The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-04-17

nours, ana ne naQ never, tnluk, DteH
happier than when Frank and his wife
came down to Horksmead for their
Autumnal visit, and he danced upon his
knee happy, imperious little cherub OF
a grandchild.
Frank was seated one morning at his
easel, when an artist friend dropped in,
we'll freighted with artistic gossip. He
had done the round of studios, 50 far as
his connection permitted; knew what
Academicians were going to send in, had
stores of secondhand reports of pictures
he had not seen; could give some wrink-
les of capital models; had come upon
charming rustic bits that were worth
studying; had some spicy intelligence OF
jealousies between certain artists of note;
retailed some ill-natured bon-mots of the
great art-critic, and so ratified on with
immeasurable self-content as he blew
great clouds of potent shag, and Frank
worked steadily on, tolerating, rather
than liking it.
"But must be going, old man." the
visitor said at length, coming up to the
easel. ~ say, old fellow, you'll have to
subdue that light; it takes all repose out
of the picture. The whole of this bank
ought to be in a shadow. Oh, by the
way, talking of banks, have you heard
of the last great bank smash? The City
and Wessex has come down an awful
cropper; liabilities a couple of millions,
they say; assets nothing-and-a-half and
several pious regulations, which will be
disposed of at an alarming sacrifice. You
haven't anything in it, hopew
"No, nothing" said Frank, very in
tent on his work.
"Then, scissors and gooseberriesl
Frank, you've been drinking new wine
wherein is excess, for I'm kippered her
ring if you're not daubing your work
like house-panter. Come away, man;
don't put another touch on it now or
you'll ruin it. You've done more harm
to it in the last two minutes than you'll
do good in a week. Come away;" and
he laid violent hands on him, dragging
him away from the easel. "Why. my
dear old fellow" he exclaimed, "forgive
my joking; didn't know; but YOU look
like ghost. You are really ill.,"
II am little giddv, | think" said
Frank; "but I shall be all right in few
minutes. will go and bathe my head.
Goodbye, Hartley"
~ wouldn't leave you like this" said
the kind-hearted fellow, "but that l
know you will be well looked after.
shall look you up tomorrow. Ia, ia!
Take care Of yourself"
As soon as his good-natured friend had
gone, Frank proceeded to wash his
brushes, to clean his palette. and to 90
through the other phases of what he
called his Saturday settling" for he had
brought with him from the country the
habit of observing the rest-day religious
ly. and he was most unartisticaly y meth
odical and neat. When everything was
settled, he made his way to the room
which WIS designated "the nursery"
though, as yet, besides the rampant little
rascal Of whom we have spoken, there
was only one small decimal fraction OF
humanity to tenant it.
Minnie, DEAR" said he, as he closed
the door behind him, "Tve just had some
very bad news"
"Fiddle-de-dee, sir!" said the practica
little woman. "You're not going tC
frighten us with your long faces; is he
my jewelT' Here a shower of interrog
ative caresses was bestowed upon the
3 sleeping beauty. 1--WE know what it is
That nasty model of yours has BLACK
eye, and | always said he drank; you
know / did. He makes the whole house
smell when he comes into it. say
hubby, Just look here; isn't she a beauty
Oh, Frank, did you ever see such love
: ly little dimple? Oh, my precious"
"No, Minnie, dear. It's much worse
than black eye, even though it was ba
by's." Here the young woman shud
dered perceptibly. "Hartly has just
been in, and he tells me the City anc
Wessex Bank has failed Father trustee
it absolutely, and believe ali the say
ings Of his life were invested in it. Il
what Hartly tells me is true he is com
pletely ruined. I must 60 down tt
Horksmead at once, and learn how the
matter stands"
There is no eloquence to be compared
with woman's. Wrenching herself
from the contemplation of baby's dim
pies, the wife threw her arms arounc
} him, and in one long, comprehensive
, kiss assured him that she understood his
apprehensions and sympathized in hi
grief. She devined his fears, she antici
pated his plans.
"Hartly talks wildly, Frank, some
times. You must take it for granted
that what he says is true. But give my
, love to grandpa, and tell him that hi'
room is always ready, and that he mus
come and make his home with us"
, And with that loving message to sup
, plement his own flial devotion, Frank
, sought the old familiar home, where ht
found that he had not over-estimated thu
: magnitude of the calamity. The struct
: ure which had been builded by the cart
, and prudence of lifetime had fallen al
one crash, and not one stone was left
+ upon another.
The old man received him with sterr
hluntneaa