The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-08-30

"What! You do not mean to paint
in the open, by night?"
81 do though"
But how will you see your canvass
Have a bloOmin" cops began
Mr.. Watkins, rising too quickly to the
question. and &hen realizing this,
bawled to Miss IAurgan for another
glass of beer. Tin goin' to have a
thing called Il dark lantern" he said
| to Person.
But it's about new moon now" OBJ
| iected Person. There won't be any
moon"
''There'u be the house" said Wat
kins, at any rate. I'm gOin', you see,
to paint the house first and the moon
afterwards
oh said Person, too staggered to
| continue the conversation.
They doc say" said old Durgan. the
landlord, who had maintained re-
spectful silence during the technical
conversation, las there's no less than
three p'licemen from 'Azelworth on
dewty every night in the house-'count
of this Lady Aveling and her jewelry
One m won fOwer-and-siX last night
off second footman--tossin'."
| Towards sunset next day Mr.. Wat
l1ins, virgin canvas, easel and very
considerable case of other appliances
in hand, strolled up the pleasant path
way through the beech woods to
Hammerpond park and pitched his APP
paratus in strategic position com
manding the house. Here he was OBJ
served by Mr.. Raphael SAINT, who was
returning across the park from a study
of the chalk pits. His curiosity having
been fired by Persons account of the
new arrival, he turned aside with the
idea of discussing nocturnal art.
Mr.. Watkins was apparently una
ware of his approach. A friendly con-
versation with Lady Hammerpond's
butler had just terminated, and that
individual. surrounded by the three
pet dogs which it was his duty to take
for an airing after dinner had been
served, was receding in the distance,
Mr.. Watkins was mixing color with an
air of great industry. SAINT, approach
ing more nearly, was surprised to see
the color in question was as harsh and
brilliant an emerald green as it is
possible to imagine. Having cultivat-
| ed an extreme sensibility to color from
his earliest years. he drew the air in
sharply between his teeth at the very
first glimpse of this brew. Mr.. Wat
llins turned round. He looked an
noyed.
What on earth are you going to do
with that bedStly green?' said SAINT.
Mr.. Watkins realized that his zeal to
appear busy in the eyes of the butler
had evidently betrayed him into some
technical error. He looked at SAINT
and hesitated.
Pardon my rudeness, said SAINT;
but, really, that green is altogether
too amazing. 1t came as a shock.
What do you mean to do with it?''
Mr.. Watkins was collecting his re-
sources. Nothing could save the stu
alton but decision. IF you come here
interrupting my work" he said, I'm
a-goin' to paint your face with it"
SAINT retired. for he was a humorist
and peaceful man. Going down the
hill he met Person and Wainwright.
Either that man is genius or he is a
dangerous lunatic," said he. Just go
up and look at his green" And he
continued his way, his countenance
frightened by pleasant anticipation
of cheerful ARRAY round an easel in
the cleaning, and the shedding of
much green paint.
But to Person and Wainwright Mr..
Watkins was less aggressive, and ex-
planned that the green was intended
to be the first coating of his picture.
1t was, he admitted in response to
remark, an absolutely new method, in
vented by himself. But subsequently,
he became more reticent: he explained
he was not going to tell every passer-
by the secret of his own particular
style, and added some scathing re-
marks upon the meanness of people
changing about" to pick up such
tricks of the masters as they could.
which Immediately relieved him of
their company.
Twilight deepened, first one then
another star appeared. The rocks
amid the tall trees to the left of the
house had long since lasped into sfum-
berous silence, the house itself lost all
the details of its architecture and be-
came dark gray outline, and then
the windows of the salon shone out
brilliantly, the conservatory was
lighted up, and here and there bed
room window burnt yellow Had any
one approached the easel in the park
it would have been found deserted.
One brief uncivil word in brilliant
green sullied the purity of its canvas.
Mr. Watkins was busy in the shrub
berry with his assistant, who had dis
creetly joined him from the carriage
drive.
He cautiously approached the house
until he stood below the dressing.
room window, and began to put TO-
gether his folding ladder. lie was
much too experienced a practitioner to
feel any unusual excitement. jim was
accommodating the smoking-room.
Suddenly, close beside Mr.. Watkins in
the bushes, there was a violent crash
and a stihed curse. Some one had
tumbled over the wire which his as
siStant had lust arranged. He heard