The Republican journal., 1876-11-30
An Artists Dream,


hours. had not seen them since their mar
riage; my admiration for his varied ge
MUS and her unvaTying grace was at it
height, and | was really annoyed at the
delay, My fair cousin, with her usual ex
act housekeeping had prepared everything
Tor his guest, and then bequeathed me a.
she wrote. to Janet and baby Marian
1t was pleasant arrangement, for be
tween baby Marian and me there existeG
a species Of passion, l might almost say O
betrothal, ever since that little three wear
old sunbeam had blessed my mothers
house by lingering awhile in it. SIX months
before Still | went to bed disappointed
though the delightful windows OF the
chamber looked out upon the glmmering
bay, and the swinging lanterns at the
Nard-alms OF the frigates shOne like some
softer constellation beneath the brilliant
sky. The house was SO close upon the
water that the cool waves seemed to plash
delclouSly against its very basement and
1t was Il comfort 10 think that. if there
were no adequate human greetings that
night, there would be plenty in the NOM
ing, since Marian would inevitably be pull
ling my eyellds apart before sunrise
IL seemed scarcely dawn when 1 was
reused by little arm round my neck and
walked 10 think had one OF Raphnls
chtruhs at my side. Fingers Of waXen
s"itneds were ruthlesSly at work upon my
eyes. and the little form that met NV touch
felt 1.-THE and elastic. like a Kittens limbs.
There was just light enough to see the
child perched on The edge Of the bed, her
soft hlue dressing gown trailing over the
white night-dress while her black and
long -tfinged eyes shOnc through the dim
ness Of morning. She yielded gladly to
my grasp, and | could fondle against the
sillNen hair, the velvety brunette cheek
the plump childish shoulders Yet sleep
still hP!i heldme and cheruh appearing to
hold it a cherubie practice to begin the day
with demand for lively anecdote, / was
fam drowsily to suggest that she might
first tell some stories To her doll. With
the 9unny readiness that was part of her
nature, she striightway turned to that
Young lady, plain Susan Halliday, with
both cheeks patched, and ewes OF different
coior@, and soon ,lise0urse,l both her and
lme into rcpoae.
" hen walked agaln, it was to find the
child conyersng with the morning star,
which still shone through the window,
scarcely so lucent as her eyes, and bidding
!
! lapse INTO dreams, and then Il more vivid
awakening and she had my ear at last.
| and won story after story. reqntino them
with legends OF her own youth almost a
| year ago, how she was perilously lost,
for instance, in the small front ward, with
4 little playmate, early in the afternoon,
and how they came and peepeu into the
| window, and thought all the world had
/ =.
distinct in lis articulation as l.aHra's, went
! Strayin@ off into wilder luncies, a chaos
~ oas'aphy and oniecture, ike the
have thought her little lie had yielded
more rangS and fears than might have sut-
feed for the discovery of the North Pole,
but breakfast time drew near ut last. and
.janets honest voice was heard outside the
| door | rather envieA the GOOD Scotch
| woman the pleasant task OF polishing the
smooth checks. and c0mbing the dishevel-
! led silk but when, a little later, the small
maiden was riding down stairs in my arms
| | cnyied no one.
At sight of the bread and milk, my cher
ub was transformed into a hungry child,
chiefly anxious to reach the bottom OF her
poTinger | was with her n great deal
that day, She gave no manner of trouble; !;
it was like taking the charge OF 4 floating
butterfly, endowed with warm arms to
clasp, and silvery voice to prattle. sent
Janet ont to sail, with the other servants,
by way OF holiday, and Malian's perfect
temperament WAS shown in the way she
watched the departing.
There they GO" she said, rs She stood
and danced at the window. Now they
are out Of sight
What i said. are you pleased to
have your friends go?"
Yes She answered; but | shall be
pleased-cr to see them come back" Lie
to her was no alienation OF joy and grief,
but only of JOY and more joyous.
Twilight brought to us an improyised
concert. Climbing The piano stool, She
went over The notes with her little taper
fingers, touching the keys in q light, know
ing way, that proved her a musicians
child. Then l must play, and let the dance
begin This was a wonderful performance
on her part, and consisted at first in hop
ping up and down on one spot with nc
, motion, but in her hands. She resembled
a minute and irrepressible Shaker, or {
live and beautiful marionette Then she
placed Janet i'll the middle Of the floor
+ and performed the dance around her
after the manner of Nivien and Merlin
Then came her supper, which, like its
predecessors, was a solid and absorbing
meal then one more fairy story, 10 mag
/ netize her off, and she danced and sans
5 herself up stairs And ii she first cam,
d to me in the morning with Il halo roun'
I | her head, she seemed still to retain it whel
j | at last watched her kneeling in the litt
Il bed-with her hands clasped together
! and her long lashes sweeping her cheek
/ to repeat two verses OF a hymn whic
: Janet had Taught her My nerves quiyer
X ed Il little when | saw that Susan lialllda
/ had also been duly prepared for the night
! and had been put in the same attitude, s.
e lar as her jointiess anatomy would per
II init This being ended, the doll and he
? mistress reposed together, and only an ol
II casional toss of the vigorous limbs, or
I stitied baby murmuf, would hencelort
: prove. through the darkened hours, tina
e the one figure had in it more Of life tha
y the other
= On the next morning kennnre and Lar
e IA came back to rs, and walked down t
9 receive them at the boat | had torgotte
It how striking was their appearance as the
g stood together His broad strong, Saxo
" look. his noble bearing AMI clear blu
cyes. enhanced the fascination OF her darE
+ er beauty.
lie America is full of the short lived blool
g and freshness Of girIhood; but grace IS
"a rarer gilt, and indeed it is on lew TIME
"a in life that one sees anywhere beaut
re that really controls us with a permanel
lo charm One should remember such pc
o. sonal loveliness, as one recalls some pa
ticular moonlight or sunset. witt specl
and concentrated JOY, which the multlpl
id city Of fainter impressions cannot distur
g When in those days we used to read,
m Petrarch's one hundred and twenty-thil
ct sonnet, that he had once beheld on cart
4 angelic manners and celestial charm
er whose very remembrance was - de!ig
ie and an atllictiOn, since all else that he b,
lie held seemed dream and shadow, we coul
a easily fancy that nature had certain pc
o. manent attributes which accompanied ii
IS name of Laura.