Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1917-08-17
THAT IDEAL FACE
BY c. 9. LEWIS.


| He had been an artist ever since he
could make pictures on the school
house walls and sidewalks. He might
never have amounted to much as an
artist If his grandmother hadn't en-
eouraged him. He made sketch Of
her when fifteen years old, and It was
SO lifellke and 1t so pleased her that
when she died few years later she
| left him a legacy Of $4,000 and
request that he use part of the money
to make himself famous with the
| brush.
Young Mr.. Temple started out in
| great earneStness to become portrait
painter. He attended classes; he took
| lessons of different teachers; he at
/ tended academies of art. They openly
found fault with his drawings and col
ors, and a famous painter told him
that he didn't know enough about art
| to paint cows leg. He finally set up
a studio and branched out for HIM
| self. He secured a few patrons, but
they never returned second time nor
| spoke we'll of his abilities. They got
their portraits framed and hung them
In the woodshed or some other safe
| place.
Young Mr.. Temple felt that he had a
great career before him. All that was
needed was to paint one great picture.
| What he wanted was TO find an ideal
| face of female of course, and then
paint a rose alongside of 1t and call
| it 1.-The June Rose" He rode and
walked miles and miles In the city, al
ways staring about him for that ideal
| face. He could find the rose alright,
but when II came to the face he had
lots of trouble. 1t seemed to him that
nature made no perfect faces and it
must be perfect face or the picture
would not bring him fame.
Patience and perseverance will al
ways win. One day, as Mr. Temple
was buying some cheese and crackers
in delicatessen store to make his
| studio lunch on, the long-sought-for
| face entered the place. He realized
| in a moment that he stood on the
threshold of fame. He scanned the
face for an imperfection, but found
none. He went out and stood by TIE
| door while the young woman made
| some purchases. When she came out
he followed her five blocks to what
seemed rooming house. After she
| had passed in he handed the janitor
| quarter and asked her name. The jan
itor told him, and that evening he
| came back and managed to secure an
interview with her.
When the artist had got out about
all he wanted to say, the young lady
replied that she would think 1t over.
Just now she had can of beans
warming over a gas Jet, and she was
afraid they might burn. Great heav-
ens-beans and beauty! The artist
seized his hat and made his escape.
| His artistic soul was Mortified. He
went to his studio In the blacklist de-
spair, and he did not recover for three
days. Then he said to himself:
"The idea of a beautiful creature
like that eating beans warmed up In
the canl She probably scooped them
out with a spoon and beans were prob
ably all she had that night for dinner.
Dc beans and beauty go together
Never! Hold on, though. VIII the
public ever know that she was bean
eater? Can't young lady, even if
she be good-looking. eat what she
pleasos for dinner? If she prefers a
can of beans in her own room to a
champagne supper AT some heightened
restaurant. should that be laid up
against herf
In week, Mr.. Temples artistic soul
had recovered from the jolt, and he re-
turned to the beautiful face. He was
welcomed with a smile, and this time
the young woman said:
81 must eat when | can, as l am en-
ployed and am verv busy. Won't you
sit down with me and have some sau-
sages and sauerkraut and few
crackers? Sorry can't make better
spread. but you are very welcome to
what / have"
The artist then sprang up to go. He
| intended to make a mad rush down
stairs. but he changed his mind, and
that dinner tasted good to him. The
Young ladys face looked even hand
somer as she bit her slice OF sausage
than it did when at rest. When he
went away. he was half convinced that
one could be spirituelle and yet have
good appetite for sausage and sauer-
| kraut.
Mr.. Temple paid three or four more
calls before he began sketching that
ideal face. He was no longer Mortified.
He finally got that face on the canvas,
| hut 1t required many trips to the
| rooming house, and he generally found
beans or sausaaas awaiting him. The
| charming young lady was the hrst TO
| see her portrait. She kindly told Mr..
Temple that he was fooling away his
| time. There was work for him in this
| world, but 1t was not work at portrait
| nainfing. He had best change his oc-
| cupation before he grew any older.
| Mr.. Temple was crushed and humili-
| ated. and he returned to his studio
with tears In his eyes. He was hardly
seen for the next three days. Then he
| was noticed talking very earnestly
| with a builder and contractor. That
| evening he made his appearance at
the room of his friend and quietly
| said:
"Honore, have given up portrait
| painting and have contracted to paint
all the buildings which a large con-
tractor is 10 build in the next three
wears. I guess that is where l ought
1 tsf. 90