The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-02-21
~ Course Of Painting.

| out for the dreaded interview with her
rival
Ills studio was at tho end of an alley
90 chesinnts. which flled the air with a
yasae scented fragrance.
The blossoms seemed to her like vo.ivs
candles on the altar OF sprting. The green
rooted avenue Was cathexiral aisle. foot
I'd by metfable presepees. The hymn
ing birds were heavens olioristers.
This vivid uniting OF spirit was not
the best preparation for her task and
the shock with which she always de-
scended from these flights into the lower
levels Of existence was mors painful than
usual when she found herself ringing
Herr Hofmeycr' bell
She sent up her card, and after waiting
for some time in the parents parlor was
shown upstairs 10 the studio. or.as she
described IL 90 herself that labora tory
of ugliness."
The man she found IN posse sslon was
not Herr Hofmeyer, however, and as he was
evidently painting something that he saw
through the windoN, and had his back
toward the door. He did not move as
she entered.
'Pardon--a moment. I've just got it,
he nurmured.
She had the fullest sympathy with such
absorption. and remained quietly stand
She glanced round AT the vacuous Ma
donnas IN their derivaiive poses and
their robes of mutually destructive color.
The grossly vanished surfaces gave her
a sensation OF physical sickness
And IA was that she, also, might pro-
duee such things--that she might desc
crate beauty By this blaspnemy of tinted
treacles-~that she was there, Her eye.
TO It's immense comfort. lit on an un-
49,. st...as
griously among the others
IL seems delicate vague. She crossed
with fmplllsive delight. to examine It,
Ii was an impressionist study OF misty
morning.
Living az she did, far from art centres
and In a bourgeois set. she had not even
heard or the impressionist school She
thought that this specimen of il was one
of Herr Hofmeyer's unfinished land
scspes. sD
'Oh. why does he ever finish them ?' she
sighed. 'fup 10 this point they aro right"
The artist had seen exactly what she
saw. This was the record of that first.
vague, all embracing Hash of vision,
which found her merely receptive.
With her the vision had 10 sink into
the soul, there 10 he brouded over, trans
muted, crystallized. But as present
ment of the first step In the process II
was Was true.
The worker at the easel had now got
what lie was trying for, He had come
up and was looking over her shoulder.
you are Interested" he said at last.
"Oh. yes, l have seen It, too she
answered simply. But how can any one
who has seen this end by seeing that?'
and she pointed 10 vulgarized and real-
istic treatment OF the same subject In
Harr Hofmeyer's more familiar style.
Here, Morning Is fairy princess;
there. she IL fat, overdressed wo-
man."
Pm glad you like the little thing"
the stranger laughed, Though you're
hard on poor Hofmeyer. IL doesn't
seem fair TO be abusing the dear old
fellow In his own studio"
Elizabeth looked full at the speaker
for the first time and the pleasure I'm
her eyes did not fade.
lie was a handsome man; indeed. such
a fiawless example of the blond. square
shouldered type OF masculine beauty that
his individual charm. which was an elu-
sive one of expression, did not count for
most people.
But it was the one Elizabeth's eye few
straight 10.
Would you care 20 look at what was
trying for when you came in? Perhaps
you have seen that. too
Crossing TO the easel, they stood before
an alley of chestnuts i'm May.
"Oh. yes.-this morning. coming here"
And she smiled 20 him. frankly glad.
The scene was not as she would have
Continued on Page Three.)