The daily gazette., 1877-06-09

|
came to the door to beg a peach for her
sick brother, and after fea, If you would
like to accompany me, / thought we
would call and see if the family cannot
De put in way to earn better liyeli,
hood than should judge they were able
to do at present" )" ~ 5''f A-f'}i' 'lf
Mrs. Hilton was in favor of the propo-
sition, SO, assoon as tea was over, and
little Emily in the midst of pleasant
thoughts about Ella and the peaches, and
numerous plans of her own for the girls
future pleasure and comfort, had dropped
asleep, they prepared themselves for a
walk to Mrs. Selby's.
"This must be the house." said Mr.
Hiltou, stopping in front of one of those
cheap tenements built for the express
purpose to let to poor families.
! All doubt on the subject was terminal
4 ed by seeing through the window, the
curtain OF which was aslittle drawn aside,
the basket ofpeaches on small table, at
one side of which sat a boy evidently
employed in sketchIng it: He had pale,
thoughtful face, and earnest withal,
which was now lit up with glow of en-
thusiasm. as could be seen, from time, as
he raised his head to look at the basket
OF fruit he was drawing. A woman sat
near, sewing by the same candle that af-
forded light to the child-artist but her
face was turned from the window. SO that
Mr. Hilton was not quite certain that it
was his old acquaintance, Catherine
May. Ella stood just back of her broth
er's chair; her lips parted with smile, as
she silently watched his progress. -,
| - wish were an artist" said Mr.,
Hilton, "and would reproduce this
scene on canvas, The quiet, graceful at
ttude OF the mother, the beautiful and
spiritual face of the boy, ana Ella (who
by the way, ! believe, has a spark of the
same fire in her bosom, which is already
kindling in his), with her unconscious,
though cordial and appreciative smile,
would form a sweet home-picture, poor
and humble as the surroundings"
| Mr; Hilton now raped at the door,
little at sight of him, but at once recover
Ing her selt-possession, invited him and
Mrs Hilton to enter. Mrs. Selby rose
and went forward to meet her unexpected
visitors. A glance showed Mr.. Hilton
that, as he suspected, it was Catherine
May, the friend and acquaintance of his
earlier years. The recognition was mu.
tuaL Her history, since they last met,
was quickly told. She married Young
| and promising artist, who by his talent
anu industry had already secured a COM
petency, when, contrary to his better
Judgment, he was persuaded to invest his
capital in Eastern lands. These looked
very fair and tempting. ON paper, but
when he came to trace out their bouRd-
aries on terra tirnaa, they proved to have
as little real existence as the mirage of
tne DESERT He was not discouraged, for
tnere was one at his side, ever ready to
speak words of cheer and encouragement;
put ere by redoubled diligence, he had
time even partially to recover from the
false step he had taken, he was stricken
oy-dlsease, which in few days proved
fatal l.. Is----1 :,
1t was now, several years since his de-
cease, and for the last three months,
owing to the severe and protracted illness
Oh WINNIE, they had suffered much from
want and privation. ~
WHINE" said Mrs Selby, chad en-
ployment as an errand boy at the time he
was taken sick, which obliged him to be
| out In the storm as well as the sunshine.
while he was often obliged to carry such
neavy packages as to task his strength
TOO severely. He used, when his father
was ahve, to sit hour at his side, watch
ing the figures on the canvass momen-
tarily glowing into more vivid life be-
meath the pencil. 1t was thus that the
love OF art was silently and imperceptibly
implanted in his BOSOM"
1t was even so. The bud was already
ghntng forth, destined, one day, to ex-
pand into the flower. AS Ella had said.
he loved everything which was beautiful
and the contemplation of star, flower,
or even golden sunbeam, which at a
certain hour, peepedl over shed that
stood opposite, and then stole in at the
top OF the window, afforded him exoui-
site delight. "a e1f 5a+1iH + : d
The bird sketched with a bit of char
coal was produced, and Mr.. and Mrs.
Hilton were surprised at the skill of
hand the delicacy Of touch which it ex-
hibited. -
A little brown bird which often hover.
ed about the back door had served him
as model, Mrs. Selby said, and it proved
to be quite faithful likeness of the orr
"You would like to be an artist. then -
said Mr.. Hilton, turning to the boy, after
listening to these few particulars told |
him by Mrs. Selby =
eyes, sir" was the quiet answer. bntj
the sudden flush that overspread his
countenance, and the lighting up of his
eyes, showed how deeply the question
"Your wish shall be gratified," said
Mr.. Hilton. cas- soon as you are strong
enough, will see that you are placed |
under an able MASTER" :! bs7 ~
Fourteen years, with their burden of /
care and sorrow, frightened now and
then by few CLEANS of sunshine, have
merged into the past. .Ili IL l3t.i' 143j
H"There; the light is better here-muchi
BETTER" said a young man, removing q
picture that hung against the wall of a
small, elegantly furnished apartment. and
placing it SO asto avoid the cross-lights.
which came in from the two Opposite
windows. "Don't you think it is, Emily?"
said he, addressing a lady who stood
looking at the picture.
eyes, much better" she replied; and
as she stood with her head a little thrown
back, the light of her violet eyes BEAM
ing from beneath their long, silky lashes,
and the rich, brown curis falling back
from her forehead, no one could have
failed to remark the resemblance be-
tween her and the child of seven years
old, represented in the picture, who
stood beneath a peach tree, holding a |
little basket of wicker work into which
a fine-looking gentleman was dropping
some of the fruit, gathered from the
boughs over his head.
Another child whose appearance for
med a striking contrast to hers, stood |
near the garden fence, the tears which !
still hung on her eye-lashes frightened ,
.oG SAAiAsS- r.t ..s..I -.-E-H ....5