Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-03-09
MCObWebs.n
" TRE AUTHOR oF "NRs. smTH's PARTY

The speaker vas one Of two young men,
who had come up the mountains, on q pedes-
trian and sketching expedition, ffom the city
Of Philadelphia. As be spoke, he laid bis
hand on bis companions arm.
The person he addressed, looked aud saw
a litils girl about ten years old, advancing
along an old blackberry path. She was
brown as berry, from exposure 70 SUM-
and her feet and arms were bare; but there
was a grace about her, as she came trip
ping forward, that princess might have
envied.
Just in front Of her, a spider had spun bis
trap across the path, and, as the yong man
/ spoke, she slightly stopped her head, and
raising her hands, pushed the cobwebs
aside. It was this srtless, natural movement
which completed the picture.
g ! should Ike TO paint her, said he who
had spoken.
aWhas love at frstF answered his COM
panion, laughing. To think Of the fastidi-
Gus Clarence losing his heart 10 a sunburnt
I fairy. You are eighteen, and she about ten
oh you can afford 10 wait"
This conversation had been carried on in
whispers The child, still advancing, had
6y this time, come opposite 20 the two young
men. On seeing them, she stopped, and
stared curiOusly at them, as youl g deer,
that had never been hunted, may be sup
posed to stop aud regard the first stranger
that enters the forest, Her bright speaking
iAce, as she thus stood, gracefully arrested,
vas not less beautiful, in It's way, than her
1.-THE figure.
Ny dear, said the las speaker, would
e, -. into Nv
-riend here is a palmer, and will give you a
iollar if You viii let him sketch you.
FTheschild looked fom the speaker to his
.fiend Something in the latters face seem
ID 20 restore the natural confidence, which
ne free and easy air Of the other had, for the
noment shaken. She drew, coyly, up to
aim, as it for protection
q i have read Of pictures, said she, gazing
up into bis face, but never saw one. Is it
4 real picture Of me you will make 2 90 .,a
The artless, appealing manner Of the child
vent to the young mans heart He would
IS soon have Joined in banteriug her as in
1antering sister. BE took her hand, as he
replied:
Twill make as good picture OF you as
{ can, if you viii let me. A picture like one
ofthese."
And be opened his portfolio, which con-
tsined various sketches.
HOhl how beautiful :" cried the child. II
vas evident that new world had opened to
er. She gazed, breathlessly, at sketch
lisar sketch, tin the last had been examined,
md then heaved deep sigh.
Please, sir," said she timidly, at last,
VII yon sive me my picture when you
lave painted NJ
No interpOsed the other young man,
but we will give yOu a dollar"
She turned on the SPEAKER, let go the hand
sde had been holding, and drew herself up
Rith sudden haugh6Ress. l--.ss
,' I don't want your dollar, she said, with
proud delicaey.
sne was turning to escape when the artist
recovering her band, said soothingly,
g Never mind hin, my dear. will pain
NO pictures, and give you one. Come, vii
that do2"
lRea sured, the child took TIE position in
Heated 70 her, and Clarence Harvard, fol
that was the young artists name, began rap.
/ dfy painting. Before noon, two hAsty
sketches IN oil were finished.
"There, be said drawing g long breath
ayou have been as quiet as little mouse
md I'm thousand timsa obliged to YOU
Take that home and he handed her thI
,ketch, aud maybe, some Of these dsJ $
you'll think Of him who gave it to you ''
g That will, all my life long" artlessIy
said the child, gazing rapturously on her new
,ossessiOn, with an enthusiasm, partly bOrI
Of the artist soul within her, and partly thi
result Of a ohild's pride in what is It's owl
aspecial prouertv l
HOhl yes interpOsed the other youth
you'll promise to be bis wife, some day
won't you, Mss Oobwebs?"
The child's eres flashed as she turned ol
sthe speaker Her instinct from the first ha'
made her dislike this sneering man. Sh
stamped her pretty foot, and retottsd, sauciiy
"rH never be yours; at any nate, you oil
snapDing-turtle, and as if expecting to hav
her ears boxed, il caught, she darted away
disappearing, rapidly, down the path whe1c
she had come. 5.sa.7s al.
Clarence Har,ard broke into q merr
laugh in wtieh, after a moment of anger, hi
companion joined him.
You deserved il richly, said Clarence
" It's capital nickname too. ] shall ca
you nothing else, alter this than swapping
,urtle.p
:. Hang the jade was the reply. On
wouldn't think she was so smart. But whi
a shreW she'll make pity the clod-hOI
per she marries; sheiH hen-peek him out
all peace, and send him tOan early graveR
Nothing more was said, for, at that N,
ment, dinner horn sounded, and the yOUu
men rosa 70 return to the roadside inn WEI
they had stopped the night before. The
time wss limited, and that evening, knal
sack on back, they were miles awsy from Il
. Gene Of the morning. A week later the
were both home in the city, Clarence hard
work perfecting himself in art, and his cor
Z oanion delving at Coke and Blackstone.
Years passed. Clarence Harvard had ris'
I to be an artist Of eminence. His pietDr
! we're the fashion; he was the .ashion him5e
occasionally, as be tuTned- over bis old
N Sketches, be would come upon "Cobwebi
is be vas accustomed, laughingly, to call I
Il Sketch offhe child; and then, for momeI
be would wonder what had become Of {
original; but, except on these rare occasion
he never even thought Of her.
Not so with the child herself Nellie Br
was poor orphan, the daughter of a decay
Gentleman, who, alter her fathers death, b
oeen adopted by maternal uncle, living
III / ! WllQf upl4uQ litllu among Tue AlAeA3 3tAiu
= Der childhood, from her earliest recollecdt
n uad been spent amid the dradeery of q faI
II fhis rude, but free life had given her
re sJringy step and Tuddy cheek, which had
ia tracted the young artists attention; but it !
to Jailed to satisfy the higher aspirations of
zi- nature, aspirations which had been born
Pc Der blood, and which came Of generations
b. antcedent culture The first occasion
ls which these higher impulses had found C
Is, yenial food was when she had met the yoU
artist. She carried her sketch home,
= would never part with It. BIS refined,
, ,ellectual face haunted al her day.dream'
From that hour new elerneat entered
her life; she became conscious that there v
other people, beside the dull, plodding c
= with whom hsr lot bad been cast she asp
TO rise to the level of such; all her leii
hours were spent in studYingi gradua
N through her influences, her Uncle's bOnsel
r. grew more or less refined; and fnally,
nnrla hirnaelf- baoauaoa ambitious for Ne