Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1901-11-08
CHAPTER VIII.
THE PORTRAIT.


THE PORTRAIT.
Sprague was seated before his easel
arranging his palette for the morn
ing's work. The unfinished portrait Of
Agnes Murdoch looked down upon him
with eyes of living beauty. Occasional
y the artist would bestow delft
touch upon the glowing canvas and
would retire to distance to note with
Il CRITICAL eye tie new effect. Then he
would consult his watch in nervous i'm
patience; and, going to the window,
he would glance anxiously up and
down the street. Once o.; twice the
rumble of wheels caused, him to. look
up in glad expectancy, Which, gradual
ly gave way TO- gloomy discontent as
the noise died away in The distance. :,
At length hope seemed to depart al
together from the young mans breast.
lie threw down hts BRUSHES, gave up all
pretense, of work and drifted of into q
brown study. His eyes, fixed upon
those of the portrait, had'a troubled
look in them-so troubled that it was
clearly out of all p;rroPortion to Qhs'
professional disappointmentofa paint
er Kept waiting for a fair subject. ~
So absorbed did he become in his
gloomy meditations, that, when at last
a carriage stopped before the house,
the artist did not hear 1t. But when,
presently, a: gentle tap sounded upon
the door of the studio, he sprangt to his
feet as if he had received an electric
shock. 60. "a. ..
Perhaps he had; for it. was followed
by q rapid current of delicious thrills
tingling through every nerve and eff
fecting in his whole being sudden
and marvellous Transformation. At
once the furrowed brow was smooth;
the dropping lips were wreathed In
smiles; the troubled look gave way to
one of glad welcome.
For she had come at last. There she
stood, with laughing brown eyes end
glowing cheeks, when Sprague threw
open the door. Alas, as usual, she was
accohpaniedby her maid. Never mind;
was it not enough to have her theirs at
all, to: bask, in the. sunshine Of her,
smile, to look into the dangerous
depths of those soul.stirring eyes,. to
listen to the ripping Of her silvery
voice? :,
"1fear m a little late, Mr., spr , GU
am sorry. to have kept, you waiting,
But you see this is how it was
What mattered it to him now how it
was: Was She not there?' An eternity
of suspense and misery would have
been wiped out by that, single entran.
cling fact. 1Ie:' words beat upon his ear
like rap1 urous melody;'he drank Them
in, hardly conscious of their meaning.
Agnes Murdoch, followed by her
maid, proceeded at once to THE Dress
ing-room set apart for the use OF the
artists models. When: she, retuned,
dressed Tor the sitting, she assumed un-
der Sprague,s directions the pose of the
portrait. while the artist critically ar
ranged her draperies and adjusted the
shades and screens. ,.., .. :;
The maid had remained in the dress;
"And so these are positively the last
final touches. are they, Mr.. Sprague?"
asked the young girl, mischievouslyj
after a few minutes. :"You aitists Seem
to be quite as uncertain about your
farewell appea ranees'as a ny fahibus:ac-'
tress Of singer" ,: ''.:-'":':;.:f> i" s;'
The artist looked lup Quickly as:the
girl spoke ''An> expression ''of pain
crossed Ills: features; -, 1;r*c i: il.
"Ys,,. Miss M Mqraq9E," he : sa|swefs t.d,
sra7s]y: ~ shall not ha*s 70 trouble i!
Miss Murdock,a.u-atte6tionS WAS ;:l: ''; att4
tracted by the matalcholy mote inyhie
voice. She observed BIN j. III from the cor
ner ct her eyes in kindly curiosity.
Tie artist fell Into = 1hoobdy silence.
For awhile he worked with fe1efishsao-
tivity at the portrait: and tAbn. gzad~
usIH falling into = At Of mViancholy
abstraction has 9Aat. WITH poised bartht5h,
casing intsntly';st Thu beadt&talssfrl
before ihin1.', tHiar* ssasiht toyGAttepI ha
was apperenkiyt;: aseoaseiausisthat,,h e
was taking se!yanat f Of his,p privileged
position to Stare At az S!' subjeS A e
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