The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1895-05-30


Would you mind looking at it? You
will excuse US a few moments. cap
tain?"
Certainly, my dear. must go 10
headquarters and attend TO some busi-
ness that demands my attention"
Brown followed the good lady into
the house, and the painting was point
ed out to him He stood gazing upon
II in rapt admiration. his eyes glowing
with pleasure as they drank in every
detail of light and shade and bold coll
oring.
"BierdstadtP"
How did you know?" she asked.
His name does not appear on the pic
ture."
mo one acquainted with his bold
touch and happy conceptions could
ever mistake the work of that master
hand" he replied. There is an indi-
viduality clinging to his pictures
which proclairns their authorship as
plainly as if his name appeared with
glowing distinctness on the margin Of
the canvas"
The painting was one of those bold
mountain conceptions for which Bierd-
stadt was famous. a great rocky gulch
rent the breast Of the mountain chain.
the sides Of the yawning chasm and the
surrounding face of the mountain brist-
ling with pines and studded with bowl
ders. The morning sun was Just peep
ing over crag to the eastward. bath
ing the rugged face of nature in mel
low, golden light, On the brink of the
precipitous wall on one side of the can
yon stood lordly elk with head erect
and nOstrils distended gazing across
the great chasm 70 where. on the op-
posite brink. stood a mountain sheep
in the same startled attitude. The an
imals seemed to have discovered each
other al the same moment, and their
pose, the rising sun and the soft blush
of color which surrounded all confirmed
the appropriateness of the title of the
picture, "A Morning Surprise"
In words of eloquence the young sol
dier traced the artistic beauties of the
rare work of art, and Mrs. Colby list
ened in admiration of the intelligence
OF the man in whom she felt such great
interest, but whose voice she had never
before heard. As he went on and on.
dilating upon this point and that, COM
pairing the work of Bierdstadt with
that Of other famous artists. every
doub; of the truth of the story told her
by Alice Sanford faded from Mrs. Col
by's mind, and in her eyes the young
man became a hero. 1t must be re-
membered that Brown was ignorant of
the fact that she was in possession of
his story, and In the midst OF an elo-
quent speech his position as a private
soldier flashed upon him, and in an en-
harrassed manner ne said:
Il beg your pardon, madam In nv
pleasure at being permitted 10 view
this beautiful work of art quite for
got myself, and fear have tired you.
With your permission will retire"
%, no, you must not assure you
your criticism of the picture greatly /
interests me. aud your praises OF its /
beauty CRAFTY me moro than ! can tell |
you. Please be seated, for I love 70 |
heGr you discuss art and artists
She motioned him to a chair. and for !
an hour they sat in interested eonver-
sation. Mrs Colby was, unknown 20 4
him, sounding the young soldier 10 the [
depths, and with womanly tact she 4
drew from him biz by biz little touches I
Of eoloring from his early life, and By /
her ease ot manner and gracious de- |
neanor 50 impressed him that he again 4
lost sight Of his humble rank and con- I
Tersed with her as he would with a
lady in the parlors Of society in the 4
east She was = woman Of finished 4
education, ono who had seen much Of 4
the world. and as she led him on and .
'n from topic to topic, her wonder
yrew at his intelligence and fine con
powers