The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1913-06-13

GOOD
By F. A. Mitchell

one picture in which should put
something sufficiently notable to give
me a reputation. Being a painter Of
face and figure, l naturally looked
about for a model. found subjects
In determination. in grace and other
features, in figures, but l needed q
face to 60 with each. and that l did not
ind.
When l moved into a new studio l
looked out upon a court The rooms
facing me were occupied by of1ces Of
various kinds, and I could look into
those On the same plane with me or
a little below. The first morning l
occupied my studio l saw through a
window opposite a youth some SIX
teen or seventeen years old sitting at
a typewriter. I was impressed with
his appearance at once His face ex-
pressed honesty. principle. goodness.
His profile, which was usually toward
me. was beautiful. and his full face.
which he often turned to look at his
copy. was also beautiful. and each
seemed to indicate that the young man
contained within him elements to at
him for some noble work.
Here was what l had been long look
ing for. did not care to copy his
features exactly. What l wanted to
put on the canvas was that nobleness.
that goodness, expressed in his face.
This I succeeded. in doing beyond my
most ardent expectations.
Before beginning to paint the pic
ture. thinking of the subject l should
choose for it. l was disposed to repre-
sent my model as doing some kindly
act, but l finally concluded to paint
him as he was-a typist. If. l argued.
the goodness stands out In him On the
canvas as a typist, how much more
will be the triumph than if l represent
him as a good Samaritan! We ex-
pect goodness in the faces Of those
who profess to be good, but do not
necessarily look for it in those engaged
in ordinary occupations.
My picture passed the hanging CON-
mittee Of a certain gallery in which l
was anxious to place 1t. and on the
opening day l took a seat in the room
where it "a hung to watch its effect
on the persons who passed it. There
were pictures in the gallery by well
known artists. and most visitors yer
looking for such. Nevertheless the
gazers gave at least a glance to all
there were. and as most of them pass
ed my spicture they stopped for a few
moments and looked at it. There seem
ed to be something ear home In the
subject. to say nothing Of the individ.
uality Of the person depicted. But this
was my own surmise.
I visited the gallery nearly every
day and noticed a slowly growing in
terest In my picture. At last | saw per-
IONS who on coming into the room
where 1t vas hung looked about them
evidently for some particular picture
and finally found it in mine. This told
me that 1t had begun to be talked
about. Before the exhibition closed
the painting as we'll as the artist had
made some reputation.
It was about Eve years after this
that a young man attracted attention
by consecrating his life to the poor
He belonged to no organisation and
had no means of his own. but he soon
found hackers among wealthy persons
who gave him money for his good
works. 1t was not long before he wa
known throughout the land as one alb
solutely pure. noble and doing a good
work.
Having heard Of him and conceived
a desire to see him. l called at his Of
6ce-a shabby DON in a rookery-with
the ostensible purpose Of making an
Offering for his work. What was my
astonishment to see a man rise to re-
ceive me whom l recognized at once
% the model for my picture. made
no mention Of the coincidence. simply
giving him the money I had brought
and t~respassing for q short while upon
his duties In order to ' with
him.
I made sexerai yieits to my model on
one pretensS Or another and attempted
to induce him to 60 with me to see the
picture l had made Of him when he
WAS a typist. He was so busy that It
was a long while before l could secure
the time necessary for the purpose.
At last l succeeded. and he went with
me to where the painting hung. had
not told him that I was the artist. He
stood for a long while looking at 1t
intently. 50 intently that I expected
when he spoke he would say. THAT is
myself shortly before ! came Of age"
At last ! broke in upon his feelings.
his meditations or whatever they were
by asking him what he thought Of the
picture. .
ri have not thought OF It MS a work
Of art" he said. II have been think
Ing how I would rejoice could l have
within me one-tenth the nobility of
soul expressed by that Young man."
I was astonished. He had sat before
q typewriter himself: he had been the
model for the figure IN the painting
which had only approached that 40
bility Of sonl be mentioned. and yet be
oaw NO likeness whatever TO himself.