Ellsworth American., 1876-11-02

| der.
In the busiest households the evening II
a season OF leisure and refreshments bu
after sundown Squire Allen must need
stroll over from the mill and shake Bob,
hand, and take Ruth aside to disclose no
table project for supplying the Motel
House with eggs and butter. The saga
cious housewife discerned much promis,
in that scheme, forthwith go: out pens ant
paper, and was presently deep in figures
renouncing utterly for that occasion such
frivolities as moonlight walks.
Nellie will go.' she said; and according
" Robin. who would have preferred per-
haps to drink in solitude the spirit of the
person, and regaled with divers historic:
OF sewing-bees, spelling matches, maple
scrspes and sleigh.rides which had signal
lied the previous winter.
Nor am sure when the times were more
auspicious, and no graver cares baked the
communion of lovers, that Ruth and Robin
were often betrayed into the rhapsodies oI
strong emotion, or developed a very fer
vent sympathy. You see their attachment
was no giddy impulse, or brief heyday OF
the blood; il had withstood the test oi
years, and approached Con one side al
least), the calm beatitude OF that welded
fondness which invariably Jas you know,
madam) gaius depth aud volume from
close acquai ntance with the dear object.
You might have discovered many tokens
OF that serene affection, II you had follow
ed them in their rambles and marked how
inevitably the converse OF this pair drifted
away from the dreamand of sentiment to
the homely topics OF domestic life.
Look. Ruth, what a site for painter 5
home" cried Bob, on one occasion. when
they had walked out along the Bartlett
road TO point where Mount Washington
Itself looms grandly against the northern
verge, shoulderIn. u way between Mount
Frank lin and Mount Monroe.
You can't mean. said practical Ruth,
you would exchange the old farm for such
worthless ground? The view is very pretty
here, and know our house lies in "a hollow
but the soil is ten times richer down the
valley. Why, the country hereabouts Is
scarce tit TO Craze over, aud even buck
wheat would starve in land like that :.
And sne pointed 10 a field where the stones
were, no doubt, discourasingly numerous.
But We don't intend 10 20 on farming
explained Robin plaintively. Il was only
thinhlng Ui summer months, and what 4
paradise We might make of this quite hill
side, ringed with forest and river and set
In the eye OF that glorious scene. We need
know nothing of It's bleak winters for then
We should be in New \ ork. | thought you
understood. dear Ruth. Didn't tell you
| had taken a studio in town!
New York = cried Ruth, almost broken
hearted by this disclosure. Give up the
farm, take me away from homer And the
poor girl, though unused 10 the melting
mood, gave way to most unreasonable
tears.
Here was plight for IA sensitive young
artist. who could not seriously think OF re-
linqui.hlug his calling. aud yet wa. 10th to
see woman cry-how much more buN-
ON cousin with hundred claims to his re-
gard? What arguments and Establishments
what humorings and compromises were
here resorted To, | cannot tell, but il is Ger
tain the betrothod pair did not quarrel.
How gould they: There exists -g2t a.,SSesgy SSeg: = :.
Robin. or one less qualified To- take tile ty-
rant, vein; while Ruth. with all her sturdy
purposes and executive turn, hell quaint
theories OF female obedience and Wholesome
notions of the rights OF man. ct all the
fostering and comt3rtIng in the world can
not sweeteu the cup OF exile TO the foolish
Switzer lass, nor will the model meehness
OF your Grisella rob bereavement OF its
sting | think Bob read this in his com
panion's patient looks, and, no doubt. he
noticed that she seldom thenceiorward
went singing about the house.
There Is no situation more trying to the
temper than TO find Yourself the reluctant
exaCter OF an irksome. ruetul sacrifice. aud
no wonder Bob's spirits al this epoch un-
derwent considerable depression. sup
pose he was conscious Of his uncompanion-
able mood for he began Ia roam about the
farm alone, and evinced less relish for Miss
Neils light chat during hours of labor.
Over Miss TyrrelFs portrait he was most
sssiduous, but somehow the picture made
no progress. Had Bob addressed himself
specially 10 portraiture he might naturally
seek To make tie most OF I rather fantastic
subject, and surprise by one piqnant mas.
terpece the suhrages OF the academy. But
have often heard him disparage that par
tlcular province of his art, and am, there
fore at loss to explain his present teveri>h
and uusatlsiied behavior. Two or three
weeks slipped away aud still he WAS daw-
ding and tddlng with the canvas. Was
il poor Ruths pen>ive shadow which
thwarted and ob>cured his work. o: was
there something IN the face he pored over
which drew the cunning from his haui.
Why should Squire Allen. who regard
ed art much Il, Bob regarded top-dressiuS
select thi, moment To visit the studio, End
ventilate his unvar iisned htterodox opn-
ions? 10 be -ure he was always lettering
about the house aud consulting with Ruth
Lyon, but matters Of moment engiossed
those discussions. and It was rather tardv
politeness that prompted him TO ask what
Bob was doing.
The 'souire's attitude as he surveyed the
atelier whittier Ruth conducted him was
very affable and friendly and the discourse
he pronounced on the occasion abounded
in fresh. fruitful suggestions. which Bob In
. normal frame Of mind would have de-
voured with infinite gusto.
Them pictures o scenery he remarked
in the course of his review, air good and
val'ble. They amt no kind o use to me.
but city folks that lived cooped up in them
brick dwellin's aud hain't got room 10 keep
. gardin, they kin hire chap to paint
suthin' green and Countrywide which Is
hulsome TO the mind. Amt that the idee !"
Robin thought perhaps it was.
AS for them palaces, pursued the squire
pointing to street scene in Ferrara. and
marble meetn'- houses. | set ay foot az IN
em as savorin' o the poInpS and superstl-
tions O. the old world. They air the high
places of idolatry aud the sink q corrup-
ton. Let ZEN crumble to the arth'
.Crumble' said Bob Indignantly. Cant
Won see the beauty of them AS mere mod
elsl'
AS models, p'raps. allowed the critic,
'for state house or Boston post Office
they kin be used But that ere thing. he
continued, swapping finger at Miss Tyr,
relps picture, you kin say nothin' for
There amt no sense in it,
What do you mesn?' cried Robin. red
dening.
why they was fust rate the squire ex
planned. in the old times, and with money
too I've got one O them likenesses te
home that cost sight he referred to
his sire's pres eminent, executed by Luke
| Slingbrush. local artist OF some frme
but who's going to pay nowadays for al
| them paints and varnishes when you car
get photograph for dollar? You oil
smart, Robert.I kin see that; but you can
| beat the SUP, nohOw"
| The sun's an ass! shouted Robin. pro
voked beyond endurance. The sun woult
make Shakespeare look blOckhead. star
ing and gasping at that big bulls eye
Good Lord man.d your features say an.
thing? And the expression Of your fac
too. at q given moment what is it but IN
l ~, H.. tAtfA t.,t