Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1900-06-27
E1On0ra's Hit.

The strong sunshine which poured
through the skylight of the big studio
was tempered and diffused by white
muslin screen painted with blue drag
ons, while tall vases, plaster bas re-
liefs, bits of odd tapestry, palm tree
or two, brass tea urn and a luzuri-
ous divan with pillows three deep
gave the room an air at once artistic
and feminine. Five young women
were sitting or standing at the easels,
some hourishing charcoal sticks, others
with paillettes on their thumbs, all in
tent on mastering the difficulties of
perspective values" or "plaues, :"
while sixth, with her hair unbound
and wearing flowing red robe, rep
resented their idea Of Moorish hero
inc. Outside the buzz and roar of
New York throbbed on the afternoon
air, elevated trains shrieked and
whizzed by, street calls rose and fell,
and hurdy gurdy on the next corner
ground out once popular tune, but
no one noticed these noises any more
than the country plowboy notices the
wind signing all day through the
pines on the hill.
Time to rest, Nora" announced
Miss Haviland, and while the wor-
shippers of art relaxed their tired
muscles and exchanged theories, praise
and criticism with the frankness of
the cult, Honora also stepped down
and took curious look at the semi
circle of more or less realistic like
nesses. What she saw was young,
dark haired woman with wistful gray
eyes, hands clasped before her and o
sad an6 almost careworn expression.
This Moorish girl was clearly cap
tive, pining for home, and, uncon-
sciously, flash of her old spirit came
back into Honora's face. "Goodness,
do I look like that 2" she thought,
slightly Strengthening herself. ssDick,
dear Dick What would you say if
you knews? z 5
ts 1Esoa pose rerJ you We done
it before, no doub IS, i - obserYedS one of
the girls in n tone of serene patron
age, but Miss Haviland broke in kind
ly, before Honora had time to reply /:
...Oh, no" slie said, Nora isn't a
regular model. She just came to
oblige us, didn't you, Nora %
"Pose !" cried Grace Hunt in a
clear, high voice, consulting her
watch; the captire's dimple disap-
peared she hastily resumed her sta
ton and attitude, and the sorrowful
look again crept over her face. The
young ladies returned to their stools,
and for some moments, nothing was
heard but the squeaking of charcoal
and the scraping of palette knives.
"The line of the neck is good, but
she's distinctly too thin, and her arms
are unsatisfactory" declared Mrs
Tremaine, selecting fiat brush and
squeezing some raw sienna out of a
tube. She WAS young widow, ma
tronized the apartment and spoke eS-
actly as if tue girl had been o lag fig
ure or block of wood.
"Your nose is too long and you are
IN i'll hammered iceberg also, thought
Honora, vindictively, with such rush
of blood to her cheeks that severely
heightened the tint of their portraits
with touch of rose-madder.
Honora went home that night with
80 in her pocket aud insulted pride in
her heart. Home for ner now was q
mere closet under the roof of neigh
boring apartment house.
"Who is she, au yay ?" asked
Grace, carelessly, as the friends COM
pared canvases after the models de-
parture. "She has a stunning head
Of hair. You say she is not a profes-
sional?"
"Oh, no; she's girl who has done
plain sewing for Mrs. Lawrence, on
the fifth floor. I happened to see her
there and thought she looked paint
able. She needed the money, guess,
by the look of her hollow eyes," an.
swered Miss Havilsnd, half remorse-
fully.
A month passed after the pictures
were finished, and the fair students
of the Iverness did not see Honora =
never thought of her. Early one
January morning, however, the pri-
vate bell rang and Elizabeth went to
the door.
"Why, how do you do-ah-Katy,
no, Nora, isn't it?" she said, with
her kindly smile. $50 you want to
pose for US again, do you ? But you
look thin. Have you been ill ?"
''No, thank you; I'm quite we'll.
would rather not pose, but I thought
you might have some sewing for me-
possibly - one Of you ladies'" STAN
mered Honora.
"Well, sit down and I'll speak to
..he others. The girl sank into o
chair in the dark little corridor, fol-
her limbs trembled under her. Miss
Hayiland, when she came back. ap-
peared somewhat at loss for the
right word herself.
eve don't seem to have much in
the way of sewing" she began, but ]
suspect that Providence may have
sent you to our relief, after all. You
know four Of US girls-the four that
you saw-live here with Mrs. Ire.
maine in a suite of rooms, and we've
been hour excepting by turns, getting
our breakfast and lunch and taking
dinner at tie cafe. But we are al
tired of the arrangement, and we've
been thinking if we could get some
nice Miss Hsyiland hesitated :
"l'efined young woman to cook the
meals and keep everything comfort
able, it would be good idea all
round. Can you cook 2"
"ies." Honora's tongue really
wouldn't say ma'am, so she made il
Miss Haviland instead.
=. Then what do you say to trying
it, We put out the laundry work, SC
it would Be easy housekeeping, " aud