Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1878-04-03
THE SICK ARTIST.

was a shame that Mr.. Fontain''
daughters should stoop so low II
life as to deal out their hospitality
for money. But NIFTY said-and
NIFTY had q great deal of common
ssnse-that we must live, and al
the genteel company that came to
visit us wouldn't put so much as a
penny in our pockets toward Goa
and taxes.
Mrs. Hall, who lived next door
TO us, said she knew we wouldn't
make it pay. No one but an ex-
perienced housekeeper could make
1t pay.
- Miss Cynthia Caldwell thought
that it would be much nicer and
more select to do fine sewing or get
a place as governness, or some
thing of that sort, which wouldn't
have been quite so public.
Old Fernleaf said his daughters
shouldn't visit us, and DIR. Millet
looked the other way when he
brought his fashionable new bride
to town and met NIFTY face to face
in the street.
"Dear me-" said NIFTY laughing,
"what queer world this is"
But l was angry enough to cry.
"No matter, Nifty" said 1;
"we'll teach them that we can be
quite independent without them"
Well, as time went on, we had
several boarders. Old Mr.. Petit
grew and his nice Clarissa, the two
Mr.. Henleys, and the minister's
niece, who gave lessons in wax
flowers and water-color paintings.
Our rooms were full, all except the
little one over the wing.
"Kate," said NIFTY, triumphant
ly, 1--WE are making money. put
eleven pounds in the savings bank
to-day, over and above all expens-
es for the past month"
81 dare say Mrs. Hall saves more
than that"
81 think very likely" said NIFTY.
"Only you see, Mrs. Hall does ev-
erything on a grander scale than
we can pretend to keep up with.
We do our own marketing, wash
and iron our own table-linen, and
sift the ah,es on the sly, while Miss
Henrietta Hall is praticing the
'Maiden's Prayer on the piano"
"But then" observed I, 1--WE are
not such fine ladies as Mrs. and
Miss Henrietta Hall. We are only
two poor little old maids who are
obliged to earn our own living"
"Kate, you are not an old maid,
indignantly cried out NIFTY.
"And you are as fresh as a rose
bud beside Henrietta Hail." said l
patting her cheek. "Do you know
dear, ] think hard work agrees
with both Of u.s."
So things went on, until on,
summer evening we were out OF
our steps, when there was quite
commotion in the carpeted hall o
our neighbor, Mrs. Hall.
"Of course he must Co." Mr.:
Halls voice shrilly announced. 81
was a great imposition on me tina
he should ever come here. / sup
posed that be was an author, or
lawyer or some such genteel occu
patton, and now, you see, he
nothing but painter. A common
painter"
"An artist, ma'am," suggeste
Mr.. Birdseye.
"And where's the difference,
should like to know sputtere
Mrs. Hall. Except that one ha
at least daily wages to depend up
on, and the other hasn't. And nov
he is down with scarlet fever o
smallpox, or some such hideou
ailment, and"
"Only q malignant form Of inter
mittent fever, ma'am," again put i
Mr.. Birdseye.
"No matter what name they ca
H." said the lady, waxing hottie
and hotter In the srdor Of discus
sion. 9" don't keep . hospits
here, and II did, l wouldn't hsrbc
any such low trash, 90 the soone
he packs OF the better ! shall b
pleased"
"But whore 10 he TO 60 7" aske
5000 n>s1~~~>~o 0Ua han n