The Portland daily press., 1874-10-03

By this time several boats had pushed out
from shore, one of which rescued the nurse,
while another quickly followed Graysbrook
and his insensible charge, as they were drift
ing with the tide.
The artist, though strong and active
swimmer in days gone by, was well nigh
spent when he was lifted into "The Saucy
Kate"
The shore reached, the sufferers were car
ried into q parlor in the little inn close to the
river side. Lights were brought when Lewis
cried:
Hodges children, by heavens! Come, let
us carry them up to the house"
CHAPTER II.
Two DAYS after the accident, Edward Grays-
brook sat painting his picture with all his
heart and life. No model had sat to him, yet
the face and figure of Titania were accom-
plished works of art. To represent pair of
sparkling eyes, two pouting lips, a dimpliDg
smle and shock of jetty hair, is to clever
artist by no means an impossible task; never
theless, that face had been painted and re-
painted, shade darker here, a trifle lighter
there, until it bore an expression that our
would be r. A. had carried in his heart since
he quilted The Cedars.
A sound of wheels, a rap at the door, and
Cyrus Hodges appeared on the scene. "Ah
my dear boy, glad to find you in. Pve come
to thank you in a more becoming way than l
had time for the other night tor your pluck
and presence of mind in savingmy child's life.
Tut, tut! no answering me. Damme, Sir,
you did save it, and am not the sort of man
to forget claim of that kind. Now let us
see. What do you call that picture? Tita-
MIA, Ell? Hum-m-m! l know the face.
Why, yes, it's surely Lucy Graham, my wife's
niece. All! you dog. Well, you might have
taken a worse model. Have you sold it?"
"Not yet" said Ned.
''Then I'll have it. Come, we won't bag
gle over it. dare say my plice will suit you.
What did you get for your gold medal pic.
ture?'
ga hundred and fifty pounds.''
"Then I'll double it," said Hodges. taking
out his check book. "By Jove, though,
that's very pretty" he continued, as his eye
caught sight of sketch in corner of the
room. ..Haye you any more like it?''
Il have some in this portloIlo," answered
Ned.
sDear me! that's a charming little bit; and
this tooA-lWel, shall take these with me in
my cab, if you don't object,'
= Ned was only too happy, of course.
SPY the way, hope you will come and Wis
it us at Twickenham. Mrs. Hodges palticu-
larry wishes it. Sundays we are always at
home. Lunch at two, dinner at seven. !
shall expect you next Sunday. Good-by; and
above all things don't hurry Titania. think
we shall make you, if she's success
And with the portfolio of sketches under
his arm, the great picture dealer clustered
out of the room into his cab, and back into
town.
Ned took up the CHECK. Three hundred
and fifty pounds.
A capital man of business was Cyrus
Hodges. Profuse in the number and quality
of dinners to such acquaintance as were
useful TO him, lavish almost to extravaganza
on his horses, his liveries, house, and his
wife, he rarelyseyer, except by mistake, paid
farthng over the price at which he could
see fifty per cent likely to return TO him.
One of the most liberal customers was the
Duke of st. Mawes, who had bought, how
ever, Graysbrook's gold-medal picture from
another dealer. His grace was a Judge, and
recognizing germs of genius in the work, had
bought up many other smaller pictures and
sketches by the same hand.
Q. E. D. Cyrus had stolen march upon
the noble Duke
So Ned on the following Sunday, went
down to Twckenham, and was received by
Cyrus with much empressment, introduced
to a number of painters, Journalists and art
critics, and made much Of Mrs. Hodges was
quietly gracious. OF course she sweetly
thanked him for his great service; but then
he was ali artist, and most artists are gener-
ally so queer. His coat was not cut by
Poole; Lincoln and Bennett had no account
against him. He might have talent, but he
spake never pretty nothing in her ear; he
wore mustaches, but they lacked the cavalry
twirl; OF the latest fashionable scandal he
could explain nothing. Sum total of his de-
linquencies, he was too thorough for Mrs.
Cyrus, and looked too seriously on bis life
and his. art.
With Lucy Graham, these delinquencies
appeared attractions. Though fond of a fast
deuT temps and subsequent chatter with
her partner in the conservatory, she was not
frivolous; though she possessed a woman's
share of coquetry, she was no flirt; though
her eyes were bright and sparkling as dia-
mond flashes, though her lashes were dark
and long, she was free from conceit and
affectation-a rather remarkable trait now.
adays, but to be accounted for, perhaps, by
her having an object in life, and that object
not MatrimOny.
Yes, Lucy had an object, and that object
was excellence in music. Possessed OF
contralto voice and a fine ear, practice and
professors had made her star of the draw
ing-room; and Ned, seated next to her that
day at dinner and strolling through the
grounds in the cool of the evening, found in
her, if not an affinity, at all events sympathy,
and the fellowlfeeling of an artist.
"By-the-by, Graysbrook," said Hodges, as
our friend was bidding his host adieu,
''would it be worth your while to come down
here and give my little girl a few lessons in
paintingp You might take some rooms down
here for the rest of the summer; fresh air will
not hurt the picture, and am anxious to see
how sTitania' progresses. Good.by. Think
of it.''
The offer was duly considered. and week
later Edward Graysbrook was located in a
pretty cottage few minutes walk from the
river and The Cedars. s.t ..e
In after years, when the artist was broiling
under Palestine sun, or cooling under an
Andalusian archway, the remembrance of
the summer OF '65 was a celestial dream.
As his work became labor of love, so did
love become part of his work as be sat
painting before his easel, the sun shining on
the canvas and clarifying the face of the girl
he loved.
So passed the summer away. Ned got
through much work, listened every day to
Lucy's voice, and constantly rowed her and
her little cousins up the river.
After these excursions sleep was coy, and
Ned would build castles. A man of sense
and chivalry, however, he forbore to declare
his love-
mo, cannot ask her to share my poverty.
Some day-who knows-I may be distin-
guished and wealthy man; and then---ah
and then she will probably be married to
some one else. No, many man has his
cross to bear; and, help me, Heaven, will
bear NINE" @,-.-
Autumn came, and Mrs. Hodges and fam.
lily went to Brighton, Ned back to st. Johns
Woods. Christmas passed, and Easter found
our artist hard at work. At length the day
arrived, and Ned's four pictures were on
show at his studio. Many fashionable ladies
and gentlemen found their way that Monday
TO st. Johns Woods by means of the cir
culars sent out by Hodges. Remarks were
various. . .
Absolutely charming" quoth middle
aged lady.
lawfully nice,' from charmer of eigh-
teen.
What lovely eyes," murmured third.
Heavenly" answered fourth.
lawfully funny, those little DEVILS" re-
marked young Colds treamer.
''The frame, it strikes me, is higher work
of art" snapped soto Uoce disappointed
painter, now art critic.
"Chiaroscuro altogether detective" from
au unsuccessful amateur.
To my mind, my dear, it's shockng,''
whispered contributor to the Victoria Mag