The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-05-23

Hoa&ah fDVtaSt hSSNRNCu ~ "N"~s'
comment though it was not likeness
Of her daughter, FOR 1t was q beautiful
picture. It was placed in a conspecu.
Gus position and much admired. out
I few Of those who were acquainted
;, with the subject recognized It a. her
portrait
I Meanwhile Ashley bad become se
absorbed in his model that be faileo
to be elated with his success. During
the last sfttings his subject. By fire.
quent casting down Of her eyes under
bis gaze, by pouting her pretty lips at
any inattention on his part, had given
evidence that her innocent heart had
gone ont to meet his. Since be was
poor and had not yet made a name for
himself in his profession, he hesttated
to declare bis love.
I Nevertheless he was unable to tear
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 60 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 10 the Bobon 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.
Ala LILO cSEIiAE tHSy WouA WIN W
gether on me AYno embankment, which
when the lamps are lighted is az near
fairyland az any real scene that can
be produced. But It was in the apart
meut occupied by Miss Laurence and
her mother, where the lovers were
alone together, that Ashley broke down
and confessed his love and his fears.
She received this confession and his
fears with no definite response
He was hoping one morning that a
reputation would come from bis mas
terpiece to enable him to muster cour-
age to propose to his model, when. TAX
ing up a morning journal. he saw an
announcement that 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 fair
countrywoman. Ashley recognized the
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
II his duty 10 go to the lodgings of the
young man TO learn II anything was to
be done in the premises. On reaching
the house-a pension on the Lung
Arnn, which means in English the
Arno embankment-he made inquiries
of the proprietor. he told the artist
that the suicides mother and sister
were there and brother was expect
ed during the day.
~ noticed" said Ashley, that an
American lady was the cause"
"Yes. signor; the lady whose portrait
In 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 IL stricken
by some fearful calamity. The other,
who was handing a 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 a hand on the
stone coping that protects the side
walk from the river. 1t seemed for
awhile as If he would be another vic
| tim to Ia Belle Dame Sans Merci. But
/ presently. steadying himself by the
! coping he walked slowly in the direc-
ton OF. his studio.
The idle prediction of the landlord
was fulfilled. The story attached to
his picture Of purity was well known.
and every one visited 1t from curtos-
fly If fur no other reason. Since the
name Of the artist was attached to 1t,
he might have taken advantage of the
reputa ton II gave him to make a for
tune. but he never painted another
picture and was never seen again in
Florence after that morning.
After the suicide a story concerning
Miss Laurence's part In the matter
was hushed up. 1t appears that, hav-