The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-12-25


"What shame IL he has not been pros
perous" said Lucy. "a man who paints
as he does ought to have everything
the world can give him."
A quiet smile passed over Mr.. Fraser's
handsome old face Curious things some
times happen in this world of ours. Sup
pose young Richmond--there was no do
nying he was a handsome fellow--well,
suppose he and Miss Clavering took fan
cy TO each other 1t would be a very odd
thing. If it did happen, too, no one would
| ever give certain poor old drawing mas
ter credit for having brought it about, and
yet most assuredly he would have been
the one who first set the stone a-rolling.--
Mr.. Fraser promptly checked this solilo-
guy, and told himself sharply that he
most sincerely hoped nothing Of the kind
would ever come to pass, II would be
thousand pities if Richmond married A
heiress, and such an heiress, too. Why,
perhaps II might be the means of prevent
ing the world from possessing one OF the
greatest painters who had ever lived.
Lucy was jubilant. She made Mr.. Fra
Ser and Aunt Esther go back to her pic
ture repeatedly 20 admire it, and then,
when they were engrossed by something
else she, who had just learned her way
TO the keepers table and the method Of
making herself mistress Of drawing,
slipped back there and bought a large
drawing, of twice the price of Mr.. Rich
mond's, painted by her present kind and
minded drawing master, and
told him nothing about it till she babe
goodbye at the door of the exhibition,
when she said very kindly: thanks to
you, Mr.. Fraser, have become possessed
of two treasures to-day"
AS soon as she got home she persuaded
Aunt Esther to write note for her to Mr..
Richmond, Lucy debating in her best
highly ceremonious manner. "Miss Es-
ther Moore presents her compliments to
Mr. Richmond, and begs to know if, during
the ensuing month, he can with conven-
fence to himself give lessons in water-col-
or painting to her niece, Miss ClaveringY
fMiss Clavering has the greatest admira-
ton for Mr.. Richmond's beautiful draw
ings in the Old Water-Color Gallery, and
as she wishes to profit as much as possible
by his teaching, and will not lie long in
town. she would like lesson daily"
"There" cried Lucy, twill that DOR
Aunt Esther approved. sand now" ex-
claimed Lucy, snow that | am going to
have him for my master, l do think have
a chance of painting better! / believe
that drawing of his | bought is the most
beautiful picture in the worlds
Seeing that this was Lucy's genuine
opinion, it was unfortunate that the last
post that evening brought her letter to
say that The View from Cum berland
Garden conld not be hers. 1t was from
Mrs. Richmond, the artists mother, who
said that she had been requested by her
son, who was out of town for day or two,
to open any letters which came in his alb
sence. and she ''begged to inform Miss
Clavering that the drawing No Is was not
for sale. 1t had by some mistake been
entered on the keepers list as if for sale,
but such was not the case"
"what a disagreeable, rude kind OF let
teri" cried Aunt Esther.
II have lost my lovely drawing!" said
Lucy, "and he has got mother who s u
dragonl Well, shall have my lessons
hope he is not going to be long in com
ing home"
But the lessons were also denied her;
all she received was very prettily writ
ten note from Mr.. Richmond himself. II
was short: Mr.. II. X. Richmond begged
to inform Miss Clavering that he could not
have the honor Of giving her instruction
in water-color painting that was all
not one word of explanation or regret.
This is the strangest thing | ever
heard off, said poor Lucy. ale won't let
me have his drawing, and he won't let me
have his lessons, and yet know he does
give lessons-Mr. Fraser told me that he
did. sometimes"
"Show that note to Mr.. Fraser, Lucy"
said Aunt Esther, land then you will hear
what he says about it,"
Mr.. Fraser did not say much. Being
asked if he did not think it very odd Of
Mr.. Richmond TO write such note, be
said it was rather strange; but added,
"Miss Clavering, artists are queer people,
am sorry to say"
Lucy's last lesson being now over she
took to wandering listlessly about the
house again. She missed the little pleas
ure her drawing lessons had given her.
She could not enjoy anything else, On
the stairs, one day, she met her dear Mrs.
Lishman. for so she now called her. II
am so stupidity duh, Mrs. Lishman," said
she, ."and so ashamed Of being so; do
80 wish had something nice to do"
"Why don't you sit down to your paper
and paints, Miss Clavering, ma'am; you
generally seem to amuse yourself pretty
well with them
"But have not Mr., Fraser now. like
a master TO come and tell me how am
going on. II was very tiresome Of Mr.
Richmond to refuse to give me lessons,
was il notr
"Mr. Richmond! Did you ask him to
J come here, ma'am"
"Yes, got Miss Moore TO write and ask
; him, but he would not. And he would
not let me have my drawing either Fan