Smyrna times., 1912-09-11
Painting
The Good
By MARTIN L. WOODRUFF

eral years without making any espe-
cial success. AT any rate, had not
gained recognition. There came a
rriend-a wOman-who said:
concentrate your mind on one sub
tect. Portray. or rather, idealize, the
good
I'm man or wOman?"
EITHER You will find it more diff
cult to place the good as embodied in
man on canvas, but for that reason if
you succeed you will gain the greater
success. | have seldom, if ever, seen a
satisfactory painting of Jesus, but l
nave seen many successful Madonnas."
@Why is that?"
u cannot tell. unless it is that good
ness is akin to gentleneSs, and gentle
ness is more becoming in a woman
than a man
But must have a model, and
where shall | find one?"
She thought for some time before re-
plying, II will send you one, or will
send you a number from whom you
may choose"
"Will you tell them for what they
are to pose?"
mo. That would spoil them for your
purpose"
The first model sent me was a come
ly girl with an honest face and eye.
sketched her. and while | sketched l
chatted with her. Fancying that love
was allied with the good in woman,
asked her if she had a sweetheart.
| She said she loved a man and he had
loved her. but rival had taken him
away from her. Straightway her face
took on an expression of hatred. l ex-
cused her without requesting another
sitting.
The next person who was to pose to
me for the good was a woman who
was devoting herself to charity.
talked with her concerning her work.
and she became very much interested
In telling me about it. But l saw that
it was the love of work that spurred
her on rather than a naturally sympa-
thetic nature. This did not deprecate,
for it is the proper application of char
ity that is most effective, and too ten
der a nature often stands in the way
of such application. At any rate, the
girl did not satisfy me as a model for
the good. and sent her away.
MY friend next sent me a young wo-
man who had a fine social position,
whom everybody loved because they
said she was so good. When asked
how she was good, they said she was
good in every way Especially she
was amiable. She never said a harsh
word OF or to any one. This was not
from policy. but from the innate good
ness Of her disposition. Her. too.
talked with while sketching her and
discovered that what these people took
for goodness was a rare tact
I reported my reasons to my friend
for 0bjecting to the models she had
sent me. and by this dine she be
came a bit impatient with me.
what do you call goodness?" she
asked me.
THAT Is beyond my ability to de
fine replied. but shall know 4
when l see it"
MY fourth model was a religion!
, devotee To look at her one would
know that she lived only, to do tht
Lords bidding In her surely | haf
found my model. Indeed. her absorp
ton in living a good life had become
stamped on her face not onl!
sketched her. but put her face on m!
canvas in paint But was not salts
fed with it II seemed to express
= what has usually been expressed il
the pictures Of saints. which is neithe
l more nor less than piety. was look
ing for something beyond this, some
thing that might belong to one VIII
had never heard of God or Saviour
III bowed the lady out of my studio
| and after sue had gone poked a knit
through her portrait
Il Then came young lady who pleas
ed me immensely She was pretty
she was sprightIy: she was frank, hor
est refined MY friend who sent be
wrote me about her saying: You wi
1nd In her the model you need. Blu
don't decide to the contrary befor
giving her a fair trial"
Ill was not likely to do that | wa
counting on the delightful companion
ship 1 would have with her and r.
solved whether or no she suited m
purpose to prolong the sittings as "a
| as possible found that we had
similarity or disSimilarity Of dispes
lion. | couldn't tell which. but it w'
1 very pleasing. During her first sittir
skerched her; at the second bega
! TO paint. chatting with her the while
draw her out. touched on the goc
as understood 1t. and a responsl'
expression appeared on her face.
y smoke of evil things. and there was
rasnonse whatever, showing that ev
nod No Mace in her nature; she on
knew It by name. When had part
enisbed the picture | thought ! won
Il frv an experiment would tell h
~ shat ahe was sitting as a model +
~. oood The information drew for
a look Of establishment
.whv. | am not good" she said
..,r,',,. %, are unconscious of beii