The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1880-10-16


if those Venetian tram shares don't come
to much. The people there are so silly,
they prefer the'gondolas, and if they 60
down where will you beP"
GOOD !grac:ous! Matilda, l thought
you recommended them, and said they
would double our income"
"And haven't they done 80, you silly
hing? All you have to do is to put
our shoulder to the wheel, and push
Charley. and that will make it all right.
AS for him, he is a regular stick in the
mud. So you must do it yourself"
81? Why what in the world can /
doP"
Make yourself the fashion," said my
sister, oracularly.
The next day Matilda, Charley, and I
went to see the pictures at the R. A. IT'S
long way from Inverness Terrace to
Piccadilly, particularly on hot day, so
we went In an omnibus. / don't mind
an omnibus, but Matilda thinks it's a
disgrace to be seen in one. She has a
provincial idea that every one knows
her. She sits far back with her veil
drawn in tight little ball over her
nose, which makes her ever so much
more remarkable. This day in particu-
lar she was in a great fright and was
very indignant with Charley and me,
who were laughing at the faces she
made.
When she got out she said: "To
think that our Beauty should be brought
down to sit with washerwomen in an
omnibus!"
Charley flushed up. He's the most
good fellow in the world,
but lie doesn't like Matilda. "She
should drive in a coach with six horses,
if l could give it to her." he said; IS but
she knew | was a poor man when she
took me.''
"And liked you all the better cried T.,
gayly, as pressed his arm affectionate.
ly; but Matilda only snorted. I heard
her mutter: "a pair of fools!'
The Academy was very full that day,
and ] thought it a great bore. Neither
Charley nor | care much for pictures,
bat Matilda says she understands
color" She goes round religiously
with her catalogue and pencil and marks
the good ones. She leaves it on the
drawing-r room table when she goes
home, and holds forth to the country
people upon the I" flesh tints " of Millais,
and the "deep impasto" of Burne
Jones.
l soon got tired, so sat down near the
passage leading to the refreshment room.
| always think the lunch is about the
best thing at the pictures. But they
seemed never to be coming. For some
time I amused myself looking at the
people; they were shifting mass of
faces and dresses, and ! was greatly
diverted. By-and-bye l began to observe
that the crowd when they came to a
certain picture stood there, forming q
regular line, as they did for Miss
Thompson. 1t was awfully hot, and
had taken off my veil and pushed up my
hat, for my forehead was burning. Sud,
denly l noticed that a great many people
turned their backs upon the picture, and
looked at me. anu then faced round
again to the canvas wall. In my
character of Beauty 1 have been all nv
life pretty well accustomed to the sort of
homage conveyed by what is called
",hard staring" SO that it must have
been an undue amount of it which at
tracted my attention; but surely l had
never seen any like this. Groups of two,
three, six at time would stand before
me, calmly surveying me, and, could
gather by their gestures, talking of me.
But didn't hear what they said. l be-
came very anxious. to see the pic.
ture which attracted such attention,
but the block round 1t was too great.
The next best thing was to ask for in
formation. 1t was some time before /
could pitch upon person fitting for this
purpose. At last 4 very quiet-looking
lady came near me. She had catalogue
in her hand. / addressed her. "May
ask you to tell me the name of the pic
ture at which every one is looking2"
She turned to the book, but first glanced
at me; then hurried on, and 1 saw her a
few minutes afterward pointing me out
to some of her friends. l felt extremely
uncomfortable. I looked about anx-
iously for Charley and Matilda, but
there was no sign of either. Then, l
did a very foolish thing; l got up to go
and look for them, principally to escape
from the numberless eyes fixed upon
me.
To my surprise the crowd maIo way
at once. and, as l walked, followed me,
pressing very closely upon me, but not
discourteously. / could hear some OF
the remarks, which were of the most
1attering description. Just then l saw
in the distance . brother officer OF
Charley's,. . certain Captain Winton.
He was hanger-on and toady of the
great, and a most conceited, tiresomt
little creature. Idisliked him, although
I'm bound to say he never absolutely
cut US.
!. He now stopped 10 speak to me; o.
co,,rsn no Woo noliteIv indifferent as r.