tn
GODDESS defects, but Leander wa