The Monmouth inquirer., 1897-08-26
WANTED: A MODEL.

expression upon the face of her niece
as did follow this opinion. Lena Sey-
nour's great brown eyes flashed, her
pretty lips curled with scorn and a rich
mantled in her cheeks
Proper! Society does not rule down
here, Aunt Margaret Besides it is a
mere matter of businessl"
A twinkle danced in Miss Margaret's
eyes, but vanished presently.
oh" she said, you mean to make
1 profession of your art
"Oh, dear! sighed Lena, how many
times have told you, Aunt Margaret,
that art will not accept divided hom-
age. / hope some day to call myself
an artist Now" and the large brown
eyes grew luminous, the lips smiled as
# some vision Of beauty woke glad
response in Lena's heart, and her lit
lie white hands moved unconsciously
to clasp each other; now can only
hope and dream, work and prayi"
Then she came suddenly out of this
little ectasy and said:
81 sent an advertisement to the
Granville Gazette yesterday, and it is
published to-day"
She took a folded newspaper from
her pocket, opened it and read:
WANTED--A fisherman to stand
as model for an artist. Terms liberal.
Apply at No. 8 Seaview Terrace, Ocean
Place, Wilton
s'By the way, Aunt Margaret, the ut
ter absurdity of that address never
struck me as forcibly as it does at this
moment Ocean Place strip of sea
beach half mile in extent! 'Seayiew
Terrace, four empty and one occupied
cottage. | suppose all the population
Of Wilton will apply for the position.
But nearly week passed, every day
bringing a repetition of the advertise
ment and not an answer reached Sea-
view Terrace. Lena worked busily at
her picture, a seascape, with a group
Of children in the foreground, a woman
watching the waves upon a rock to the
right, and a great blank space for the
fisherman, who was to come to greet
her. The subject was not very new or
very original, but Lena was treating
it with wonderful power for a young
artist. She had worked faithfully u1l-
der good masters in London, Paris and
Rome for six years, and was an artist
born Her father had been proud of
her genius, giving it full scope, while
she was yet a mere child, and when he
died he charged his sister to let Lena
have her will il she wished to continue
her studies. The girl, then only seven
teen, when her routine of studies with
her masters was over, took her easel
and brushes for rest, for salve to the
bitter heart-pain her fathers absence
caused, and, with her aunt for COM
panion, went abroad to study. She had
been at home only two months when
she took board at Seaview Terrace and
began her sea picture her first large
one on canvas. 1t was too early in the
season for seaside visitors, still April
weather and Wilton was but small
place, SO she worked outdoors, her easel
facing the wide blue sea she copied
with sometimes fainting, often exul-,
tant heart.
Mortimer Gilroy called himself weary
of the world. AT thirty-two he had ex-
hausted all the pleasures liberal for
tune, strong health, cultivated mind
and plentiful leisure afforded. When
/ say exhausted / merely quote Nor
timer Gilroy. He had done" Europe,
Egypt and his native country; had been
petted by society, escaped numerous
cunningly spread matrimonial webs,
and, while he counted his fiirtations by
dozens, he was heart whole, as he lay
upon the deck of the Firefly, his own
yacht, reading the Granville Gazette.
He had come from winter cruise on
the coast of Florida, through the gulf
of Mexico, winding about the West
Indies, till, weary of sea as well as
land, he was sailing for New York
when he put in at Wilton for supply
of fresh provisions.
"Hulloo." he muttered, Il do believe
this is the beautiful artist / saw
through my glass this morning, paint
ing on the beach. 'Wanted-A fisher
man to stand as a model for an artist
Terms liberal Apply at No. 3 Seaview
Terrace. Ocean Place, Wilton She
was very beautiful. l was sorry when
the sun became too glaring on the wa
ter and drove her indoors. Usher
mani"
He mused moment, then called:
"Bob!''
A rugged sailor answered at once.
Bob / am going to stay at Grant
Vile for few weeks. You will take
the yacht homei"
Bob was too much accustomed to his
masters sudden freaks to make any
comment, and Mr.. Gilroy, hastily se-
Letting a few articles in his cabin.
packed a valise and went ashore.
June had come, Lena had spent the
merry month of May in dream of per-
feet happiness. She meant no decep-
ton when she told her Aunt Margaret
it was the rapture of artistic success
that painted her cheeks and made her
eyes brilliant, her voice thrill with mu-
steal cadences.
Every day, when the weather permit
ted, she was upon the beach. working
with rapid fingers and swelling heart
over her canvas. Every day, at the
hour agreed upon, James Smith, fisher
man, presented himself as her model
upon the liberal terms offered in the
Granville Gazette. Had Lena been
brought up in society know it would
have been impossible for her to accept
Taxoes Smith at his own word as VIII