The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1913-11-12
A Scheme
By EVELYN SPENCER

| chant, received from his daughter who
] was at the time in Paris, letter ask
| ing him to send all the photographs
of her mother, some years dead, to her
| since she had found an artist who
| could paint Il portrait from them Civ
| ing the desired lifelike expression.
| Miss Atwood furthermore suggested
| that he come over and attend to the
matter himself. The artist she referred
| to was Il rising man in his profession
and would probably require a good
| price for doing the work.
Mr.. Atwood. gathering the pictures
| in his possession, sailed for Europe
and one day turned up in Paris. He
| was at once taken to the studio of
| Clarence Whiting. the artist. who was
to paint the portrait. Mr.. Whiting
looked over the photographs carefully.
asked which was regarded as the best
! likeness of the original and remarked:
I'VE portrait painters see resem-
! dances more readily than other per-
! sons. To me Miss Atwood is very like
| her mother. But | cannot tell whether
J JAIC III lCh "a IN CSSlOllo VI lCl AflNC NiC
| like her mothers, for photograph has
| but one expression, and that is apt to
| be unlike anything ever found on the
| face of the original. Unfortunately !
/ have never seen Mrs. Atwood. | will
undertake to paint the portrait from
the photograph you like best. enliven-
| ing it with Miss AtwOOd's most pleas
| ing expressions. In other words, | will
| make up the portrait from both mother
! and daughter / admit that am much
more likely to fail than succeed. but if
| succeed the result will be gratifying
| to you as well as to me-
| Mr.. Atwood was favorably impressed
with this and asked the sum that
would he charged for the work when
finished. Mr.. Whiting replied that.
since he would be unable himself to
| judge of his work, he would make no
! price until he learned if the father and
daughter pronounced it a success.
| The matter being disposed of. the art
ist took the photograph of his subject
most approved of by the others. and it
was arranged that Miss Atwood should
give him ro~rl"r eittings
Miss Atwood ar any Sudden an
nOunrcGICnt that surprised Interested
or pleased her had way Of throwing
| back her head and looking fiXedly at
the person making the announcement.
This is a very lame description of it,
but an expression is indescribable. Mr..
Whiting looked for it in the father
and. not finding it. concluded there
were many chances in favor of its hav-
ing been inherited from the mother.
giving the life period of Mrs. Atwood
about the time she died and the eX-
preston referred to.
Mr.. Whiting worked long while be
fore he produced what pleased him,
making drawings innumerab!e before
beginning to paint. Miss Atwood rare
/ ly assumed what he was trying to
catch and put on the canvas. and this
materially caused delay. At any rate.
the painting of the portrait seemed to
require Il very long time. Mr.. Atwood,
whose presence was required in Amer
lea. became impatient
At last a satisfactory drawing was
made. and after that the work was
! comparatively easy More time was
spent in smoothing and sOftening the
lines. but Mr. Atwood was assured that
a time could lie set for the finishing.
/ He was not permitted to see the pic
ture while it was being painted, and
it was not till it was framed and set
uD in a proper light that he was adj
| mitted to the studio. where it rested
on an easel Whiting and Miss At
wood both watched for the expression
on his face when he should see it.
knowing that success or failure would
! be expressed there. The result was
success beyond their expectations. The
widower's face lighted up with an eX-
preston never seen there since his
wife's death. and he involuntarily put
out his arms as if to clasp her. living
being.
After feasting his eyes on the picture
he drew check book from his pocket
| and asked the artist what amount he
| should fill in for the picture. Whit
! ing glanced at Miss Atwood and saw
! there a sign which he seemed to I'M
| derstand and said. Pardon me for Il
! moment: | will make out Il BILL ana
| going to a desk. he sat down. wrote
! something on a bit of paper, held ii
before Miss Atwood's eyes; she glanced
/ an approval. and he handed it to her
! father 1t read:
/ Mr. John Atwood.
To Clarence Whiting. Dr.,
| TO painting portrait one girl Ethel At
! wood.
Mr.. Atwood was some time getting
the drift of the matter through his
head When he did he looked at his
daughter sternly and said:
ethel. did you work this scheme:"
Il did. papa" replied the Girl. draw
ing short breathS.
"And brought me over here on pur-
pose to turn you over to some one
| elseT'
"That was one object. papa"
But by no means the only one" the
lover put in. Before your daughter
had ever seen me. looking upon one of