Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-04-08

0
"Driver. amt we most to Bosting:'
/ Not bv ten mile, mum. said the
man. And the stage was driven on
again: but not before Cliff had climbed
the graveyard palings and per-hed him.
self upon the steps.
Posting was wonderful place to
| him-aS wonderful as Rome or Athens.
! He was sure that some of his pet heroes
had become great men after going to
Boston. and it had Suddenly occurred to
him 10 20 also. lie was in his working
clothes. and bare-footcd, and his straw
/ hat had no crown; but the remembrance
of this fact never deferred him. The
passengers were used to white-haircd,
>unburnt haugcrs-on behind; the driver
either did not notice. or did not care, and
50 when the moon was high over the
stceplcs of Boston. little Cliffs feet first
trod her stones. And for the first time,
the boy began to understand what he had
done. He was hungry, he was cold, he
was de~olato. The passengers had all
gone their various ways The old lady :
son had come for her in a coach; the lit
tie child and its mother had been wei
c1mcd bv man who was certainly the
papa of whom the little one had bah
blcd. The Surly old gentleman had de-
clarcd the stage am hour too late, and had
kicked Cliff tor being in the way. The
driver was at supper in an ca,ing-house
harl bv. and even these acquaintance ot
an hour or 50 were no longer near him.
Cliff rcpcntcd his escape, and shed bitter
tears OF scli-rcproach. What should
he DO In that city where there were no
berries to pluck, or nut, TO tind, or bush
Is 10 sleep under he, who had neither
friends nor money. lie wished himself
back again in Aunt Dusenbury's kitchen.
and would have taken two whippings for
one plate of pork and beans had he been
offered hi, choice. But hc had already
chosen. He had come alone TO Boston,
and through the city streets he wandered,
looking in vain for q friendly face; all
seemed indifferent to him.
At last. however. o1 q corner OF q
Wide street hc saws something tina, trans
fixed him with admiration and a>,onish-
meat. Only am Italian image man and
hi, wares. but he had never seen any
,hin- like It before. /, wa, hi, first cX-
pcucucc of stltuary, save and except his
own clav ab,urli,..s. He stared wildly
and drew nearer. The Italian looked at
him.
Buy aa image, my G,,lc boy" asked
be.
And Cliff replied:
Il wish could buy en- all. hut /
ha,, not a penny VINO made en-; did
YOU would give the world to make
such things,
And delighted with IBIS admiration,
the Italian entered into conversation with
the child, and ended by taking him home
to supper.
That night CliH slept in "a very dirty
bed with the four sons OF the image ven
der. and was happy in the though; that
hc should learn 70 make maguihccn, stat
uc,;cs.
Never, perhaps, in the years 70 come,
did De rejoice In amy work Of art as he
did in bis ms, plaster cas-; of parrot to
be painted green; and the imase-makcr
had never had SO earnest pupil BY
degrees it came to hight that he had
genius. lie made models instead OF casts.
A. last q bust OF his master.
Thi, being in the window of the ltal-
ian : shop. caught the eye OF "a sculptor,
who. considering it a wonderful work for
boy. took Cliff to hi, study and taught
him carefully. The good Italian, thank
ful that bis pupil had met with apprccia-
ton was quite willing TO allow HIM to 20
and always proved the wameSt admTer
of Clhords works; for soon the boy mad
actually become d sculptor, and began to
be known by the artist brotherhood and
by the fashionable world.
Busts Of great men grew under his
lockwood tools. Beautiful ladies sat TO
him. and many an exquisite statuctte OF
Hebe, Venus or Cupid filled ms purse
and added to his reputation.
So the wears flew by. And yet amidst
his success the sculptor never forgot the
one kind though helpless friend Of his
childhood-httlc Sukcy. Her pretty
face and plump figure remained I'M
pressed upon his memory; and at last IN
an idle moment, he began a work which
he fancicd should bc only for his own
eve: statuette OF no prctensions-neith-
er goddess, nor angel, nor sprite-only
child in humble, old-fashioncd garments
only "Sukcy going to school.
But his heart was in it. and it grew so
simply true to nature, 50 pretty and so
graceful. 50 like the dimpled, rounded
Sukey of those days, that his artist heart
told him it was the best work of his
hands, and others, seeing it thought the
same. And from that moment Clifford 5
fame was established.
Copies of "Sukey going TO school
were the rage, and the richest man in the
city. one Joshua Goldspinner, paid tre-
mcndous price for the first duplicate in
marble of the statuettc, though with the
original Clifford never would part for any
price. however tempting.
.'Sukcy herself may have become as
hard and coarse as her mother" he
thought, ''but my tender-hearted, sweet
faced, little cousin lives for me yet, while
l look at this. And then Clifford would
sigh. and but for the dread of the change