Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 July 1915 — The Pink Sunbonnet [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Pink Sunbonnet

How an Artist Found His Medel

By CLARISSA MACKIE

Neal Whitcomb whistled cheerfully as he climbed the hill to the low white farmhouse. On every side the ground sloped away from the hospitable looking domicile. In front was a tree covered lawn, on the north was a vegetable garden, on the south a flower garden and on the east sunny fields of strawberries. *..Neal went up the front walk and rang the doorbell. A middle aged black woman respond ed to his summons. “I am looking for Mr. Huxford,” said Neal. Huxford am gone to town with' a load of berries,” replied the servant, “and Missis Huxford am gone to de sewin's’ciety.” - - . Neal smiled pleasantly. “Then I'm afraid i nKst call TfgaTn. Ferhtffts you "can tell me if there is a Miss Huxford Here?” 'i. Thg, Woman shook her head. “No, sah; ain’t never heard of no Miss Huxford. Dere’s young Master Huxford, but he’s away at school jes’ now.” • “I am a painter—an artist,” explained Neal as he turned Away. “I am staying at the hotel. The proprietor told me I might find a young lady to pose for me up here at Huxfords’. 1 told him I wanted some one dressed as a country girl in a pink sunbonnet—to put in a picture, you know.” Then, suddenly realizing that he was doing

much useless explaining, he added hastily, turning away, “Of course there may be another Huxford.” "Dere ain’t no mo' Huxfords around hTaV advised the woman, and she ' "a Twinkle in iier~ eye-T: ! •'P’raps mebbe Mr. Dowd down to the hotel meant yo' could find a young lady out in our strawb'ry beds here. Dere’s any sight of ’em pickin’ berries this minit.” “May I go around and look for myself?" inquired Neal. And without waiting for permission he started around the house. “Mebbe yo' might find a pink sunbonnet yander in de field,” called the servant after him. Nqal Whitcomb went around to the back of the farmhouse, through the green tunnel of a long grape arbor and down a winding path that led to a barred gate. Over the gate he went into a small field, and. crossing this field, where several eows were pastured, he came to another gate, against which he leaned in stunned surprise. Here were several acres given over to long rows of strawberries, and thickly scattered over the field was a sea of pink sunbonnets’ There was the sound of laughing voices, merry questions and answers, pink sunbonnets bobbing up and down as sun browned hands filled the square wooden baskets, -which were quickly removed by several older women, who kept tally of the pickings of each girl. Out/Of this sea of pink sunbonnets he . < was to choose his modell, The landlord of the village hotel was evident!}’ ti joker. No wonder the black servant at the-iMMise yonder had grinned when he mentioned pink sunbonnets!

Neal turned away and tramped, with what dignity he could muster back through the grape arbor and around the path to the front entrance. He had started down the path when the servant ran out and spoke to him. “{Scuse me. sail.” she said timidly. “I hope yo’ all don't think I was get.tin' a joke off on yo'?." “Not at all.” said Neal stiffly, “If yo'll scuse my presumptiousness, mlstah. I’d like to say somethin’,” went on Delia. “Yo' was sayin’ yo’d like to palijt a young lady inter yo'r pictur’?” “Yes.” “I spects dere’s money in it fer de young lady, sah?” “Of course I always pay my models.” said Neal. The woman came closer and spoke confidentially. “Den. sah. I’d like to recommend

Miss Sally Bemis, the pretties’ young lady in de county, lak a rose, sah—so pinky and sweet! Her folks has come down in de wotT, and dey’s livin’ in dat little cottage yunder on a weeny corner of de big plantashun dat belonged to Miss Sally's grandpap, old General Bemis. Dere’s jes’ Miss Sally and her ma, and her ma’s deliket, and Miss Sally works all kinder ways to earn money. Now she demeans herself by pickin’ strawb’rys fer Mr. Huxford. It ain’t no ways fer a Bemis to earn money erlong wid de village gals hereabouts.”

“Thank you, auntie, for the information,” said Neal who‘was much interested in the story of the pluckj’ young girl. “Shall I call upon Mrs. Bemis?” “Well, sah, suppose yo’ tak’ a look at Miss Sally fust. If yo’ spoke fust it might lift up dere hopes, and mebbe she might not suit. If she don’t yo’ must be mighty perticular!” she ended rather belligerently. • “Where shall I find her, auntie?” asked Neal patiently. “I certainly can’t go into the field and face thaf battery of sunbonnets.” | “Why, jes’ set here on de end of de veranda bellin’ de honeysuckle vines. I Dey’ll all come trailin’ past pretty j soon, and yo’ jes’ fix yo’ eye on de pretties’ and most uppsy one of de whole lot, and dat’s Miss Sally. If yo’! satisfied yo’ can go and see ’em. I j goiter go, sah,” | He went up to the wide piazza apd sat down in a great easy chair close to the honeysuckle that screened the pl-] azza from the path around which the strawberry pickers must coihe? Twq fear" ago? at the art school, there had been a little student, and he was sure her jiflmq wa§ Rally Bemis or something of that sort. He had, given several talks to the students, and i he remembered the girl’s lovely, ear-i nest face upturned to his. If he had met her oftener he would have fallen in love then and there, but he was very busy at that time, and he was about to sail for Italy, and the little student had drifted out of his memory. Voices were heard approaching from the rear of the farmhouse, and presently there strolled past, singly or in groups, the strawberry pickers.

Nineteen girls had gone out of the big gate, and be confessed himself disappointed that not one would do. There came a light step along the path and a rich contralto voice trilling softly. Through the honeysuckle vines lie saw her coming, sunbonnet slipped back on the dark masses of her curls; her fair face with its magnolia-like complexion tinged with soft pink; her lovely dark eyes, fringed with long, curling lashes; her sweetly curved lips, so tenderly smiling. It was Miss Sally Bemis. More than that, she was the one girl for his picture. She was the girl of his dreams, and she was the little student of the art school !

- Neal overtook her at the gate. She turned lovely, surprised eyes at him, and suddenly a deep rose Hush stained her cheek from brow to chin. There was embarrassed recognition in her glance. 7 ’ . Neal lifted his hat. “Miss Bemis, 1 wonder if you remember me?” he asked eagerly. ’’One does not soon forget a celebrity like Neal Whitcomb, the artist,” she said quickly, holding out a stained little hand. “What are you doing way down here in Dixie?”

“Painting,” said Neal, falling into step beside her. “I’ve been looking for a model to pose in a daisy field. 1 wanted a girl in a pink sunbonnet ; and wish somebody sent me up here to Huxfords'. Fancy my dismay when I went out to the strawberry fieffl and saw twenty pink sunbonnets!” - Sally laughed deliciously. “The pink sunbonnets are Mrs. Hux ford’s idea. She bought a piece of pink calico and made sunbonnets for all the girls; said she liked to see us in the field.” “It’s an amazingly pretty sight.” agreed Neal as he went down the hill beside her. “You are taking home some of the strawberries?” “Yes, to my mother. She is an invalid. Her failing health, combined with lack of money, compelled me to abandon my art career,” she explained cheerfully. “That was a hardship,” said Neal sympathetically. Sally laughed again. “It was at the time, but I have found out jthat my talents are more in the domestic line than otherwise. I am fortunate in finding it out in time. don't you f hink so?” "Brava!” cried Neal. "And now tell me, Miss Sally, is this your home that we are approaching?” "Yes, arid there is mother on the' porch waiting for me. You will come in and have a cup of tea with us. Mr. Whitcomb?"

“It will give me much pleasure,” he said, so emphatically that they both laughed with some sudden knowledge of good fellowship. Sally led him to the porch and introduced him to the sweet faced little lady who was her mother, and then she disappeared while Neal talked to Mrs. Bemis. Mrs. Bemis declared that she and Neal fell in love With each other long before Neal fell in love with Sally, but they all agreed that it didn’t matter in the least so long as Neal and Sally were married and lived happily ever after. If you ever see Neal Whitco*mb’s famous painting “He Loves Me—He Loves Me Not!” showing -a pink sunbonneted girl telling her fortune in a daisy field you will recognize the lovely girl stripping the petals froAt the daisy as Miss Sally Bemis, and those who know will add that she is the t rtist's wife.

“MISS BEMIS, I WONDER IF YOU REMEM BER ME?”