The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1909-03-19

many Of his ways carried eccentricity
to the point OF grotesqueness, but his
great gifts none could deny
Il retained my liking for him for 20
years, during which my wife lost moth.
ing of her viyacity. none of her
charms-nor any OF her relatives. They
increased rather To the sister who
| was to be her home companion in my
hours of absence was soon added an.
other sister. Then the venerable ia.
Their and mother came to sit by our
firoslde. They were of a hardy and
vigorous stock. An uncle and two
brothers. one by one, Joined the fam
| lily circle, and the advent OF each Of
the latter accesslons was signalizcd
by mere or less friction with the
earlier corners.
For 20 years / managed to live in
the midst of life's blessIngs--and my
wife's kn-and only once brought
down the temple about my ears Only
once but
We'll, let me tell you how II hap.
pened. An agreeable project took my
| fancy concerning my wife's approach
Ing birthday. Stralghtway | consulted
| Bradford. let him into the scheme
because | couldn't work It without
| him. My idea amused him immensely
but he seemed to hesitate I urged
cajoled, named good sum-and Sc
cured his services.
l was TO procure my wife's full
length portralt-painted by Bradford
himself--under the preteXt that the
artist declared that II needed retouch-
ing, and he, with shapely model who
posed for him. was to depict my wife
at full length as Juno, in the
purcst classic style I've said that
he was an eccentric man. and | think
| have stated II moderately For In.
stance, he seldom permitted his pic.
lures TO be viewed until completed,
even by his closest friends. Know
ing this, | Of course was not sur
prised when he cOolly told me that |
should not see the portrait tin he him.
self unveiled 1t in my chamber on my
wifc's birthday.
The cvCntul night camc--tho night
Of nights. My wife's klnsrolk Of
course. were always with us. a chosen
few, the pick of her friends, gathered
for the occasion. But the artist didn't
arrive. However, that was simply his
wayne was always late. But when
an hour passed two hours. and he
was still absent. | was much an.
noyed. felt that he had forfeited the
privilege for which he had stipulated.
as | could not keep the invited
guests waiting all night in ignorance
Of the delayed surprise.
so, dropping a hint of what was to
come ! led the way into the--yes, the
fatal-chamber. drew the drapery from
the curtained recess, mounted the lad.
der that stood beside It, and prepared
to uncover the picture. Not for years
had ! appeared more fully myself My
eyes and neck-accustomed by long
practice to act independently, almost
with cOntrariety In watching the
trajectory Of flying ornament or cal.
culating the angle OF incidence of
bursting vase-haG never seemed more
unanimous or more obedient to my
will AS | stood on the top step of
that library ladder, | felt myself com.
plete master of the situation
81 clipped the threads. beginning at
the top. and gradually revealed the
beauties of Bradford's Juno.
II can't conceive OF such another
glad chlrping cry of surprise as went
up when the picture was but half in
sight. But 1t was as nothing to the
yell that arose. or the scene that fol
lowed, when the burlap cover dropped
TO the carpet. The artist had EN-.
ployed his consummate skill--he had
surpassed himself-ln the drawing and
coloring OF the figure, from the dia-
DENIED hair to the gem-encircled girdle
but there the figure ended-ended in
something worse than deformity-for
the neither limbs were clad, not In the
drapery Of a goddess. not In Grecian
raiment nj all. but In ordinary. every
day, masculine trousers--yes, even in
pants'-and conspicuous pair, of the
very pattern | most affected!
You know. there's one thing, at
least, that married woman can never
be told--a truth that's jest every.
where except at home-and when a
great artist tells II In bold way, the
telling OF II stings sharper than ser.
penis tooth.
Excuse me. ! was saying that from