Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1878-04-19

culture-the dulmeSs of Your aesthetic
perceptions, in fact, and | shall do
my best u educate you to higher
plane in Art.
/ My aunt shivcred perccptihly rs she
! finished; and no wonder, for the room
was really cold.
You are chilly. Let me open the
register; OF shall tell John 10 put some
coal iii the furnace" asked, rising
from my scat at once. But Mrs. X
stopped me, with another shivor ~ She
did 50.
"Nonsense = She replied, shortly:
G am quite warm enough; besides, |
have had the furnace taken out. Ii is
the greatest Of modern abominations,
and could not permit it to remain in
4 dwelling devoted 10 artistic furnish
ing. Is not this charming wood lire ii
delightful substitutes and SO saving she
| sneezed.
How miss Your pictures - | Ven
/ tured to say next. felt SO disconcert-
ed by the strangeness of all about me
that made this remark With real tim
idity. My aunt was moro reproachful
than before, she said;
Have YOU noticed the dado and
friezc, Frederic? That cove over the
! fireplace is a marvel of art, and then
my china plates are perfectly i'll keeping
with the tone OF the apartment while my
| pictures were not.
g But you had some lovely pictures,
aunt; two, especially, hy Griuzc and
Bouguerau were real gems Couldn't
YOU have given them placer
No; for the highest Art demands
that each room be treated, rs Il whole,
and that certain tone once adopted,
shall never he sacrificed to any lesser
considerations and il was III accord
ancc with this maxim that took down
my pietures,' said my aunt, with lofty
smile at my weakness.
was discomfited, but tried once
more: think, though, that you might
have kept your carpets. These waxed
tloofs are so trcacherous, and then the
comfort Of walking OH your superb Az
ministers"
But now my aunt was thoroughly out
Of patience, and she interrupted me
sharply: You astonish me, Frederic;
you have so little appreciation of our
feeling for the best Art Carpets, in
deed utterly inadmissiblc in proper
ly treated apartment. Now these
rugs"
But it was my turn to interrupt: DO
you call that dingy square rug, aunt?
Why | thought ii was a hit of carpet
out Of Johns pantry, left here ny mis-
take.
@Then let mo tell you that that dingy
square Of carpet is relic of priceless
value, sir 1t was once the praycr-rug
of an Arab chief. and it cost me over
81, 1,000," answered my aunt, looking
really displeased.
One-thousand-dollars !" echoed
in dismay. "Oh what a. But
stopped in time to reflect, and the last
word remained unuttered. After all,
my aunt was rich enough to throw
away II few thousands when she chose,
and what fool should be if angered
her by ill-timcd or unwelcome criticism
on her acts
So ! hastened to retrieve my error,
anu, by dint Of judicious admiration Of
the famous rug, and many apprcciatiye
comments on the plates, clocks, cabl-
nets, etc, installed myself once more
i'll my aunt's good graccs, 50 that the
remainder of the evening passed plea
sanity enough.
Nevertheless, was conscious of II
good deal of perpleXity and annoyance
view next day, and the result Of my
thinking was determination 10 watch
over my aunt as closely as possible
without becoming obtrusive or exciting
her suspicious.
Well in accordance with my resolu-
tion ] went up there the next day in
time for dinner, if she urged me to stay,
as | knew She would. found Mrs.
kerammik terribly hoarse, but refusing
to believe thatthc barn-like atmosphere
Of her house had anything to do with
her severe cold. Several workmon
wero husily engaged taking out the
plate glass windows and replacing them
with sashes set with tiny diamond shap-
ed panes Of very poor glass. Wide
lcaden settings connected these nina.
turc panes, which were, to my think
ing, exceedingly ugly. ! hinted rs
much when she asked me to admire
A them, and was sorry for ii the next
moment. For my aunt quoted 50 large
ly from the First Step, etc, that |
was overwhelmed and actually pretend
ed to be convinced to avert the gather
ing storm. ! went home that night
with copy IF the horrid book il my
pocket, and an earnest injunction To
study il carefully. For your percep.
ton Of true Household Art is very dull
my dear Frederic, said my aunt, pity
ingly, Is We parted.
From that time each visit paid my