Semi-weekly Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1897-1901, 1901-07-05
(EssSaI

found Pounds putting the finishing
touches Upon woInan's head. Sh,
was somewhat startling creature
gray eyed and thin Tipped, and sh,
stared straight out Of the canvas will
the expression of one who would say
You know why am here"
That's all right" said Earle Dean
to whom l communicated my idea OF
the head, "but why is she here? What
is she going to say or do? What is in
her mind? l couldn't guess
Divergent views upon this subject
were expressed by the company, and
we agreed upon only one point-that
Pounds had painted a fascinating mys-
terry.
Il was driven to it.' growled Pounds
"The rent is two months overdue"
Il would like to produce similar eff
feet in a story" said Dean, "and large
~ for the same reasoa."
There is only one way for man to
portray woman in felton," said Lang
don, who writes book reviews. HE
must tell precisely what she does and
must say no more about her. Then wo-
men will understand what she is, and
she will make the same impression up
on men that she would in real life
that is, she will be entirely incompre-
hensible to them, for it is the oldest
and the truest truth in the business
that a woman's mind is forever and
always sealed book to man."
Il can tell you story" said Pounds.
staring gloomily at his picture, that
will throw great deal of light upon
the mystery of woman"
Pounds is the coolest misogynist
that ever grew out of the ground as
the result of some ones having planted
piece of ice. He had smooth, po-
lite way of RELOCATING women to a
place in the scheme of nature little
lower than the domestic animals.
which has led some of us to suspect
a romance In his life. 1t could not be
possible that he was going to tell us
about it, yet there was something quite
unusual In his manner as he sat glow
ering at the picture. which all of us
knew must be a portrait
"A good many years ago." said he.
when / had more money and less
sense and was in every way better off /
than l am today, knew woman who !
was just like every other woman, {!
suppose, but she seemed different to |
me. She was a slender, nervous, active .
creature and she had gray eyes and a |
firm, strong earnest face.
"She lived in the Bancroft, where I |
had my studio then, and let me re.
mark in passing that it is the best |
studio building ever put up in this
country. The little suits there are COM
Portable beyond belief, and the light
ing has been managed wonderfully !
well. But the rents He threw up
Lis hands with gesture of despair.
"The woman" continued Pounds,
couldn't have afforded to live there,
but she happened to be the niece of
the owner, and he gave her a fine
studio for nothing. She seemed to be
a true Bohemian, who appreciated the
delights of living like a bachelor. |
say seemed because in those days l
my head a good deal trying to
her, and the failure that I
made was q notable failure, even for
one so gifted as | am with the faculty
IF not being right about anything.
"My suit was directly under hers
and exactly similar in design. The
loor from the hall opened into the
anger room. On the right was what
was intended as the sleeping apart
nent, and ON the left bathroom,