The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1883-06-20


her hair was really remarkable. She
wore it long and it fell almost to the
floor, flowing over her shoulders and
down over the sides and back of the
invalid chair. This chair was very
cleverly constructed. She worked it
with two little levers at the side, and
went wheeling over the room, as she
showed us her art treasures, with more
celebrity than we could follow. The
deXterity with which she rounded
table-corners and shot in and out
among chairs was vastly more inter
esting and amusing to me than any of
the pictures or placques which she eX-
hibited with great pride. l glance1 at
a few of them, and found they were
rather mediocre. Shehas fair abilities as
apainter, but her talent is by no means
pronounced. l can easily pick out a
dozen girls among my acquaintances
who can do as well, She is a queer
little lady-as brightras cricket, and
perpetually on the move. Her fare had
peculiar pathetic look, and was very
attractive, though far from pretty ac-
cording to the general idea of pretti-
ness. She chatted necessarily, and as
the comedian cannot draw breath six
consecutive times without speaking,
the din in the room was quite fright
full; so L sat still and listened while
both of them related at the top of their
voices the history of Marian Foster.
Between the tumble of words, the
blithe giggle of the happy little cripple,
and the genial and sympathetic Ha
ha" of my professional friend, L
learned that she was discovered by
Fanny Davenport. Miss Davenport is
a large-hearted woman, and when her
attention was called to the crippled
artist, who was bravely and cheerfully
earning her own livelihood, and sup
porting an invalid mother beside, the
sympathies of Miss Davenport were
fully enlisted. Fanny Davenport's
sister had been cured of a severe spinal
aflliction by DR.. Sayre, of New York,
and, after talking with little Miss
Foster, Miss Davenport found that
she was suffering from the same dis
ease. Therefore, Miss Davenport in
sisted upon the little cripple coming
to New York. There seemed no
chance of this, as the girls means
were very slim, and she could barely
keep her mother and herself in board.
So Miss Davenport brought her on
herself, and put her under DR.. Sayres
treatment. Under the physicians care
she improved rapidly, and was able to
walk around the room unaided, when
the doctor went off for a European
trip; but she slipped one day, wrenched
| her spine, and her limbs became para
| lyZed again. She suffered intensely for
time, but stuck to her painting.
| DR.. Sayre has now returned, am glad
to say, and he has already effected a
| great improvement in her physical con-
dition; but she is still sufferer. Ever
since Miss Foster has been here, she
has been the special pet of professional
and society women. Miss Davenport S
aid was invaluable. She enlisted the
! sympathies of dozens of women of the
stage who were generous, both in Civ
ing the little cripple orders for pictures
and various art designs, and in assist
ing her pecuniarily. Then Miss
Davenport went among the society
| WOhOll hClC3 anu OO4u OhOHl VI IhO OdoS
of poor little Marian Foster, and the
result was, before long Mrs. Astur
regularly sent the little cripple flowers
and Mrs. Belmont sent her victoria
around to take her for a drive three
days in the week. A great many
painters visit Eer, and the result of il
all is that now she has more orders
than she can fill. and numbers among
her friends people who are constantly
striving to help her.