Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-12-18
/ QUEEN OF SPADES.
. Il " Ha-e,tne IA me Oceria7,d for Ngy.m5erI


II wlE vaT1'IOTS Clllce which kept me
from New NorS when the TyrrpIIs arrived.
icr lL.r.Hy missed Bob Lyon, who came
nom" ia tbs same tr3Iurr.
y decent t,f srrgcH 90 IN" claims o. kind
r't would E9yr worried that ~.1tcuc. other
" l~.- AID. indeed, / AN .JId OF Aunt Tyrrtll.
while Clara-hTt Ict trIt go. ] was Int a
StHpIl.S look you, graphing Latin syutax,
sra Gc just learning to make eyes and pratt
u French, and. no doubt, the verb We con-
!4Sdi.-i I'm mo- languages described a cal
low, temperate yearuiug quite different 10
IN pereInptory passion for win ch you, ma
dam who inspire ~, have a Saxon name.
But BoH-OT Robin. "a we liked 10 call him,
rtcOgEl EIng, in "a rude unconscious way. tn
sturdy honesty and simplicity OF the lad
had laid hold Of some college Ia atcS thr was
10 general lover with q grasp which ab-
>euCe. possibly. and tho slow alternative Of
time, bIt nothing else, would loosen. Our
early friendships strike their roOtietS deep,
AMI "a gOOd many years must pass, and some
rich. IOamy natures %. parched 70 thin arid
soils. before the crop Of household interests
quite strang.cS those hardy grOwthS.
Well, WIS not there To seize the Old boys
hand. march him OIL 10 my own snuggery.
and laugh with him over the veTlal days
when hcdauhet my ciaSS-bOOkS with nymphs
and warriors, and revealed his dream OF be
coming great painter. TheSe diversions
the young artist lost. bat he did not want for
hospitality during the week he tarriei in
'sOf course you come with Us, Mr.. Lyon, 10
GTameTcy park. l don't know how we snail
Tequite ali you Gid for Us N LOadOn-pOOr
unprotected creatures that we werr-snd On
the voyage, too. You must not think Of go
ing TO hotels. SO that Is settled"
Thus did Aunt TyTrelI prescribe the move
ments or my tractable friend, aud though
clara said no. word, why shOulu her eyes
brighten if she disapprOyed the suggestion"
IL Is true, Robin meekIy protested mat he
ought 70 go to his people in the country, but
II was clear a studio had first TO be chosen
and some preparation made for the auIunn's
campaign, which he admitted might require
day or two. You are aware, however. thai
the selection OF a studio, embracing grave
questions OF light. frontage, seclusIOn. and
immunity from noise, not 10 speak OF the
traditions and associations which evolve al
s"Sthetic atmosphere, i a business not lightly
dispatched. The ladies', too, were sincerely
anxious to attest their gratitude for the pa
Uent guidance which had laid open the art
treasures of Britain, from Sir Richard Wal
lace'S treasures even 10 those unfinished
masterpieces yet sacred from the vulgar
eye OF embryo aCademicians, and were fam,
by way OF qutttance, To show th5ir gu St
those unrivaled collections which afiiIeucs
and enlightened cOnnOiSseurship have accu-
mulated in this island. And it may be that
one OF his companions IN that edifylng round
could go back farther than those LOntOa
days. aud recall long r2mbleS in FlOrentina
galleries, when a few, plain, thoughtful
words had provoked a wiStful sympathy ald
Quickenet a grliSh mind 10 unaffected ZeSt.
II is scarcely possible 10 know less, in q
worldly sense, o. a young gentleman. wlOm
one chance or another has repeatedly tIrOWI
In your society, than the TyTreIis knew %
Mr.. Lyon. Concerning bis outward circum-
stances aud personal history, beyond the
fact That he was q cidss-mate ant friend OF
mine, those ladies We're quite In the dark
Not that R9bi1. cOuli lay any claim to that
2uStere discretion aud nice reserve VIII ca
some CircUmsPect but rather empty pated
fellows succeed in passing for the very u nest
breeIlng- On the contrary, he WOI!i ca
most freely about his little triunplS dl1 re
verses, MS ayersiOas and private HOBBIES
and cOnhde 10 YOU. on mOterate encOIrIgs
Iuent, the CHERISHED dreams and wishes %
his heart. But then, these all happe1ei
be bound mp with MS vocation OF painter
nnlnHU a -.Hr.
and feryOT he had; and 10 no more Oc.urT5
to Shi> eccentric youth TO call the roll Of nj
connections and acquaintance, or deScln
On domestic matters, and the dOingS OF Ia
people athOme, that II occurs tOmany lively
persons to talk Ofanything else. You miyl
as probably applaud the sprouts Of pOtat
for feeling their way toward sunshine, n
Try TO make Robin comprehend that his OWl
earlier struggles were anywise commenIa
bic or noteworthy.
His reticence did not offend Miss Tvrreu.
A caPTciOUS, fanc1ful, rather arbitrary
young woman was my cousin, who, 1 re-
member, at our childrens parties, would
often tease me with her wayward behavior,
and was accounted by some juvenile Admir-
er> Of quite a captiOuS and sarcastic tura.
And to this day may ingenious gentlem IN,
whose sprightly anecdotes find favor in
drawing rooms, DC not esteem Miss Tyrrell
sympathetic.
my friend Robin, would make, l should sup
pose, capital butt for female raillery; yet,
strange 10 say, this variable damSel bore
utE-Cll very nulllDlN III MS society, anu, aIteT
those Florence experiences before referred 10,
would let him pour fourth his quTks and
theories wild enough, dare say for hours
together. Or IL might be, when pause fell.
she would hazard some queer little notion OF
her own, which Bob was sure u proclaim
vastly suggestive. / Will not quarrel, how
ever, because high-3Own rhapSOtist may
have preferred a girls company TO my OWl,
for while have real Taine, and can impart
70 my discourse, WheI choose q very deli
cate aesthetic flavor. 1 trust graduate too
justly the claims of life To david away my
mornings in aTt-gal!eries, or climb steep
hills, as Clara W 20 see the sun pop out
some seconds earlier.
would not deny that Bob's absorption In
his art, and single hearted devotion To that
mistress, is very fine thing inIeeI, and a
refreshing spectacle in these languid times;
but obvious IL must isolate the artist from
the sympathies and pleasant commerce of
his kind, and leaf him into many gaucherics
and some neglect OF the social amenities.
Whether Robin had luckily escaped those
uItoTard consequences may appear FROM
some account OF an interview with Miss
TyTrell which took place. the evening before
his departure. Bear in mind that he was
practically taking leave OF the Young lady,
as u wa most unlikely she would see MIN
in the morning.
And you mean TO bury yourself IN a farm
house, the whole summer" Miss Clara SAID
TO MT. Lyon, having for once been persuaded
10 discuss mundane topics. al give YOU
month: you're no Arab, after ali. You'll
soon weary of those deserts, and we shall
welcome you back % clyiIlzei life. We
that -, mamma wants you TO come 10 New
port"
You don't know my country, =" sail honest
Robin; al think no man leaves IL " lIinyiy.
You would love its rugged scenery. 1 know
that There's nothing like IL east OF the
SierTel'
This was the moment TO ascertain the prs-
else state and county wherein the hOneSi lead
lay, but the damSeI's mind, perhaps, was
not dwelling OF ma Alters geographical
al ight Ike IT," sine said obviously, "for
week or two; but / szOuld perish with no.
body 10 talk TO. OF course there can BE- no
I'll wa ~
tiveiy-"none that you would care for, in
those wildS?'
sOnly my own people, J." said Robin gently
"Tney are fond of me, / of them"
go" she began, and stepped suddenly,
flushing quite rosy With regret and self-re-
proach. j suspect Miss TyrTell, intent on a
certain vein OF inquiry, had dropped uneOl-
sclously That ungracIOus phrase. She tried
another tack.
"My poor picture'-this was a portrait
Mr. LYON had been com missioned to paint
will you promise not TO neglect IL? Per
baps IL might better wait till autumn. Are
YOU sure you need no more sittings?'
aOuitP Sure" he said. alt ought In be