Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1923-04-05
The Village
Artists Revenge
By ELLA SAUNDERS
70. 1913. Western Newspaper Uni0n.)

"Yes, there's been some changes in
Freeport, marin, since you went away.
Quite a few of US old folks gone, l
guess. My cottagef Why, yes, there
has been some changes, too. Them pic
lures? Now, I'm glad you noticed them.
You remember Ellenf
"Why, it's queer about Ellen. You
know, when she took that craze to go
to the city and be painter, nobody
thought very much about it. But, you
see, WIN Calder had Tilted her-so they
said, and guess it's true-after her
father only left her five hundred dol
lars instead of the thousands we all
thought old Mr.. Nash was worth.
swell, she must of been gone nine or
ten years, l guess, and here she comes
back-bought the old house, now-and
she pears to be a famous painter,
though none of us knew it. Making
her fifteen thousand year, they say.
Yes, Freeport's certainly proud of her
daughter.
''Oh, them pictures? Why, she paint
ed them for me. Charge? Nothing.
Pretty, amt they? And she's painted
for lot Of the folks, but as for her
old flame, VIII Calder-why, say, she's
stacked his house up with the paint
ings she's done for him. Pretty
scenes 1 don't wonder she's succeed
ed"
was looking in wonder at the pic
lures, for, of all the daubs had ever
seen, these were the limit. Broad,
fiaring bands of color, conventional
sweet things, girls faces and country
scenes-just what would appeal to the
unsophisticated.
If these were samples of Ellen
Nashs work, then Ellen Nash's story
that she was a famous painter was a
lie, transparent to the person with the
smallest knowledge of art.
walked up the hill to VIII Calder's
place. VIII was at work, but his wife
remembered me and showed me over
the house with pride. The living room
was full of Ellen's paintings.
"Ain't they pretty?" said Mrs. Cal
der. II do think 1t was sweet Of her
doing all these for us-and not a cent,
mind you-jest because she and VIII
used to be friends"
She glggled, and it was clear that
she meant that they had been some
thing more than friends.
But If Mrs. Thompson's paintings
had been bad, these were positively
vile-the vilest daubs that l had ever
seen. Perhaps the cheapest Of cheap
department stores might have ven
tured to offer them at knock-down
price of dollar ninety-eight, but
doubted that.
Can't you see the things? The livid
blues and browns, the splotches of
paint, the red lips and the cream-col-
ored cheeks Of the girls? The cattle
browsing pastorally In the greenest
Of green grass? II hurt me, for l re
membered Ellen, and was on my way
to see her.
i stopped at the old place. 1t was
Ellen herself who opened the door to
me. She was so pleased to see me, and
I was as pleased to see her. She had
grown refined, spirituelle. / marveled
more and more that such a girl could
have painted those awful things.
marveled more-I gasped when
saw the pictures on Ellen's walls. I
recognized two of these as the work
of the young woman painter, Miriam
Keith, who had been the rage of the
season. 1t was evident that Ellen APP
preciated good pictures. Then how, In
heavens name? :.
1t was Ellen who opened the sub
ject, after 1 had told her that 1 had
called on Mrs. Thompson and win.
81 suppose you are wondering about
the paintings?" she asked slowly.
"Well-yes," / ventured.
ST." said Ellen, Fam Miriam Keith"
/ sat gasping at her like stranded
fish.
"You see, when went to New York
| chose to take another name. | want
ed nothing to remind me Of this hate
full place. | was an unsophisticated
girl. II succeeded at last. Then,
when was rich, 1 felt the longing for
a country place, and bought the old
house. Here l shall remain Ellen
Nash. In New York am Miriam
Keith Now-do you understands"
She said no more, but suddenly / did
understand / saw the scorn and the
revenge of the artist upon the people
who had gossiped about her, lied about
her. These pictures were on their
own level, and she had taken a clever
and such a subtle revenge upon them
And upon VIII Calder, most Of all,
filling up his house with those trashy
daubs. wondered whether there had
been anything in that story about
them? Certainly the man could be
nothing to her now.
In way thought 1t was revenge
upon Ellen's own youth.
II. Ill