Eastern Utah advocate. [volume] (Price, Utah) 1895-1915, 1913-07-24
UNCONSCIOUS
GOOD
BY r. a. MICHEL

l u occurred 10 me tnat ] must palhl
enc picture I'm which should put
something sufficiently notable to give
me a reputation. Being a painter Of
face and figure. I naturally looked
about for a model found subjects
In determination. In grace and other
features, In figures, but I needed a
face 10 60 with each. and that did not
ind
When I moved into a new studio
looked out upon a court The rooms
facing me were occupied by Offices OF
various kinds. and I could look into
those on the same plane with me or
little below. The FIRST morning I
occupied my studio I saw through a
window opposite youth some SIX.
teen or seventeen years old sitting az
n typewriter was impressed with
his appearance NJ once. His face eI.
pressed honesty. principle. goodness
His profile. which was usually toward
me- was beautiful. and his full face.
which he often turned 20 look nt his
copy, was also beautiful, and each
seemed 60 indicate that the young man
contained within him elements 20 az
him for some noble work
Hero was what had been long look.
ing for. did not care 20 copy his
features exactly. What wanted 20
put on the canvas was TINT nobleness.
that goodness, expressed in his face.
This succeeded In doing beyond my
most ardent expectations.
Before beginning 60 paint the pic.
ture. thinking OF the subject should
choose for II. I was disposed 10 repre-.
sent my model rs doing some kindly
act. but I finally concluded 20 paint
him rs he was-a typist n. / argued.
the goodness stands out In him on the
canvas ns n typist. how much moro
viii DO tho triumph than n represent
him rs n good Samaritan We ex.
pect goodness In the faces OF those
who profess 10 be good. but do not
necessarily look for n In those engaged
In ordinary occupations.
My picture passed the hanging com.
mitteo OF certain gallery In which I
was anxious 10 place II. and on tho
opening day I took n seat In the room
whore Il was hung 10 watch its OBJECT
on the persons who passed H. There
were pictures In the gallery by well
known artists. and most visitors were
looking for such. Nevertheless the
gnzcrs gave NJ least n glance 20 all
there were. and rs most Of them pass.
Cd my picture they stopped for a few
moments ana looked AZ a. There seem.
cd 20 be something near homo IN the
subject. 10 say nothing OF the individ.
ualiiy OF the person depleted But this
was my own surmlso
7 visited the gallery nearly every
day and noticed a slowly growing In.
terest In my picture AZ last saw per.
sons who on coming into the room
where II was hung looked about them
evidently for some particular picture
and finally found n In mine This told
mo that II had begun 90 be talked
about Before the exhibition closed
the painting as well as the artist had
mnde some reputation
II was about ave years after this
that young man attracted attention
by consecrating his life 20 tho poor
Tie belonged 90 no organization AMI
had no means OF his own. but he soon
found hackers among wealthy persons
who gave him money for his good
works, II was not long before he was
known throughout the land as one alb
solutely pure. noble and doing a good
work.
Having heard OF him and conceived
a desire 10 see him. called az his OF.
nce-a shabby room IN n rookery-with
the ostensible purpose OF making an
offering for his work What was my
astonlshment TO sec man rise to re
ecive me whom I recognized at once
as the model for my picture I made
no mention OF the coincidence. simply
giving him the money l had brought
and trcspasslng for a short while upon
his duties In order 10 converse with
him.
I made several visits 20 my model on
one pretenso or another and attempted
10 induce him TO go with me 10 see the
picture ! had made OF him when he
was a typist lie was so busy that II
was a long while before I could secure
the time necessary for the purpose.
AZ last I succeeded. and he went with
me 10 where the painting hung. had
not told him that was the artist He
stood for long while looking at Il
intently, so intently that expected
when he spoke he would say. "That IL
myself shortly before ! came OF age"
AZ last broke In upon his feelings,
his medltRtions or whatever they were
by asking him what he thought OF the
picture.
IL have not thought OF II as a work
OF art" he said. II have been think.
Ing how would rejoice could have
within me one-tenth the nobility OF
soul expressed by that young man"
I was Astonlshed. He had sat before
a typewriter himself; he had been the
model for the figure In the painting
which had only approached that no
bility OF soul he mentioned, and yet he
saw no likeness whatever 10 himself
Should l tell him the truthl No II
was better that he should not know Il,
better that not n grain OF alloy should