Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1881-01-18

laughing al, she SAID Grossly. NO ont
but fool would find amusement in thei
own failare." This was very severe, bu
Matilda was awfully put out, and in th'
evening, when Charlie had gone to th'
Rag to have a smoke, she spoke yer,
seriously to me.
II don't like the looks Of things" 81
shouldn't be at all surprised if tnos'
Venetian tram shares don't come to much
The people there are so silly they prefeI
the gondolas. and if they go down, where
will you be-
Goodness gracious Matilda,
thought tha, YOU recommended them
and said they would double our income
And haven't they done so, YOU sill!
thing: All YOU have to do is to pu,
your shoulder to the wheel, and pusf
Charley. and that will make it all right
As for him he is a regular stick in the
mud. 81 YOU must do it yourself
~: Why. what in the world can
do"
Mike yourself the fashion :" said my
sister, oracularly.
The next day Matilda, Charley and
went 10 see the pictures at the X. A. lt'
a long way from Inverness Terrace tc
Piccadilly, particularly on a hot day. sc
we went in an omnibus. don't mind
an omnibus, but Matilda thinks it dis.
grace 10 be seen in one. She has a pro.
vincial idea that every one knows her
She sits far back with her veil drawn ir
"a tight little ball over her nose, which
makes her ever so much more remark
able. This day in particular she was il
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: "Tc
Z ink that our Beauty should be brought
down 10 sit with washerwomen in ar
omnibus"
Charley flushed up. He's the most
good .humored fellow in the world, but he
doesn't like Matilda. "She should drive
in a coach with six horses, if could give
/, to her" hs said: "bui she knew was
a poor man when she took me"
The Academy was very full that day
and thought it great bore. Neither
Charley or care much for pictures. but
Matilda says she understands "color.
She goes round religiously with her cata.
logue and pencil and marks the good
ones. She leaves il on the drawing room
table when she goes home, and holds
forth to he country people on the flesh
TINT" Of Millais, and the "neep impasto
OF Burne Jones.
| soon got tired, so sat down near the
passage leading 20 the reireshment room
always think the lunch is about the
bes, thing at the pictures. But they
seemed never to be coming. For some
tire amused my self looking at the peo-
pl,: they were a shifting mass OF faces
and dresses. and was greatly diverted.
By and by began to observe tina, the
crowd when they came to certain pirt-
ure, stood there. forming a regular line,
as they did for Miss Thompson. 1t was
awtully hot, and had taken off my veil
and pushed up my hat. for my forehead
was burning Suddenly | noticed that a
great many people turned backs upon the
picture and looked at me, and then faced
round again 10 the canvass wall. In my
character Of Beauty have been all my
life pretty well accustomed to the homage
conveyed by what is called "hard star
ing" so that it must have been an un-
due amount OF it which attracted my at
tention; bu, surely had never seen any
like this Groups of two, three. six at a
time would stand before me, calmly sur.
yeying me. and. ! could gather by their
gestures, talking of me. But | didn
near what they said. | became very
anxious 10 see the picture which attracted
their attention, but the block around il
was TOO great. The next best thing was
10 ask for information. II was some
time before could pitch upon person
who seemed fitting for this purpose. At
last very quiet looking person came
near me. She had catalogue in her
hand. | addressed her: May | ask
you TO tell me the name Of the picture at
which every one is looking She turned
to the book, but first glanced at me then
hurried on, and | saw her few minutes
afterward pointing me out to some OF her
friends. felt extremely uncomfortable.
| looked about anxiously for Charley and
Matilda, but there was no sign Of either.
Then did 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 made way a,
once, and, as | walked, followed me,
pressing very closely around me, but no,
discourteously. could hear some Of the
remarks, which were of the most fatter.
ing description. Just then l saw in the
distance a brother officer of Charleys, q
certain Captain Winton. He was g
hanger. and toady Of the great, anda
most conceited, tiresome little creature
disliked him, although I'm bound to say
he never absolutely cut us.
He now stopped to speak to me; o.
course he was politely indifferent as to the
loss Of my party.
81 would help you to look for Charley
he said "but the fact is. the Duchess o.
Cranberry is here, and she's quite on th'
qui ,rre. Some one has told her tha
the original of the picture is actually ii
the room, and, of course, it would bt