Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-10-16
THAT IDEAL FACE
By c. 3. 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-
couraged him. He made q sketch of
her when fifteen years old, and It was
so hfelike and 1t so pleased her that
when she died few years later. she
left him legacy of $4,000 and a
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 a 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 ne 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 a second time nor
spoke well 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 q
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
1t "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 it came to the face he had
lots of trouble. 1t seemed to him that
nature made no perfect faces, and it
must be a 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 a 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 the
door while the young woman made
some purchases. When she came out
he followed her five blocks to what
seemed a 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 it over.
Just now she had a can of beans
warming over gas jet, and she was
afraid they might burn. Great heav-
ens-beans and beautyl 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:
1.-THE idea of a beautiful creature
like that eating beans warmed up in
the cant She probably scooped them
out with a spoon and beans were prob
ably all she had that night for dinner.
Do beans and beauty go together?
Never! Hold on, though. Will the
public ever know that she was beam
eater? Can't a young lady, even If
she be good-looking, eat what she
pleases 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 herw
In a week, Mr.. Temples artistic soul
had recovered from the jolt, and he re-
turned to the beautiful face. He was
welcomed with smile, and this time
the young woman said:
81 raust eat when can, as I am en-
ployed and am very busy. Won't you
sit down with me and have some sau-
sages and sauerkraut and few
crackers? Sorry I can't make better
spread, but you are very welcome to
what have"
The artist then sprang up to go. He
intended to make mad rush down
stairs, but he changed his mind, and
that dinner tasted good to him. The
young lady's 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
a 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,
but it required many trips to the
rooming house, and he generally found
beans or sausages awaiting him. The
charming young lady was the first 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 it was not work at portrait
painting. He had best change his &C.
cupation before he grew any older.
Mr.. Temple was crushed and humili-
aCeQ, anu he T0Iufucu " his SluoAS
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, I have given up portrait
painting and have contracted to paint
all the buildings which a large con-
tractor is to build in the next three
years. 1 guess that is where I ought
to have begun. viii you be my wife
and set up housekeeping with me?
And she said she would, and did
Downright 1917. by the Mcclure Newspi
per Syndicate.)
Wise to Him.
when do you think it will stop rain
ing?"
IF answer that question you'll
want me to tell you when the war is
going to end"