Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-10-07
Lady Artists or ? Lark III Maine

LII had quickly settled luto regular
!ty. Every morning skesch-books and
eusels. paint-boxes and paiettes. came
cut; the girls broke up into groups o
two or three, ard started out in variouf
ways to work. Not picturesque spos
but Lad sketchers encamped about lit
q dilapidatei set Of bars. the scorn Of
coys hut the delight Of an artist; pile
of rocks iuar orchard, the thorn in the
flesh to farmer, who stared open eyed
to find il attractive TO somebody;
path through the woods; or luxurisnt
rru,:p of tail ferns. The neighborhood
was an unwo1ked mine of wealth. One
cunl.. not turn in any direction without
seeing a charming spot that she ionged
to carry away with her, and the only
regret Of the enthusiastic students was
that each one LAd not two pairs OF
hands to work with. Dinner brought
them all home, and then came criticism,
comparison, and much pleasant talk
over canvas and paper, ending-in the
Lark Nest-in mailing the studies to
the wall, and MAKING ready for the next
DAYS work.
Before long some of the daily needs
of eitlish humanity became pressing,
and party was made up to visit the
" store of the neighborhood-a barn
like place, with drugs and dress goods.
hardware and groceries, all in one
room.
Have you straw hats?' asked the
first girl.
The clerk was sorry, but they were
out of hats.
What! no hats ?" in q chorus from
the party who had been seized with an
ambition for broad rim hats.
II should like some shoe-buttons, :"
began the second.
These, alas! they never kept.
What, NJ shoe buttons ~ in one
breath again.
Please show me some ribbons. !"
spoke up the third.
Tie clerk regretted to say that RIB
bots were not Ill stock.
Wna,! no ribbonst" cried the
chorns. IN dismay.
Whiting paper. ifyou please. cried
the fourth, sure that she at least could
supply her wants.
The clerk was embarrassed. He be
gan 10 nave horror of the chorus, and
heAi,aied whether he had better slip
out of u back door. and let his iuquisi-
tors find out for themselves his stock,
or whether he had better laugh. He
decided on the latter Just in time, for
Peggy began:
~ want some rye -four for sunburn."
The man shook his head.
WHAT? no rye h)ur!'
Clip had been looking about, and
seeing potatoes, thought struck her.
- say, girls" she began III eager
whispers, "now we're out here in the
woods, and NO callers, we might eat
onions!'
"Onions! onions!' whispered one and
another. "Delightful! SO We wiil!'
- love onions" cried Clip; aud.
turning to tine amused shop-keeper,
added, "Please send us up bushel."
The man laughed, but again he shook
his head.
"What! no onious? Orr and,
thoroughly Disguised with the country
store, the party went out In search OF
aLothsr. After that, whenever i'll
their rambles, which extended for
many miles around, they came near to
a store, they invariably went in and
asked for those articles, expressing
their surprise in chorus as at first, and
always ending with the demand for
onions, which, by -the-way, they were
never able to get in that land of farms
and gardens, though Mrs. Duncan
offered to send to Portland for them
Olive Thorne Miller, in Harper's
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