The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1904-08-04
tlfIk | | 4
The Study of a
Beauty. :: Austin Maitland.
ILL TT /

eludltSt luuil, Hulullteu ludt sue ue"
served her reputation.
According 10 report. she had been en-
gagged as many times as she had seen
seasons-whch were three. Whether
ii was true or no, even Sir Wilfrid
could not have said. But society
beauty must at least be reputed to be
engaged. otherwise her beauty becomes
a thing Of question, and it is satisfac.
tory that such an effort to maintain
reputation need not be brought about
by ones own actions.
The fact remained. however that
she was not married, and If her father
were asked for the truth Of any Of
these matters-or even mlated
upon them-he replied violet knows
more about il than ] do; IN that she
probably knows that there's no truth
in it-whcreas | don't know that It's
true And AT that complicated an.
swer people smiled, when they under.
stood it,
Lady Lowry had been dead for many
years, and Violet had grown TO look
Hpon her father as n chaperon. He
devoted his whole time TO her. taking
her everywhere. and denying her moth.
ing
II want TO 60 and see that exhibition
Of sketches at the Bohemian Gallery"
Violet said to her father one morning
at breakfast.
Why he asked. curlouRly, He
knew that there must he some espe-
cial reason-there always was except
30 the unavoidable invitations. 81
don't suppose it's worth seeing" he
added. NO wellknown men exhibit
at that gallery They're all strugglers."
Every mans struggles are original
IN a way" she said. thoughtfulIy.
Moreover I have heard that there is
picture there. very much like me
and want to see IT,"
Sir Wilfrid smiled, Now I under
stand he said. of course we will
go. Tits good. III buy IT. and IL lis
bad-well, III buy it all the same and
burn it, and be looked at her admir-.
ingly.
He often paid her compliments like
that
II don't know who It's by, she said.
smiling at him IN return.
How should yOu;" he replied. And
nftcr breakfast they started.
Al il O'Clock in the morning there
were few, If any. people at the gal.
lery 1t is doubtful IL any one went
after lunch. for II seems the fate of the
unknown men to he cut.
Violet did not know the name of tbe
artist or the picture, 50 it was some
time before they found out the paint.
ing in question.
sir Wilfrid discovered it. Here we
are he said-aud then he uttered an
exclamation, 81 never saw ANYTHING
80 like You in all my life" be said. ex.
citedly. Far better than that old
academlclaD, who made you sit In his
studio for hours"
With little cry Of delighted expect.
nncy, VIC let came to his side to look
at IL.
Father she exclaimed, surely It's
meant for me! Look, you see there's
more than one of them. Here's an.
other frame full OF different attitudes
ana poses; but how on earth could the
artist have painted them? Aren't they
wonderful"
Marvellous" was all Sir Wufrid
could say. Marvellous" and then he
repeated it again.
The picture was in water coIors--
the head and shoulders Of very bean
tiful girl, IA: more like Violet than
any photograph could have been, and
it was called The Study of Beauty"
But this was not all. In a frame
quite as large. hanging by its side.
were a set Of pictures with the same
title, and the same model i'm almost n
dozen different attitudes. Here only
the back of the head was seen: i'm
another the face in perfect profile.
There IT was bending low. as over n
DOOR; and there. again, was thrown
back so that the full throat was show
ing Yet still further, there were cor
ners of the paper devoted to studies of
the arms and shoulders and hands: all
every one of them. ms like Violet as a
mirror could have portrayed here.
They stood before the picture and
and could say nothing. Violet broke
the silence at last with a little cry of
surprise and eageness. One of the
hand studies showed ring on the
fourth finger. She bent down swiftly
and looked at it.
"Yes, father" she said. excltedly,
'look, it must be meant for me-see.
even the ring is exactly the same as