The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-11-29
ART SALES.

ART SALES.
"Well, Harry, since you and Mary
have decided to put off your wedding
day until June, 1 suppose you'll o be
asking me again to help you select a
Christmas present for her?"
This in the form of a question to my
particular friend, Henry Maynard, a
capital fellow, some twenty years
younger than myself.
He had just been a%cquai1ting me
with their decision to delay their mar
rage until summer, and then merge
vacation and honeymoon together by a
sketching tour through the Adirondacks
to the st. Lawrence, and thence around
home by way of Montreal, Quebec,
Halifax and Acadia. They had been
understood all along that the happy
event was set for the approaching holt
days. To an sold BACH like myself,
it really seemed almost cruel to delay
any longer a unicn which I deemed the
most congenial and appropriate l had
over known.
..But you see," explained Harry,
sswe've been under a cloud now SO long
hat we can't afford to marry quite yet.
These confounded hard times have pre-
vented selling our pictures until I'm
out of money and Mary is out of cour-
age; and so we'll wait till we can take a
tour that will make us CHEEKY in spite
of ourselves. Next May my years sal
airy will be in hand, and perhaps some
thing encouraging may happen"
/ growled some reply against the in
consistency of such a conclusion for
1.-TWO souls with but a single thought,
Two hearts that beat as one,"
and offered to lend money to bridge the
difficulty and make the wedding bells
and Christmas chimes ring together.
But Harry was incorrigibly independent,
and 1 kept my offered loan and swal-
lowed my regrets,
Harry Maynard and Mary Landon
were both artists-''rising artists" per-
haps, should be said, only that their
discouraging circumstances at the time
in question seem to make such terms
rather inapplicable.
He was professor" in an academy,
devoting three hours a day to teaching,
and the rest of the time to work in his
studio. Some of his pictures had re-
ceived favorable mention" or perhaps
diplomas, and brought fair prices for
the work of a beginner, not yet thirty.
Mary employed her time in attending
an art class taught by my humble self,
and in job work for an illustrated mag.
azine. She, too, had received honorable
mention for a piece on recent exhibit
ton. That both possessed merit had
been settled for ONE time, but merit
does not always find just recognition
and a market; and 81 their best work
had been YEARLY waiting for pur-
chasers, and or account of it their we'd
ding-day must wait also.
Their love-making had begun in my
class-rooms, and therefore I regarded
myself as having a right to be interest
ed in its progress.
Harry had been my student for some
two years, when proving to be not only
quick at the art, but genial, hearty and
clear-headed, I had made him a sort Of
assistant.
One day there came to me a package
from a small inland city, which or
opening proved to be a few sketches
accompanied by a note asking my
opinion, and il the authors ability de.
served instruction. If my reply should
be favorable, she-for the writer was q
lady-would come to the metropolis and
enter my classes. After looking owe
the specimens, / called Harry in and
asked his opinion. He examined the
sketches and then read the letter care.
fully.
'sShe's worth Instruction." he ex.
claimed. t.Her work is good and hel
laffar 10 ha4tar Sha hos cow .o,,o
and what's rarer, good sound sense"
My views conceded with Harry's,
though age made me less inclined to be
enthusiastic, and L wrote Mary Landor
q favorable response.
Two or three weeks later she arrived,
a modest, resolute, good-looking woman
of twenty-three or twenty-four years.
1 soon learned from her thather mother
had died years before and her father
had married a second time, but infelic.
itously, thus spelling the home for his
daughter, so that she was almostan or
phan in the world, yet not lacking in
energy and principle to take care o.
herself.
Within a few days I perceived thai
Harry was more pleased with the writer
than he had been with her letter ano
pictures, and half seriously 1 said:
"Now Harry, don't go and slight oul
divine art by falling in love with Miss
Landon."
His reply was a forced laugh, showing
plainly that remonstrance was already
too late.
But as my forte is with the brush anc
easel, rather than in telling love stories
however true, l shall have to leave tc
Imagination the pleasant task of de
scribing their wooing. Suffice it to say
that properly and sensibly enough tc
meet the approval of an old bachelor
their courtship proceeded until they
were engaged and received my half-pa
ternal benediction.
This was about the situation of af
fairs when my anticipations were
chilled by the disappointing announce
ment that their marriage had been de.
ferred.
The next day as Harry and I met fol-
our usual stroll about the city, he re.
ferred to the approaching holidays and
said
'I've made up my mind what to dc
for Mary at Christmas
"Well, what is it P" was my re.
spouse.
"She is worried to death about that
picture" he replied. II do not think
she could enjoy any Christmas gift
with that unsold. You know that
favorable mentions don't help one g
hundredth part as much as one sale.
Two hundred and fifty dollars is all size
asks for it, but the mere fact of a pur.
chaser would be equal to seven hun.
dred and fifty additional. So I've made
up my mind to buy it."
"Humph p 1 exclaimed. sit viii
be no comfort to her for you to buy it
1t isn't your money she wants for the
picture; and, as to the compliment of
purchaser, she has heard your praise:
until you cannot add to them"
"But," he replied, 81 don't intend
she shall know who buys it keep my.
self out of sight, you see. "A gentle