The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-12-01
ART SALES.

ART SALES.
''Well, Harry, since you and Mary
have decided to put off your wedding
day until June, suppose you'll soon be
asking me again to help you select a
Christmas present for her?'
This in the form of q question to my
particular friend, Henry Maynard, a
capital fellow, some twenty years
younger than myself. .rs I...
He had Just been acquainting me
with their decision to delay their mar
riage until summer, and then merge
vacation and honeymoon together by
sketching tour through the Adirondacks
to the st. Lawrence, and thence around
home by way of Montreal, Quebec,
Halifax and Acadia. They had been
engaged now over year, and had
understood all along that the happy
event was set for the approaching holi-
days. To an ''old bach like myself,
it really seemed almost cruel to DELAY
any longer a union which deemed the
most congenial and appropriate had
ever known.
''But you see,'' explained Harry,
''we've been under a cloud now so long
that we can't afford to marry quite vet
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'H 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"
Igrowled some reply against the in
consistency of such conclusion for
Two souls with but 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 | 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 inappicable.
He was professor" in an academy,
devoting three hours 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 some time, but merit
oil nd
and a market; and so their best work
had been YEARLY waiting for pur-
chasers, and on account of it their we'd
ding-day must wait also. 30
Their love-making had begun in my
class-rooms, and therefore | regarded
myself as having 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, had made him sort of
assistant.
One day there came to me package
from q small inland city, which on
opening proved to be few sketches
accompanied by a note asking my
opinion, and if the authors ability de-
served instruction. If my reply should
be favorable, she-for the writer was a
Iady-wonld come to the metropolis and
enter my classes. After looking over
the specimens, called Harry in and
asked his opinion. He examined the
sketches and then read the letter care
fully
''She's worth Instruction. he ex-
claimed. ''Her work is good and her
iS no hoc
and what's rarer, good sound sense
My views conceded with Harry's,
though age made me less inclined to be
enthusiastic, and wroteo Mary Landon
favorable response. y 4. G&S
Two OF three weeks later she arrived,
modest, resolute, good-looking woman
OF twenty-three or twenty-four years.
soon learned from her that her mother
had died years before and her father
had married second time. but infelic-
itously, thus spelling the home for his
daughter, so that she was almost an or
phan in the world, yet not lacking in
energy and principle to take care of
herself.
Within few days I perceived that
Harry was more pleased with the writer
than he had been with her letter and
pictures, and half seriously l said:
''Now Harry, don't go and slight our
divine art by falling in love with Miss
Landon."
His reply was forced laugh, showing
plainly that remonstrance was already
too late.
But as my forte is with the brush and
easel, rather than in telling love stories,
however true, j shall have to leave to
imagination the pleasant task of de-
scrlbing their wooing. Suffice it to say,
That properly and sensibly enough to
meet the approval of an old bachelor,
their courtship proceeded until they
. We're engaged and received my half-pa-
ternal benediction.