Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1908-02-20
Row the Sphinx" sss
ses Cc$t Els Reputation
william c. Hill in Nobody's Magazine.

He was only a painter. A house
painter, you say Oh, dear, no. A
painter of landscapes and wood-inter-
iors, and all that sort of thing. One
of that kind of masculine followers OF
the Foolish Virgins that would starve
themselves for Arts sake, not that the
Foolish Virgins had any thing to GO
with ike profession artist.
And he was painting in a wild
mountain defile, where the huge rocks
and gigantic trees permitted few and
scanty rays of light to pass the bar
riers they interposed. But it was very
beautiful there, indeed. The rocks
were, so massive and covered with
such strange combinations of moss and
fern and lichen, and the greens and
browns and greys we're so inviting that
the artist fell in love with the place,
and made it the centre Of his work
His was a gentle soul, timid and re-
tiring. His fellow students at the
Art Club used to play sad tricks on
him, because of his retiring ways, and
called him "The Sphinx" which later
became one of affection as they recog-
nized the merit behind that quiet ex
terror.
But he had had exciting experiences
in his life, too. No one believed it
was "The SPHINX who entered a
burning building to save child when
more rcsolute and nger-appearing
men stood by with blanched faces.
When he came out his hair was on fire
hut he had the child in his arms.
So he had drifted into these noun
tains like a second DR.. Syntax in
search of the picturesque, and the
mountains had welcomed him as they
bad done none other, and few had
been shown more of their beauties
than he.
''The Sphinx" sat before his easel,
painting. Everything seemed so joy
Gus, so inviting, so beautiful Never
before had the tracing of leaf and limb,
outline and face of rock, attracted
as it did that pleasant August after
noon, and down in this mountain re-
treat it was cool and pleasant, quite
contrary to the temperature the month
suggests. Out in the valley the people
were sweltering in the heat, but here
1.-THE Sphinx was in temperate
zone of his own.
"Chamouni, sweet Chamouni,
| Der the mountains of Chamouni. =
gaily carroled pleasant feminine
voice not far off in the wood 1t drew
nearer and before 1.-The Sphinx"
could quite locate what was happen
ing, he was surprised in his retreat.
Good morning." he said, as be saw
the new conner gazing interestedly at
his picture, ITO whom am ind 9bted
for this visit"
Il am Edith Fleming" she replied,
my father owns this place and MOTTO
ing that you were painting here and
that you were so ungracious as not
to give us call, l thought | would
make one on you-that is if l aim not
intruding."
Oh, no, she was not intruding, and
the painter as he said this hastily, ran
his eye over his visitor.
She was pleasantfaced, determin-
ed-looking woman of perhaps thirty,
small of figure, light and graceful OF
movement. Quick of PERCEPTION, hel
criticisms Drawn out after some
trouble by the painter, rather pleased
him.
A rattlesnake is dangerous custom
er. This assertion is proven by the
accounts circulated every year of en-
counters with this lord of the ravines
and to step on one is not generally con
ducive to the longevity of the one per
forming that deed, no matter how ac
cidental it may he. So when the pain
ter stepped back to view his pictur
after telling stroke of the brush, on
day several months after this meeting