The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1900-02-28
A GLIMPSE OF
P0LLY'S ART.
LIE ROY NJ. SCOTT.

! had raped several times on the
door of Pclly's studio without. gaining
response, and was turning disppoint-
edly away, when there was a sound of
movement within.
paused, the door opened, and Polly
stood before me. A hideous checked
apron enveloped her from chin to toes,
palette was over her left thumb, and
she held a brush with her teeth. On
the tip Of her nose was a patch of green
paint, and at this smiled before said
a word.
She took the smile as a challenge.
"Weli, what sre you grinning at p" she
demanded. ! knew at once that Polly
was having an ''off" day.
"At your nose" | answered, cheer
fully.
"At my nosep' She took the brush
out of her mouth and stared indignant
ly at me.
"Yes; it's green-a beautiful emera.d
greenw
Is that all p Polly quickly rubbed
her right sleeve across her face, thereby
Transforming the blotch to a green
smear that extended from nose-tip to
right ear. What do l care for little
paint! But, / suppose you want to
come in?''
That's what came up for"
81 guess you'll have to, then. But do
you see that sign ?" She indicated with
her brush the card on the door which
bore the statement: Unless on busin-
ess, call after five"
"oh, l noticed that. But this is only
me-"
Il can see that musa. You don't
suppose I'd take you for anybody else,
do you? But come in, if you're going
to. Don't stand there all day.
L looked at Polly and whistled, but
not a line of her face relaxed. She
moved out of the doorway and l walk
ed into the room and dropped down on
the couch. Polly took the seat before
the easel and began dabbing vieiously
at the paint on her palette.
Whats the matter with you, Polly -
| asked, at length. You're off color
this afternoon
"You think so?" She turned and
looked at me.
Decidedly. Not only here"-I ran
forehnger from my nose across to my
right ear-'but all over. you're out
OF SORTS"
"Well, who wouldn't be-" she de-
manded, with jerk of her head. "I've
just had a time with fat woman who
has double chin. Just like this"
Polly scowled and drew in her chin
until the skin beneath it lay in folds.
l smiled; the mimicry left Polly's face,
aud she was smiling, too. "And she
wants to look pretty in a picture"
"Impossibler' | declared.
"NOt at all, - corrected Polly. THAT
is, if you have no conscience, aud
portrait painter should have none. But
just look at thisg' She leaned back
and gazed hopelessly at the canvas
"Here I've been painting without
thinking, and have worked that double
chin back in. It's discouraging! for
get sometimes and paint things as they
are. Next thing III get her mustache
in-sbc really has one, Tom-and then
I'll be ruined"
"You have high ideals" 1 COM
mented.
''Idealsr' she shifted. Ideals, in
deed. used to have them-high ones,
too. l came near starving in those
days. l haven't any now, and-well, l |
can spend all of my money, but I'm
not starving I've learned the whole
secret Of portrait painting. You want
to make them look handsome. Ideals
are all right"
Polly paused to rub some brown into
the background.
Yes" 1 prompted.
"But they won't buy hats And
what's life without hats?''
This was poser, and | admitted as
much.
Ideals are all right if you can afford
the luxury" Polly continued. 81 can't.
Those who"
A knock brought Polly's lecture TO
sndden close. When she opened the
door 1 heard a w0man's voice, voice
tnat was far from soft.
II decided TO come back and take
another look at that picture. | hardly
[ link | am just satisfied with it,"
sWhv. Of course, Mrs. Smith. Come
right in"
Polly stepped to one side, and there
moved into the room, with great rust
ling of silk. a short woman who proba-
bly would call herself portly; whom
the advertisements of flesh reducing
compounds would call obese, and whom
/, Iess polite than either, would call fat.
Her chin was double-it would soon te
tripIe-there were little pockets Of flesh
b meath her eyes, there was marked
growth of hair on her upper lip, and
her nose showed decided disinelina-
ton to venture for from her face rec
ognized the original of the portrait on
which Polly was working.
She took her place in front OF the
easel, aud, putting up her lorgnette,
surveyed the painting,
sGood, mt you think?" suggested
Polly.
The lorgnette came down and the
idy OF adiposity shook her bead.
at has some good points, yes, she
admitted, "but I don't like it as a
whole. It-well, it looks too common