The Palatka news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1907-02-08
, PAINTING UNDER A
DOUBLE INSPIRATION

loriginall


lOriginall
In Interlaken, at the base Of th
Swiss Alps, one gets a fine view c
the Jungfrau raising its head, veile
with snow, in apparent close proxim
/ ty. One day a girl sat before an ease
/ endeayoring TO transfer the mountal
| to canvas. Whether it was that sh
had little artistic talent or was a be
I ginner, she did not succeed in maxim
an imposing picture.
The girl drew back TO have a look a
her work, sighed and dropped her pal
/ cite.
"MademOiselle seems discouraged.
said a voice behind her in French.
She turned and saw the pale face o
a young man evidently in poor health.
Il only speak English" she said. a.
am an American"
"Oh, an American! So am l." AnC
he repeated what he had said in hi
native tongue.
Il shall never learn to paint" sai(
the girl despondently.
Perhaps you have been too long a
work. Why not leave off and begir
again in the morning when you ar,
fresh:7
That's a good suggestion. l began
the picture in the morning"
In that case would certainly rec
ommend you to work on It only before
noon"
Why"
Well, the mountain is under differ.
ent light in the morning Besides, usu.
ally ones best work is done in the
early part Of the day"
Are you an artist:'
Il paint, but every one Of an ideal
temperament either paints a little or
dabbles in writing verses or something
Of the kind
Every morning after that the girl
sat before her easel, and often the
stranger, who sOjourned-for his health
at the same hotel as she, strolled by,
looked at her work and spoke to her
about ii, now and then venturing a
friendly criticism. But the only words
OF encouragement he gave her were:
Don't work too long at one time
When your work looks unsatisfactory
to you, leave it. and likely you will
be better pleased with it when you
have rested" And what the stranger
said proved to be true. In the morn
ing she was surprised that she had
been dissatisfied with her work Of the
previous day. She would sit down be-
fore her canvas, and after spending a
couple Of hours with her brushes II
would seem that she had undone all
she had achieved the previous day.
Then the stranger would come along
and remind her that in the morning
when refreshed she would likely again
see her painting under a different influ-
ence. Go take a walk this afternoon"
be said. Paint in the morning; stroll
in the afternoon"
In this way the picture grew day by
day like the mountain. The darker
shadows grew deeper, the lighter blend
ed more perfectly with them or the
white snow. Every morning the artist
noticed some beauty that had appeared
to her the night before.
and finally the whole assumed a gran
deur which delighted and surprised her.
But she was now painting every day
with the stranger beside her. There
was something in his dark, dreamy
eyes, his intellectual brow, his pleas
ant voice, his kindly sympathy, that
charmed her. Then came a revelation.
She was painting under the inspiration
Of love
The picture was finished. The girl
needed money, and the stranger ad-
Tised her TO take it to Paris and offer
t for sale. She determined to do so,
and the stranger promised to meet her
here and, IL possible, assist her in dis
posing Of it. They met one morning
n an art store where the picture had |
been sent before them. There 1t stood |
IN an easel and when the dealer Joined |
hem he said:
~As soon as 1 looked at the canvas
pronounced it a Demond. Demond |
lad a picture hung last season In the
salon, a Mont Blanc, which is not !
,qual to this. Besides, the style is
Oemond's-coloring, tone, values, all. /
When l came to look at the name and |
Jaw another's l was surprised.
The girl whose work had been mis- |
AIKEN for that OF q successful artist |
vas delighted. A color rose to her
heck, light to her eye; a happy |
mile played about her lips.
What would the picture be worth |
With Demond's name on itT' asked her !
riend.
Twenty thousand francs"
And with Demond's name as collab- /
'rator?"
IN that case l would not give more
han 1900 francs for it,
On shelf near by lay a palette and |
'rushes. He who was befriending the |
irl took up a brush and, stepping to |
he picture, wrote under her name that |
( G.. Demond.
The tableau that ensued was that Of I
ne quiescent figure and two who were
stonished The girls face especially |
howed wonder, but at look from her |
ompaniOn she refrained from speak
ng.
The same evening Demond stood be-
ore Miss Barker endeavorlng to make
er take a check for half the price Of !
be picture.
How did you do your work without
ly knowing it7" she asked.
Il advised you to walk in the after
Don, bribing the maid at the hotel to !
ring the canvas to my room from