Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1894-08-16
followed by the day and hour when !
am IN nCppa tn UOllr stndin

y
"After you have seen me, should you
conclude to engage me, write on a piece
of paper the days and hours when you
wish me to come. If there Is anything
to be said by me, / will communicate
with you in the same way in which /
have now done,
"One more point, not quite so essen
tial but which / would like if possible
to have agreed to by you, is that ! shall
not have to pose more than one hour a
day, and that this be not later than 3
in the afternoon or earlier than III in
the morning.
Caldwell shook his head and grinned
as he handed back this very explicit
statement to Holworth, who replaced
it in his pocket Then he resumed his
narration.
"Of course you can see as well as
that this woman was no professional
model. AS she herself said in the let
ter, it was evident that she was doing
this rather reluctantly, solely for the
money. The letter, too, shows that it
was written by an intelligent woman.
But what / wanted was good model,
and if she proved that | was perfectly
willing to agree to her conditions. So
L inserted the "Personal" advertise
ment. 1 confess my curiosity would
have led me to do that, even if | had
been pretty certain that she would not
do at all / wanted to see what kind of
Judgment woman like this could pass
on her own shape.
81 got this letter Monday, and put
my "Personal" in the next days paper.
[ appointed 2 O'Clock the following
Thursday as the hour. This would
give her time to see it, and it was a
more convenient hour for the woman.
1t was not five minutes past 2 on
Thursday when | heard the bell ring.
1 had told the servant to usher the
woman who called at that hour into
my studio at once. AS soon as / heard
the bell ring L began to fuss around as
if were occupied with something. 1t
was my role to be absolutely business
like, and show no curiosity in the mat
ter.
"She came in, and after step or two
into the studio stopped without any
sign of greeting.
II bowed slightly, and said in the
most Indifferent tone / could assume !:
Il presume you are the model. If you
will step behind this portiere and get
yourself ready, and then come out and
stand on that platform with your back
to the corner, can tell in a moment
whether you will do.
"Then / went on with my work, after
pulling back the heavy curtain for her
to pass through and pulling it to again,
very closely. 1 had taken as sharp a
look at her as I could. Madame Mys-
terry wore around stiff hat with a broad,
straight leaf to it. Over this was drawn
one of those close woven black wells.
Around her neck was wound long,
loose black lace scarf. Not a feature
was indicated, not even the shape of
her head. She also wore one of those
long cloaks, which disguise the figure
so much. Her shoes were heavy Eng
lish walking shoes, one or two sizes
too large for her, 1 was sure. Her
gloves were heavy tan colored dog skin,
quite loose.
"Well, waited until she came out
with the keenest desire to see her figure,
which she had so shrouded and dis
guised. She took more time to get her.
self ready than model would do.
Finally the curtain was noiselessly
parted and she walked rapidly to the
platform and placed herself upon it.
She made me want to laugh at first,
for she was certainly comical model
for the nude. She had retained her
hat and veil and gloves. L could tell
that she was blushing, for even her
neck showed red.
"But, Caldwell, her form ~ Hol-
worth rolled his eyes upward and made
a despairing gesture with his hands.
Then he took pull at his brandy and
soda as if to get force to describe it.
To ~ al
and as he blew out the smoke in sigh
of rapture, he exclaimed ecstatically !:
"Such form / have never seen the
was faultless. The proportions were
of beauty, and such fullness and deli
cate maturity to it, yet with that sense
of firm, elastic youthfulness. And to
this perfect shape she added the charm
of skin like satin and az white as
snow, delicious, warm, dead white,
and the texture of it like the finest kid.
1 glanced at her feet. They were long,
slender, and with an exquisitely arched
instep, and the nails were rosy and and
perfectly shaped"
Holworth looked at Caldwell as if
overcome by the beauty of the human
form divine, which he had conjured up.
Caldwell laughed, and the sculptor
said:
II tell you, old fellow, 1 nearly lost
my head. 1 had got a goddess. l could
have gone on my knees to her. would
have given her $50 an hour! But l was
too eager to have her pose for me not to
to be very carful not to alarm her OF
violate any of her conditions.
$50 / said: That will do. / find that
you will answer my purpose very well.
1 shall be glad to engage you on the
terms proposed, and l pledge you my
sacred word of honor to observe all your
conditions. When you are dressed /
will give you slip of paper with the
days and hours marked on it when
would like to have you pose.
"She stepped down from the platform
with alacrity, and almost ran behind
the portieres. She took some time to
dress herself. When she reappeared |
was writing, and without hardly look
ing up said, indicating it with nod
of my head: There is the paper. Good
afternoon.
"She picked it up hurriedly, and