The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-02-27
An Artist
T. lnfatuation
BY WILLI1da CHANDLER

~ VOC g.
fession Of painting. One faculty III
possessed was that of endowing any
thing which became attractive to hin
through association with beauty. Nenl
his home lived a little girl. who be
came his playmate. She was of q low
er social grade than Walter, but his
parents had no fear of his falling II
love with her, for she was very home
ly, and they, not knowing of his dis
position to endow what he liked Will
beauty, supposed that an artist would
only fall in love with a beautiful wO
man.
When Walter was twenty years ole
he became engaged to this girl, Martins
Gibbs, to the establishment Of every
one who knew him. Her hair was 8
fiery red, her teeth were prominent
and she had a cast in her eye. But his
parents, knowing how useless 1t is te
interfere between lovers, %refraineC
from any attempt in the case Of Their
son. Besides, they knew nothing
against Martha except her homeliness
and her Indifferent social position. Nc
one supposed that Walter considered
his betrothed beautiful till he painted
her portrait and they observed that he
looked at It with admiring eyes. Then
everybody realized that his love fol-
her caused him to endow her with .
beauty that existed only in his imagi.
nation.
Great as was their surprise at this
discovery, 1t was nothing compared
with their establishment when they
learned that he was using Martha fo'
a model. He painted her as a shep
herdess, as springtime and, dressing
her in fashionable attire. as a lady.
Then, when his pictures found no pur.
chasers, instead Of attributing his III
success to his choice Of a model, he
became impressed with the idea that
he had mistaken his calling. About
the time he was making up his mind
to this effect Martha Tilted him for a
greengrocer, whom she married secret
ly without letting her fance know
what she was about to do.
Walters misery was only equaled b!
the Joy Of his parents and his friends.
Now that it was all over between him
and Martha one Of his intimate assOci-
ates made bold to express wonder
that he, an artist, with an eye for the
beautiful, should have attributed beau
ty to Martha.
"Ah," exclaimed the unfortunate
man, 'there liz a loss to me as great
in my profession as is the wounding Of
my feelings! Surely all hope Of my
succeeding in my profession has gone.
since I shall never find another model
suitable to my needs"
Walter left the brush and the palette
for awhile for other avOcatiOns. On
the walls of his oom he hung the por-
traits Of the girl who had Tilted him.
and 1t seemed to his mother that the
case of her sons love had been made
worse instead Of better. At last She
ventured to ask him for her. sake to
put away his past and take hold Of the
future. Walter loved his mother next
to the girl who had Tilted him, and she
finally persuaded him to let her hang
the pictures he worshiped in an upper
ROOM. receiving a, promise from; him
that he would visit 1t but once a
month.
During the first half year after tue
removal of his idols Walter waited i'm
patiently for the day Of his visit to
them to come round. During the sec
ond half year he was less impatient
and at the end of twelve months told
his mother that she was rlght-it would
be better that he should cease to dwell!
on that which was dead to him. He
would visit his pictures no lore.
Walter at this time made another
discovery-that IL he could not make
an artist Of himself he could succeed
at nothing. He resumed his painting
and instead of combining himself to one
model chose different G In the case
of all Of them he was uninluenced by
love. From the moment of this seq
ond start he met with instant success
Every picture he painted was sold as
soon as offered to the public, and 1t
was not long before he achieved Il rep.
utation which brought him high prices.
Walters mother made q match for
him with u young lady Of his Owl
class. She was not a beauty. but a
very estimable woman. Notwithstand
ing that her husband in marrying her
had yielded to his mothers wishes
considering his heart broken forever
he soon came to love his wife devoted
ly. After his parents death he rem0v-
ed with his family to the home they
had occupied and where he had been
born. One day his wife unlocked the
gallery Of his former idols and saw the
walls covered with pictures Of red
headed girls all looking alike and all
rights. !
walter" she cried. come up here!!"
Walter .obeyed the summons and join
ed his wife in the gallery Of pictures Of
his former love.
What are these?" asked his wife.
"They all seem to be portraits Of the
same person."
Walter for the first time. looking at
the pictures he had made using Mar.