The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1905-06-22

nf1fatuatfOft.|
w TE HAD GATHERED, ss and one
N/ usual, a half-dozen as over the
piring young "artists" in Here

OV0I Iu0 poP0I.
Here Vanderslush arose and began
to walk the floor in agitation. Clearly
the recollection of that early trouble
was strong upon him. He Gained
down shortly, relit his brier and con-
tinued:
"Boys, I sketched that nose at least
a dozen times, and erased it just as
many. Every time looked at it, it
seemed to have taken on a new form.
I finished every part but that. 1t be-
gan to fascinate me-because of its
elusiveness. gave the attempt up
finally, and frankly confessed to old
Prince that it was beyond me. He sent
a young fellow up to try his hand at it.
This chap returned with picture, all
right; but saw that it was no good.
1t was all fair except the nose.
"The image of that nose-a blurred
image it was-began to haunt me day
and night. I caught myself drawing
noses at all times and of all kinds, in
and out of season; big noses and little
noses; thick noses and thin noses; high
noses and fiat noses; Yiddish
and Roman; Grecian and Slavonlc;
snubs and beaks-noses, noses, noses,
of all imaginable sizes and shapes; but
never did hit upon one like fuckers.
I took to haunting the haunts of the
man with the nose,' as I mentally
1 termed him; bounding him from morn
ing until evening, ever with one object
in view, to get a glimpse of that nose.
1 fell to neglecting my work; grew
thin and emaciated; and was shortly
compelled to take to my bed. Brain
fever set in; and for ten weeks knew
nothing. I have hazy recollection of
great winged nose circling over my
bed at times"
Old Van got up and wiped the per-
spiration from his brow. He. was
living those horrible hours over once
more. He trembled all over.
"Go on Van," we pleaded.
"Well," he went on, 81 convalesced
/, |
again. had hoped that my strange
attraction for fuckers nose had van
ished; but not so. was no sooner out
l than found myself hunting for him
l found him in a cafe where he wa.
: taking luncheon together with hi
: bride of few months. l seated my
: self at nearby table, got out m!
tablet of paper and scanned the nos
V eagerly 1 thought detected chang
in it, sort of reddish sheen seemed
: to be spreading itself over its point
But it was as hard to draw as ever.
. $50 it continued from day to day. Th
Ii rest of the newspaper men joked abou
my fad of drawing noses. 1 attaine,
: such skill at portraying the human
~ nose that almost all the expression O
4, my faces was centered in them. The
} have called me the nose artist on thi
y account" He drank glass of waite
u and went on:
y "But to make long story shor
T. 1 watched the career of that nose t
y it's bitter end. saw it change from
D. fine pink specimen to red, then to
o. purple, pimpled, blotched article.
y heard the divorce proceedings, whe
10 the nose was introduced as evidence
~ prove the drunken disposition of th
y correspondent. saw its nostrils di
~ tend with fury when that divorce WE
~ granted" He stopped.
q: els that the end of It, Van2" "
W cried.
IL II saw it laid away in the potter
ce field the other day." he replied; an
his eyes filled with tears of heartfe
u emotion. EMERITUS.
lyl