The Huttig news., 1913-08-02
BARBARA And the Beast
By Dorothy BlaCkmOre


 1 like most of her kind she was strug. gling to keep the wolf from stepping g over the threshold of her studio. Practical beyond the usual run of young woman possessed of the artis- tic temperament, she had even gone so far as to make capital out of that same hungry wolf by painting his im- tginary image so realistically that it sold for a goodly sum.
 Animals were 5arbara's speciality. She had been a lover of the dumb beasts ever since she was old enough 10 love anything, and when she took up her palette and brush her fancy seemed to run always to animals.
 For this reason, she had obtained for the summer months an outdoor studio converted from the small back garden of an English basement house She foundsit more convenient for her ami nal models and, in lieu of going to the country herself, she found the outdoor work beneficial An old stone wall en. closed the garden and ivy and Virginia creepers struggled over it here and there. The small grass plot in the center was edged with bright. old fashioned flowers, and Barbara had added rustic urn or two to the cor ners.
 This morning she was putting the finishing touches to a canvas over which she had worked unusually hard In the picture big. tri-colored mother cat lay in an overturned basket with her small family about her.
 Barbara had discovered the feline family in her big rustic chair one morning when she came down to work md she had taken it as gift from the gods. for she was in need of model tor new canvas. She bad waited only long enough for the wee kittens to get their eyes open and assume fat and chubby proportions before begin ming to transfer their likenesses to her canvas. Meantime. she had made the mother cat comfortable in basket and fed her half bottle of her own precious milk each morning.
 This picture, with two others. was to be hung in a small exhibit during the approaching winter.
 Barbara now had two of her pictures ready. and. for the third, she was wor- ried. It was an easy enough matter to go to the, animal home and secure model from which to paint. but Bar. bara's heart was set on painting certain little thoroughbred dog she had seen pass her windows every morning tor three weeks. The question was now to get him! The dog followed his master closely and Barbara could not we'll accost a stranger and beg to be allowed to paint his pet dog.
 AS she stood putting little touches here and there to the cluster of kittens on her easel and realized that the work before her was finished, she be anne more and more obsessed with the iesire to paint that white dog for her third picture She placed great hope n the criticism of the work to be hung his winter and something told her she .ould do her best work If inspired by that strange little animal.
 She became restless and, n akng the kittens comfortable In the righted bas- iet. she donned her hat ane went forth to walk off her uneasiness.
 Barbara had been of the idea, ever since she had come 10 the big city to follow her profession, that if she did exactly what was right at all times, thought evil of no one and harmed no one by deed or word, she would be given all that was her due She had been brought up with this idea and the teachings of her mother clung to ner now that she was alone in the world.
 Therefore. as she walked she thought, and gradually peaceful feel ing took the place of the spirit of un- rest that had possessed her for days. After a turn through nearby park she retraeed her footsteps toward her studio.
 When she was within half block of the house behind which was her work garden. she was surprised 10 see the old tricolored mother cat an preaching her. IL was the custom of he animal, after she had put her ba- bies to sleep. to mount the garden wall and go out for air and exercise, but Barbara was not expecting to see her ,n the public street,
 Well. Fuss, Barbara was beginning. pd had stopped to pick up the animal when, with spit and. growl and rapidly pushing tail. the cat made or the narrow passageway between he houses, a white dog in full pur. ,uit
 My dog'" cried Barbara aloud, and 'unling to peep down the narrow passage "Oh. if could only keen im,s she wished aloud
 Foot steps came quickly behind her.
 beg pardon, my dog Is chasing your at" said a mans voice behind her.
 Ba bara turned and faced the owner of tie dog
 4H vas" Barbara corrected. "She -Puss has climbed the wall and your dog is barking frantically at her."
 The luap followed Barbara's direc- tioE and saw his white dog dancing about in mad desire to be at the oh feet of his chase.
 Hes death on eats-is Tchucaats.