Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1916-04-05

for his masterpiece was an additional
reason for his falling In love with her.
There was a fascination about his sub
ject which he supposed had been re-
vealed probably to him alone. He
could not Nsee how any other man
should be enthralled as he had been.
for he laid his enthrallment to his pc
culiar perceptive faculties which en-
abled him to perceive perfect en-
bodiment of purity.
When the picture was finished it was
marked success, not as a portrait.
but as representation Of purity. The
models mother accepted 1t without
comment. though it was not likeness
of her daughter, for 1t was beautiful
picture. 1t was placed in conspicu-
Gus position and much admired, but
few Of those who were acquainted
with the subject recognized 1t as her
portrait.
Meanwhile Ashley had become so
absorbed in his model that he failed
to be elated with his success During
the last sittings his subject, by fire.
quent casting down of her eyes under
his gaze, by pouting her pretty lips at
any inattention on his part, had given
evidence that her innocent heart had
gone out to meet his. Since he was
poor and had not vet made a name for
himself in his profession, he hesitated
to declare his love.
ha1, hn To tnn
himself away from Miss Laurence, nor
did she seem inclined to part with him.
After the finishing Of her portrait, or,
rather, his conception Of purity, he
was unable to work. The mornings
usually found him in one of the gal
leries, where he expected to meet the
girl who had captivated him. He was
seldom disappointed, though she was
not always alone. While she was sit
ting for him, so far as he knew her
time was exclusively his own. but now
that she had no engagements with him
she was free to go about with whom
she liked, and since he was not occu-
pied he had an opportunity to meet
her in other company.
Although Ashley suffered the pangs
of jealousy upon seeing Miss Laurence
with other cavaliers. she always reas-
sured him with one Of her sweetest
smiles ON such occasions and not In
frequently would make it plain to him
that she wished him to join her When
relieved of her other attendant she
would take him to the Boboi gardens,
in rear of the Pitt gallery, than which
there Is no more fitting place for low
ers. These gardens are representative
of the medieval method Of cultivating
shrubbery and flowers. The perfume
Of the latter alone is conducive to love-
In the evening they would walk to-
gether on the Arno embankment, which
when the lamps are lighted is as near
fairyland as any real scene that can
be produced. But it was in the apart
ment occupied by Miss Laurence and
her mother. where the lovers were
alone together, that Ashley broke down
She received this confession and his
fears with no definite response,
He was hoping one morning that a
reputation would come from his mas
terpiece to enable him to muster cour-
age to propose to his model, when, TAX
ing up morning journal, he saw an
announcement that a young American
had the night before committed suicide
by jumping from the Ponte Vecchio,
medieval bridge, into the Arno. 1t
was limited that the young man had
taken himself off for love of a, fair
name of a man he had seen with Helen
Laurence one day in the gallery of
the Pitt palace and to whom he had
been introduced by her.
AS an American, Ashley considered
1t his duty to go to the lodgings Of the
young man to learn if anything was to
be done in the premises. On reaching
the house-a pension on the Lung
Arno, which means in English the
Arno embankment-he made inquiries
of the proprietor He told the artist
that the suicides mother and sister
ed during the day.
Il noticed, said Ashley, that an
American lady was the cause"
"Yes, signor; the lady whose portrait
Is now attracting so much attention.
This episode will likely make the art
lists fortune"
Ashley seemed turned to marble. He
stood looking at the man as If stricken
by some fearful calamity. The other.
who was handing key to guest at
the moment. did not notice his changed
appearance and continued:
THE American is not the only one
who has suffered from this same cause.
An Englishman made a great ado
when the lady refused him. and one of
our own citizens, prince, fell into the
same pit. Among her victims she is
named La Belle Dame Sans Merci, aft
err an English poem
Ashley staggered out into the open
air Standing with n hand on the