Evening star., 1898-08-27
AN ARTS TIC FROST
Different Views of Fragrant Bed of
Mint
The Girl With the Titan Hair started
the Fun and the Going of I'm
welcome Guests.

At distance slightly greater from the
city than Admiral Sampson and his flag
ship New York wers from the Cristobai
Colon when she struck her colors there Is
sylvan retreat much affected by those
members of the artistic colony OF the cap
ital city Who are denied, through the lean
ness of their purses, the pleasure of doing
sketches abroad during the summer, and
from early June until late September a full
sc ore of wieders of the brush may be
found beneath the hcspitable roof of an
old mansion, where 8 few dollars a week
suffice to provide comfort for the inner
man, while Iimitless exranse of mountain,
wood and dell fills to satisfaction the ap-
preciatfve souls of these students of Mother
Nature in her varying garbs. With an
overweening desire for fried chicken, corn
bread and butter milk two young men of
the city, whose only claims to a member
ship in such a colony would come from the
artistic manner in which they can pervert
the truth, decided to spend a couple of
days at the old mansion last week, and
bearded an afternoon train, armed with a
change of linen and couple of fuil-grown
tcttles, and arrived at their destination
about dusk.
Their total claim to acquaintanceship
an ong the elect of the brush and palette
was a bowling acquaintance with very
cleVer amaleur artist and, much better,
very GIRL Iney were introduced Dy
her to the hostess, and were suffered to
remain at so much per day. After deposit
ing their luggage In a large second-story
room used for part of the summer by a
painter Of marines, ard decorated accord
ingly with monsters and serpents of the
sea that could only find birth in the mind
OF lover of the marine or the disordered
imagination resulting from an overindul-
gence in 'Bloodfield sbcrts," the two grin
gees repaired to the broad -veranda and
watched the queerly clad guests they
returned from all directions bearing easels
and sketch books. The rev comers were
greeted wit an icy stare by the artists as
they passed in the house, and as faymen,
their intrusion vas plainly unwelcome.
At the supper table there was still
more decided frost and if their appetites
had not claimed their full attention their
embarrassment would doubtless have pre-
cipitated retreat on the part of the two
young braves. They were seated opposite
one another and with sly glances and winks
took In the different bits of conversation
that drifted about the board. The topics
were found chiefly in the works of the old
masters, and the words Rembra ndt, Nelas-
quez and Raphael, expressing only a vague
idea of something ancient and marvellous,
angels, cherubs and faces surrounded by
dark hair and a still darker background
to these young Philistines, dripped lightly
from the tongues of those assembled about
the board. Forestalling an effort to draw
them into the conversation, the two began
to act mysteriously and exchange cipher
sayings among themselves. Attention was
attracted to them Immediately, and the
situation was in their hands. All thoughts
of ola masters were banished, and the al
most painful silence was only broken oc
CasionaIly by bit of conversation between
the two, about as follows:
DO you suppose there will be any dan
ger?'
Not in the least. Besides, are we not
protected?"
True. What numbers would you sug-
gest?
Fourteen thirty-two 106 L think
Good, and how about the hour?
'.Two-thirty will suit admirably"
Let it be two-thirty then"
With the last sentence both arose and
went out on the front porch, leaving the
astonished and bewidered artists to dis
cuss the suspicious conversation, while
they, proud of their achievement in turn
ing what looked like a frosty defeat into
an Overwhelming victory, smoked their
cigarettes beneath the trees.
Now in the beautiful lawn in front of the
house there is one of the finest beds OF mint
in all Virginia. The artists admire this for
its beautiful color, but it suggested differ
ent thoughts to the minds of the Washing
ton youths. So when all the household had
retired early, so to be up in time TO get
the morning light on the morrow. the two
slipped out in the yard and gathered 10
themselves punches of the fragrant mint,
and with the aid of the full-grown bot
ties managed to while away a couple of
worried them no little al first but their
sleep was sound and the rising bell in the
morning found them loath to leave their
beds.
At the breakfast table they found the
full colony engaged in an absorbing CONVEX
sation.
Did you notice what pervading odor
of mint there was in the house last night?"
asked the girl with the Titan hair
Il did, indeed responded her vis-a-vis.
And L am sure l heard footsteps at all
hours last night. L was very much fright
ened," added she who was welded to her
art because a husband was a little too hard
to find.
The young men smiled.
But, strangest of ALL put in the wife
of a celebrated naval hero, my pocket book
with all my money and jewelry, has disap-
peared."
What" came the chorus, and all eyes