The Democratic advocate., 1909-07-09
Mr.. THOMPSO
MODEL.
The Way She Came to Get a Per-
manent Engagement.
BY ALICE r. wETMoRE.
gUopyyight, 1908. by Associated hiterary
PreRAI


Thompson designated the Office.
'Here." replied that gentleman as
distinctly as a mouthful of brushes
would permit "It's only Carter" he
explained to his model. "Or perhaps
you'd rather
"Oh, let him come in by all MEANS"
replied the girl. 'I'd rather like to see
him"
A long, clean limbed young fellow
lounged in. halted alphabetically for n
moment behind Thompson's canvas
and then sunk lazily into a pile Of
cushions on the floor.
The girl on the model stand scruti-
nized him closely and made up her
mind that he was the most typically
lazy man she had ever seen. His voice
his walk, his carringe, had an absolute
lack Of effort that was positively fas-
cinating, and to complete the impress
sion his strong, lean face was abso.
lutely devoid of expression.
Suddenly, however. he gazed intent.
ly and with a semblance Of awakened
interest at the model. The pose was
rather striking. A heavy black velvet
gown accentuated that peculiar trans
parency Of coloring which accompa-
nies a certain deep rich shade OF au.
burn hair. A dun green background
reconclled the brilliant coloring of the
upper part of the picture TO the duskp
mysteries OF the lower canvas. The
pose Of the figure was saved from in
science only by the winsomeness Of
the face.
Carter pulled laZily at his pipe and
continued to gaze at the girl with half
closed critical eyes. Nice color" he
finally asserted "By Jove. that's
wonderful poser with sudden burst
Of enthusiasm that startled the girl.
"Are you engaged after you finish with
Thompson
The other artist opened his mouth;
then, with n quiet smile, closed Il
again. The girl smiled, too. little
smile that curled her upper lip deli.
ciously.
mo, sir; I'm not engaged next
week" she replied quietly.
"Can you come to me for a two
weeks pose then, in the norniDgsY"
Thompson looked dublously at the
girl. Eyes, sir. I'll come" she said.
The ne'.t Monday the model present.
ed herJelf at John Carriers studio
He eeacely looked up as he greet
ed ner.
''Oh, Is that you. Miss Do you
know, | forgot TO ask your name" he
drawled.
Parks" the girl supplied smilIngly.
The gown he gave her was also
black. He had hung heavy stuffs
around and above the model stand un
I'll the black gown and the background
mingled darkly and the white face and
auburn hair fairly jumped from the
gloom in single. startling note OF
color
Carter set 10 work with feverish
energy which quite transformed him.
He tried first one pose. then another.
In such rapid succession that the girl
was positively bewildered
When he had at last found one that
pleased him he drawled npologetical-
ly, with slow. winning smile, I'm
rather hard fellow to get started,
Miss Parks. but ! won't give you much
trouble once we're of"
The girl watched the man with fas.
cinated eyes. He worked with the
precision and energy of a splendid ma
chine. His face shone with positive
inspiration.
As for Carter himself, he was bliss
fully happy. With the true artists
sensitivenes5 he felt the absence Of the
usual clash between the half hearted.
prosaic MODELS and the ideals he strug-
gled to embody by their aid. The at
mosphere lacked n single inharmoni-
GUS element, for the girl seemed to
throw her whole personality into the
work.
At last he emerged from his trance
sufficiently to observe that white line
had appeared around the girls com
pressed lips and that she wavered as
she stood.
1T must be time to rest" he oh.
served. why" as he glanced at the
clock. you've been posing for nearly
an hour Why didn't you restT he
demanded reproachfully.
The girl sank into a chair with an
amused CLEAN in her eyes. ~ never
saw anybody so completely lost" she
said. II couldn't bear 10 disturb you"
The next morning he found himself
awaiting with unmistaknble impa
thence the arrival Of his model, and
when at lass she did stand before him
with smiling Good morning" on her
lips he regarded the girl with an art
lists satisfa "tion.
She was charming in her dark street
gown. Her face was flushed and her
eyes bright with the exhilaration of an
autumn morning. and Carter was
strongly tempted to put away serious
work and make a study Of her as she
stood. He banlshed the idea. however.
and soon they were at work on the
masterpiece" He refused to believe
II when the noon whistle insisted that
1t was II o'clock and Miss Parks de-
parted
The afternoon was unprecedentedly
long. He felt strangely dlsinclined to
work and finally put aside the canvas
and brought out some unfinished
sketches. lie worked on these until he
discovered that he had converted FIVE
different heads into unmistakable like
nesses OF Miss Parks. Then he NUT.
tered something beneath his breath
and gave up in despair.
AT the end of the last day but one
OF the two weeks Carter realized that
the central figure of his canvas was
completed. and the realization brought
n poignant feeling Of reoret rha zoo