The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-05-03
THE PAINTING OF
 THE PICTURE
nv nEILr MANIATEs.

BY BELLE MANIATES. fCopyright. 1905, Daily Story Pub. COL
 ri had been an intensely hot day. Now and then warm puns or wino scattered little whirlpools of olinoing white dust, but between these puns or breezes the leaves only stirred enough to utter a faint whisper. The not, close-cropped fields took on their nrst surrestion of autumnal anticipation.
 A tall, 1.-the farmer. leaning languid- Iy on his hay fork, was scanning the country road that passed the field where she was at work. At last he saw the looked for cloud of dust, and then came into his vision the little, rat pony and wide phaeton which was reined up at the fence, while fair-naireo girl called to him. He went up to the side of the carriage and while he was talk ing to her, he felt that she was fairly absorbing him with her gaze. He looked straight into her eyes and III their shining depths he beheld an ex- pression of rapture that he had ever longed to bring there. but he kceniy realized that he was only the sugges- ton of some intense thought that had brought this look to her dream-cen- tered face.
 Do you know what has happened Dorr?' she asked breathlessly.
 'No," he said expectantly.
 "It has come at last! the inspiration and idea of my picture-the picture that is to be hung and make me fa- nous. If I can only persuade my model to pose for me!'
 T don't see anything picturesque here. Ruth," he said looking at the stretch of meadow land. unless you can paint the heat; that would be real istic."
 Tt is to be called" she replied dreamily, "aThe Last Load I shall paint the heat, your white horses with their tired, dropping of the head, the load of hay, and you with your fork. just as you stood when drove up."
 q don't think that will be much Of A picture" he replied discouragingly.
 wait and see! Will you pose for me. when your work Is droning"
 Certainly" he replied.
 He sighed as she drove away. He had loved her since he could remem- Der, but Ruth was heart-whole and fancy-free and entirely devoted to art.
 Maybe when I have really accom- plished my desire and painted great picture I will come to care for you, Dorr. but like you better than any onew
 And with this slight encouragement, the hungry-hearted young farmer must be satisfied.
 One day Ruth in long g-sleeved apron and atefier manner was before her easel and Dorr in shirt sleeves with straw hat tilted on the back of his head stood, pitchfork in hand, ready for his first pose.
 "I feel as I did when they inveigled me into some tableaux at a school en- tertainment," he said grimly.
 And what Is worse, you look it!' thought Ruth. Before we begin let me show you what idea am working on"
 He crossed the room and sat down beside her. Here" she explained, lis a sketch of your horses. and this is the meadow, and this is the load of hay What do you think of them?"
 He expressed his genuine admira- tfon.
 You certainly know how to paint horses. and the hay is fine"
 T tried to catch the close-of-day at- titude. Now can't you catch the spirit of what want. and look as you felt that day when drove up to the f1eld?''
 Maybe I can," he said going back to his place. He took his pose intelli- gently and easily.
 : That's rightH she said approving ly. as she rapidly sketched his figure. Only occasionally did she speak to have him alter his position in the two hours that she worked. He proved a responsive model, but there was a drawback. He had joyous mein and a radiance of hope in his countenance that she had never seen before ard which she knew to have been inspired by the meager hope she had held out to him that August night of glowing skies. The new look was very becom- ing, but professionally she did not