Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-01-12

quIte too pTeSIouS 70 oc "a>eeNt Vh hVo'0>
work.
Laura was fair, placid, indolent
beauty. She did not like to wash dishes
for it spoiled her hands. She did not
like to sweep, for it made her back ache.
She did not like to cook, for it Redeemed
her face. As for Mrs Munro, she was
one of those women to whom. be she old,
or be she young. the grasshopper is
burden.
Money was not over plenty in the
house and to take city boarders-just
as an accommodation, you know-was
considered a respectable way to exc out
moderate income. 1t was an easy way
as we'll. when there was Cindy to the
fore. Before she went to bed that night
Mrs. Munro had written to Miss Alden
that rooms should be in readiness for
her brother the last of that week.
He came, this Winthrop Alden, a
handsome, manly looking fellow. in spite
of q recent illness. Well born and we'll
bred. with plenty of blue blood in his
veins, which was yet warmed and en-
riehed by the red of our common human
ty-an artist, as Cindy had said, but
with so much of ancestral wealth that
he could afford time to do good work
and to do it well-full of all beautiful
enthusiasms, with an eye that was quick
to see, an ear to hear. and heart to
feel whatever was best worth seeing, and
hearing, and feeling, was it any wonder
that he was sweet-tempered and charm
ing. and that he brought into the quiet
house glow brighter than that of the
summer sunshine
1T does not seem strange to me that,
| In less than week, there was hutter-
ing in that dove-eot. Every one of these
girls had her own ambitions even Gin
dy, who had not found it out yet. Eliz-
abeth was only sensible of q vague long
ing for something better than she had
known" in Millthorpe-for higher cul-
ture and loftier living. Laura was
beautiful. and she knew it. and meant
to make the most of it. Beautiful with
mere physical beauty-the beauty Of
roundness and coloring, of pink-and-
white-fesh, blue eyes and golden hair
She was not going to marry Niilthorpe
clod-hopper-do her own work, tend hel
own babies. have two calico gowns +;
year-and, may be, new silk once il
fve-not she She was waiting for the
prince to come and array her in satins
and laces, and jewels But She was no
such fool as to say this even in whis
pers ; and to all appearance she wa
sweet simplicity itself. guileless and un
sophisticated as child
What was Cindy's ambition ? 1t ha,
taken no tangible form as yet. But Go.
had given this girl, who had never see1
more than two or three really fine pic
lures in her life, whose knowledge Of tn
miracles of art was confined to few en-
cravings and photographs, an instinctiv
love of form and color, and a burnin:
eagerness to reproduce them. The crea
tive instinct was strong within her. Sh
drew, as the bird sings, from pure love
with no thought of what might come {
it. But upstairs, in her own room, ther
> was one bureau-drawer filled with pre-
cious scraps, bits of card board, drawing
l paper, envelopes. and what not, covere
l with pencilings, outlines-hints of tt
: glowing life of the girls heart and brail
There were crude attempts at color, too
here flower, there spray of grasses
now a child's face, and then bird wit
folded wings. There were glimpses
sunset skies, and one stretch of blue 81
{ with lone ship fading in the distance
l said there was futtering in Il
I dove-cote. The studies that former
u held Elizabeth lost their attraction. ar
: she began to feel an intense interest
= all that pertains to art. Raphael. Guid
q Michael Angelo-these became upon b
l lips as common household words 81
&c never tired Of sitting, metaphorical
speaking, at Winthrop Alden's feet al
Il being taught Of him. Art was the ol
:. thing needful, and he- very soul did re
erence at the shrine of the genius tn
~ could make the feeting beauty Of d
immortal as the stars
Laura played different game s
= was arch and sauey and coquettish. S
. praised his work to-day. aud made
T. of it to-norrow Then. when she h
succeeded in annoying or wounding hi
e her Denitence was most be witching q
with tears in her sweet blue eyes. anC
ss quiver Of her chiId-Iike lips. she wor
en- plead her ignorance and inexperien
and beg his pardon with dangerous
mt mility.
ne One day she came running to him v
ke a pretty afectation of simplicity.
.Oh, Mr. Alden" she said. clasp
IN her hands. IF you would only teach
ne how to draw have wanted to le:
i'm all my life. But how could [. away
here where there are no teachers
lid anything ? Maybe" she went on, mai
as, ly. dropping her eyelids till the |,