The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-09-04

- still exists in New York, is land
Of myths and troubadours' 70
mances. Models that fit about from
studio to studio make themselves
agreeable in the oriental fashion by
telling stories which pass current read
lily, though few have any basis in fact.
Yet so strange are the actual happen
ings among the talented and erratic
Bohemians that the most improbable
tale Of all is likely to be the true one.
Therefore beware how you rashly
doubt the reality of the adventure
which am about to relate. My infOr-
nation is obtained from the most un-
trustworthy sources, yet | have occa-
sionally known the truth to come from
the same quarter.
Young Mr.. Edward Hardy is an art
jst of such versatility that in the seven
years since he came out Of an art
school he has probably drawn every
thing that any man can draw except IL
salary. He has Quaked ut the land
lords knock. and he has known hunger,
but not recently. 1t is now almost Il
year since he succeeded-and how no
man knoweth-in having his portrait
of Nine. Alba, the prima donna, hung
in the parlor of very swell hotel.
The portrait was made from Il photo
graph, and it looks no more like the
real Nine. Alba than it does like Agui
naldo, vet it suggests her in a curious
way, and, though the lady is, to speak
truly, somewhat cumbersome and
mature person, the picture is the
sprightliest thing that ever charmed an
eye.
1t had not been upon the wall more
than week when Il lady of society
whose present style of beauty requires
very much the same sort of artistic
treatment that Hardy had given Alba
engaged the young artist to paint her
portrait. He promptly borrowed suit
Of clothes from a friend and essaycd
his task. His work was highly salts
factory and really merited praise. He
unquestionably possesses the technique
that gives life to a portrait, and he has
a superhuman comprehension Of la
dy's ideas Of herself-that merciful de-
fusion that no mirror can uispel.
From this beginning Hardy gained
some acquaintance with persons OF
wealth and position. and thus he came
to know Mr.. and Mrs. Albert @. Brock
we'll and their charming daughter
Edith. 1t was Mr.. Brockwell whom
Hardy first encountered and in a man
ner most unfortunate. The gentleman
called at the studio under Mrs. Brock
wells orders. He is Il self made man,
and his clothes have habit of looking
as If they, too. had made themselves.
Hardy unhappily mistOok his visitor
for an ornithornicus (Which Is a beast
with a bin and treated him with that
hauteur which man just beginning to
get money assumes toward his credit
ors.
Such mistake is hard to rectify
and Brockwell went back to his family
with a heart full Of bitterness. Mrs
Brockwell is woman who does not
grieve Overmuch when some one takes
her husband down a peg or two. She
likes to do it herself. The result of hel
husbands prejudiced report was tina,
she wrote a very polite note to Hardy
asking him to call ut the house ant
discuss a matter Of portrait painting.
Hardy called upon the lady and hat
the pleasure Of seeing her daughter
whereupOn he for the first time return
ed adequate thanks to Providence tina
he had not been permitted to starve t.
death in the days when Il ham sand
witch had resembled Il government
bond.
He called second time. on which oc
casion Mr.. Brockwell was present. TIL
old fellows nature discloses the sam
mixture Of shrcwdness and stupidit,
that you will always find in the maj
who has progressed too fast. He saw
at Il glance that Hardy was smitte1