The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1917-09-21

men and women OF culture, even nne
attachments, before he had lost his
sight, and had to take to peddling on
the streets for a living.
1t was Rickett that suggested to
Jerry to go to night school. The boy
jumped at it, and was soon getting
along finely, though he suffered much
modification in starting in so far be-
hind the others, and in appearing In
ragged clothes He never knew till
long afterward the pang it cost the old
man to let him go from him those
/ evenings while he sat alone, for Rick
EFT had begun to love the boy.
one day, as they stood at n street
corner a gentleman who paused 10 drop
some money in the blind mans hand
stared with kind of fascination at the
boy.
"Will you come and pose fer me?'
he asked. II am an artist. l viii pay
you fifty cents an hour
Poser queried the boy. What
should do?"
"Only stand still while l paint your
picture"
ASK him If l may?" He pointed to
the blind man.
After the artist had repeated his re-
| quest to Rickett, the old man asked:
SIS he handsome boy, then?'
"He would be perfect for my young
st. John. Do you know from that how
he looks?"
"Yes-I understand. The face Is
sensitive"
ort;C ct cto Mt fhic oxnvoCc{On
from an ordinary mendicant, then he
saw that the man was not ordinary"
So Jerry became all artists model.
With contributions of money and
clothes he was always now well
dressed He went less and less on the
street with Rickett, for the posing was
more profitable for the old man, and
the woman came no more for her
money.
When the "St John" was exhibited
in the academy 1t at once created
great demand for the model and Jerry
had all he could do At seventeen the
handsome youth had lost no demand
for his services, but he still chung to
old Rickctt, and when the old man de-
parted from the little shanty and this
world, cared for him to the last and
mourned him as father.
One day Jerry was sent for by a new
patron. LEIGH Tarbell. already famous
though still under thirty. Jerry posed
for weeks for Tarbell, who monopo-
lized his services to such an extent
that the older patrons who felt they
had prior right began to blame Tar
bell, and express their mind rather
freely to the model. But always Jerry
had some excuse. He could not leave
Tarbell with a picture just begun, or
something of the sort
Then one day came the first unpleas-
ant experience in Tarbells studio. The
! artist had concluded to do a picture OF
the young Endymion, and told Jerry to
go in the robing room, and put on the
costume he had laid out for him. In
few minutes Jerry returned in his
street clothes, white of face but deter
mined.
II cannot wear those SKINS" he
said.
"Why not?" demanded Tarbell
"They are the right thing. You will be
stunning"
For the past four years the boy had
} never been called upon to wear any
costume that did not cover him from
neck to knees. He refused firmly to
wear the skins.
"Well," said Tarbell, then l must
, give up the 'Endymion or yet another
3 model"
"You will have to get another
, model" said the boy in low, tense
tones. And he took up his hat to GO
, Look here, Jerry Don't desert me
this way! I've some more work OF
! that Recruit You'll stay and help
me out on that won't your
"Of course" said Jerry And hi
went in to don his khaki uniform.
, However Tarbell may have wondered
. at Jerry's behavior he said nothing. II
was weeks before the other picture
, was finished. One day he asked Jerry
! to go with him to his camp in the
. Adirondacks for a four weeks vaca
ton. His fOndness for the boy seemed
! something deeper than an artists fol-
: his model. jerry refused, pleading his
pressure of engagements.
4>O, Sulu Lclls IL ISL luut, Hit
' you know it. Don't you caro- enough
{ for me to tell me the TRUTH"
q Then you known"
/ Jerry, white and swayIng, collapse,
r weakly into chair.
"I've known for long time" sale
. Tarbell gently. -
t "And knowing, you asked me to &c
. with you to that camp!" she said.
: "Yes, that is why l asked you" he
: said.
( "The old woman, when she sent me
r to live with Rickett, made me veal
s boys clothes, because she said he
t wanted boy, and would never know
0 | was girl. 1t was safer for me too
a living as l would. so l kept my secret
and when l began to pose l found Il
profitable to go on being a boy Bu