The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-08-14
She Cot Even
With Him
BY EDITH v. ROSS

was studying art in Italy in the
hope of being able to return to Amer
lea and set up as a portrait painter.
My headquarters were Florence. where
l lived in a room looking out on the
river Arno. Being q woman | had
been careful to find a private family
who would take mi in. One day | SAY
a little Italian boy about twelve years
old playing on the Arno embankment
in whom ! recognized at once IN art
lists model. l asked him where he
lived. and he took me to his home
near by. made Il bargain with his
mother for him to come to my room
and pose for me at q franc u sitting.
Little Luigi had a pair Of eyes the
expression Of which l could not catch.
besides other features which were com
Elementary to that expression. | work
ed over him for half d dozen sittings.
then determined to give up the matter
Of trying to paint his portrait. But on
the day l came to this resolution my
landlady told me that a gentleman had
taken one Of her rooms who. she
| thought. knew u good deal about art
and suggested that ! get some points
: from him.
I showed him my work and my mod
ell. at the same time asking what pre-
vented me from catching the boys eX
preston. He showed me certain lines
that ! had drawn too heavy. others
that were too light and still others that
i had left out entirely. ! made the
corrections. and the picture was I'M
proved. but was far from satisfactory
Mr.. Warfield told me that l had been
working too hard and would do better
If l should take more rest.
l followed his advice and. since |
had seer little Of the environs of Flor
ence. concluded to 60 about a bit. The
next day l made an excursion to File
sole. on an eminence several miles
from Florence ana reached by trolley
When l returned in the evening l met
Mr.. Warfeld Oh the staircase. He
asked me if | did not feel refreshed.
and | admitted that | did. Il think
be said. that ii you look at your work
after a day of rest and recreation you
will be better satisfied with what you
have done"
True enough; my portrait struck NE
as being far less imperfect than be
fore. The next morning | had my lit
tie model before me again and worked
industriously during a whole sitting
Then l put the portrait away that |
might not see it till ready to resume
my work on it. When | looked at it
the next day | found that | had rather
injured than improved it. Disguised,
1 resolved to spend the morning in the
BobOli gardens and. leaving word fO,
Luigi that | would not need him. lef,
the house.
portrait was on my easel where l had
left it Again | was surprised that ii
looked so much better than when | had
last seen it. 1T is remarkable" l said
how ones physical condition affects
ones appreciation. especially of ones
own work"
But ! injured my work again thu,
Is. In my wi eyes. for Mr.. WartieId
assured me that the picture was grow
ing better every day. And so it was
Notwithstanding that It seemed to me
l could not touch it without marrins
1t. Finally one day on returning from
sightseeing the picture seemed to MT
to be simply perfect 1t was not only
Luigi. but. Luigi living. showed II
to Mr.. Warfeld. who told me not tt
touch it again
l was sadly in need Of money and
took 1t to a dealer He seemed very
much pleased with it and told me ht
thought, he could sell 1t for Il gOOC
price If there was ON it the name Of q
we'll known artist. | had nOt put my
name on it. since l was unknown. and
thought it better to leave the public
In ignorance of the painter. left the
picture with the dealer. telling him t.
sell it II be got any offer whatever fol
1t. In a few days he wrote me a note
saying that be had sold 1t for 2,5Ul
francs.
Astonished, l hurried at once to his
SuOp 0uO 0SASO uIlu uOW uC uoO A0du
aged to make SO ready a sale and f0l
such a price, but his only explanation
was that 1t was a fine bit of work.
returned to my quarters hoping to gel
a better explanation from Mr.. War
field. but found that he had left Flor
ence. t
l told my Iandlady Of my good for
tune. but she did not seem to b. much
surprised. I began to think ! had moi
realized the artistic ability that was IL
me. The landlady's daughter. though
she rejoiced with me. did not seem t.
wonder at my good fortune.
sent for Luigi to make him II band
some present in addition to 10 francs
had paid for his sittings. When HI
came | gave him IS fruncs
"Grazia. signorina:" he said. Nov
1 have so francs to spend"
mot so. Luigi-35
mo. signOrina: 1t Is 50 With thu
Is francs Signor Warield paid me-"
He stopped short.
What! SignOr Wartield paid you I: