The Winslow mail., 1900-03-01

door of Polly's studio without gain
ing response, and was turning disap-
pointedly away when. there was a
sound of movement within. / paused,
the door opened, and Polly stood be-
fore me- A hideous checked apron
erveloped her from chin to toes, a
palette was over her left thumb, and
a brush was in her teeth. On the tip
oe her nose there was a patch of green
paint, and at this 1 smiled before l
said word.
She took this smile as a challenge.
''Well, what are you grinning at?" she
demanded. knew at once that Polly
was having an 'of' day.
AT your nose,'' L answered, cheer
fully.
"At my nosel" She took the brush
out of her mouth and stared indig-
Lantly at me.
"Yes, it's green-a beautiful emer-
aid green
rs that all" Polly quickly rubbed
her right sleeve across her face, there
by Transforming the splotch to green
smear that extended from nose-tip TO
right ear. "What do | care for a
little paint But 1 suppose you want
to come in?"
"That's what / came up for"
81 guess you'll have to, then. But
Go you see that sign?" She indicated
with her brush the card on the door
which bore the statement: UNLESS on
business, call after five."
"Oh, noticed that. But this is only
me''
81 can see that much. 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."
1 looked at Polly and whistled, but
not a line of her face relaxed. She
moved out of the doorway and
walked into the room and dropped
down on the couch. Polly took the
seat before the easel and began dab
bing viciously at the paint on her
palette.
whats the matter with you,
Polly?" asked at length. You're off
color this afternoon
''You think SOP" She turned and
looked at me.
Decidedly. Not only here"-I ran
forefnger 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 a jerk of her head.
''I've just had time with fat wom-
an 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 and she was smiling, too
"And she wants to look pretty in a
picture"
"Impossible," 1 declared.
''Not at ALL" corrected Polly. 'That
is, if you have no conscience, and a
portrait painter should have none. But
Just look at this!" 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 discouragingl /
forget sometimes and paint things as
they are. Next thing I'll get her
mustache in-she really has one, Tom
and then I'll be ruined"
"You have high IDEALS" 1 com
mented.
'Ideals!" she shifted. ideals, in
deed! 1 used TO have them-high ones
too. came near starving in those days
/ haven't any now, and-well, 1 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," L prompted.
"But they won't buy hats. And
what's life without hats?"
This was poser and 1 admitted as
much.
ideals are all right if you can afford
the luxury" Polly continued. Il can't
Those who"
A knock brought Polly's lecture to &
sudden end. When she opened the door
/ heard a woman's voice, voice thai
was far from soft.
Il decided to come back and take an
other look at that picture. l hardly
think 1 am just satisfied with it,"
'Why, of course, Mrs. Wilson. Come
right in.''
Polly stepped to one side, and there
moved into the room, with a grea-
rustling of silk, short woman whC
probably would call herself portly
whom the advertisements of fleshre
ducing compounds would call obese
and whom /, less polite than either
would call fat. Her chin was double
1t would soon be triple-there were lit
tie pockets of flesh beneath her eyes
there was marked growth of hair OF
her upper lip. and her nose showed
decided disinclination to adventure fal
from her face. l recognized the orig
inal of the portrait on which Polly was
working.
She took her place in front of the
easel, and. putting up her lorgnette
surveyed the painting.
Good. don't you think?" suggested
Polly.
The lorgnette came down and ths
lady of adiposity shook her sead.
II has sn9e good points yes" sh'