, 1883-02-15

"No one shall ever DO it again, sail
Dudley. "Clara, am going to ~
great artist. It's in me. I know, anl.
don't forget me, Chr; I'll come back
and, oh, Clara, cannot bear 20 leave
YOU"
Leaning over the sill. the child put
her innocent arms about the bows neck.
Don't 81 away" she said lit
would break my heart :"
And then he kissed her and ran away.
There wa SORROW iii the house on
Christmas morning, and the pie went
uneaten, for Dudley was gone. and he
had left little note in which he de-
clared his intention Of returning no
more.
He never did come back. His mother,
who loved him more than he knew, shed
bitter tears ny Christmas day came
round each year. The father, who had
flogged him, grew cd repenting it.
There was q general impression in the
family that Dudley had not been a good
boy, but the doubt rs to his fate softened
their thoughts OF him. Probably he
was dead. Poor old Grandmother Bar
berry believed that he had starved to
death.
When Clara married-yes, l mean it
when Clara married tho consumptive
young clergyman from Bristol, and went
away, she went mp to the garret TO look
for a winter cloak. and found there the
pie.dish yet brilliant with its geranium.
And she sat down on the floor and cried
over it, and remembered the innocent
child love she had given the painter,
and then, wiping her eyes, carried the
dish downstairs and put il into her
trunk. twas q souvenir, if melancholy
one, Of the past.
"If he is not dead, he must have for
gotten me-" she said to herself. "He
is 26 years old now if he lives"
And, though she highly respected the
Rev. Jacob Bird, she sighed once or
twice even on her wedding-eve.
Settled in Bristol, she was very happy.
She liked the people she met. One day
somebody saw the pie-dish. 1t was an
artistic lady, who had gone to take her
hat of in the spare-room Of the parson-
age.
"What lovely plaque !" she cried.
"But why don't you have it glazed? 1t
will be spoiled.
The pie-dish, promoted to plaquehood,
was glazed next week, and on its back
was painted the name of the boy who,
from the Barberry point of view, had
spoiled it.
The Rev. Jacob Bird died young.
He was good to his wife while he lived,
and she mourned him; but there had
been no romance in their courtship, and
they had never been congenial.
The widow recovered her plscidity
soon, and lived contentedly on her small
income. amid circle of attached friends.
The last survivor Of the Barberry family
--Dudley's mother--came to live with
her, and Mrs. Bird had pulled two gray
hairs out of her curly black hair, when
the great bazaar Of St. Susan's Church
took place, and committee called to
beg her TO contribute something.
"I have a plaque" she said. at
was painted long ago by somebody who
must have become very great artist il
he lived, think. I'll give the plaque.
The more i see OF art the better know
that 1t is good, aud there are associA-
tions with il that make it painful 10
aunt to SEQ it"
The committee expressed their thanks.
and the "pie dish" went to the fair.
where it was greatly admired.
Now, Dudley B&rberry had not
starved TO death on the road, as his
grandmother always believed. He had
sold his watch, had lived until he found
his old friend the artist, had become his
pupil, and had gone to Italy with him.
While unknown to the people Of his
little town. he had made a name IN the
great world Of art. He had made n
moderate fortune also, and one day be
went back to his home, expecting 10
find oil the Barberrys ;here-s little
older, Of course-and 10 become tho
pride Of the family.
Instead, he found the house occupied
by strangers. and WAS told that his
parents were dead. His informant was
o stranger, who did not know who hc