Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-04-22

he lifted 1t to the canvas and-mads
nothing but a smear&pon the sheet.
Again snd again he essayeS to bring
back his departed talent, but in vain.
With intense and unutterable horror,
1t dawned upon him that his artistic
genius had been but an intellectual
| will-O'-the- wisp. No sound escaped
from him; he was as one transtixed,
staring with wide-Open eyes Mt the
canvas bespattered with daubs. with
out form and void, and anon to the
blank wall beyond his easel
All the time the model had been an
astonished witness Of this remarkable
scene, but as the brush fell from
Hardy's grasp. and, sinking upon q
chair, he covered his face with his
hands. In abject misery. she rushed
up to him. Are you i'll, Mr.. HardyT
she asked breathlessly.
"Oh, it's nothing-oniy-only I can't
paint-all conception Of how to do It
has completely gone-like a frightful
dream when one awakes. It's awfulg"
And an eternal darkness seemed to
gather over his very being.
Just then there was a knock at the
door and the baronet and his daughter
were ushered in. They were deeply
concerned at the phenomenon that had
occurred to the artist.
"Now. you and Mary must marry.
and then possibly" the baronet said,
laughing. "your Intellectual blight will
disappear. You'll be all right financial
ly; I've arranged that part Of the busi-
ness. SO 1t won't matter II you never
paint again."
A fortnight later the wedding tool
place: Hardy was too occupied to dwell
on his lost genius. Three days only
remained Of their honeymoon in Scot
land when a telegram arrived, an
nouncing that Sir Henry Greet had
died suddenly from paralysis. So,
with heavy hearts. the young couple
at once returned to London.
V.
Six months had gone since the wed
ding. and the painter and his wife
were living in the late baronet's house
In GrOsvenor square, which, along
with all the other property of the
dead man, had been left to them. But
Hardy still hankered after his lost
art and continued to rent his old stu.
diO.
One morning he and Moore wer.
In the familiar room; every
thing had been kept exactly as on the
day when the artists genius left him.
Alfred" said Hardy. I've a strange
fancy; II The Dawn Of Love were
placed again on the wall beyond the
easel. 1 think I could paint a little.
Let's act upon the idea"
A couple Of hours afterward the IA
nous picture was In its old position.
Hardy sat before a clean canvas. The
model posed for Beside the Waters"
and after a steadfast look at "The |
Dawn Of Love-" the artist began opera |
lions. To his great surprise the old |
skill came back to him as quickly as
thought, and with such n power as he
had never known before, and once
more the glow Of inspiration shone In
MS eyes.
At the next exhibition Of the Royal
Academy Beside Still Waters" was
sven more popular than the celebrat
ID Dawn Of Love-"
Ever afterward Edward Hardy's &C.
Illus for painting was marvellous when |
The Dawn of Love" was before him,
,ut unless In the presence Of this tails
nan he had not the remotest notion Of |
lis art. Cases are on record where by |
'heer force Of will painters have given |
o their brain creatiOns-the figures
n their pictures-the power Of hyp-
lotizing their authors, the artists them
elves. Hence 1t has now and again |
risen that a painter has only been
Ible to work at all while In view Of
ne of his masterpieces And thus 1t
vas with Hardy and his "Dawn Of
owe"
The magic influence Of q product o,
he intellect, as our story shows, is
'ut an indication that there IL a genius
nd an Inspiration impaired to some
y ways that We cannot fathom. but
which are the inscrutable designs Of
he being beauteOus.-London Tit-Bits