The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-05
A GAIN OF A LOSS.
IA Story for Girls.

uuOullS OF llOEe. Every DOuy Caught IT, 1IOlu
Grandma Ellis and Mrs Smythe, both over sew
enty, to the smallest girls in town, who accom-
plished wonders of outline work tides and
splashers.
Wherever you went you were called upon to
admire so-called works of art in the shape of
painted table-covers, panels and plaques with
out end Ladies and girls who had never drawn
so much as a straight line in their lives, turned
out work marvellous as to quantity and quality.
The successful teachers from a moneyed point
of view were those who enabled their pupils to
do the most work in the shortest possible time.
Cat-tails, peoples, daisies, and sunAowers sprang
up if by magic in every parlor in town.
Ambitious girls stretched themselves out of
shape and had aching backs for weeks by put
ting flights of swallows in gray and white on
crimson backgrounds, over the parlor mantles,
or by painting sprays of the trumpet vine or
clemats on the doors.
The fever died out at last for want of material
to feed upon a bakers dozen of bright young
girls, with moro or less real artistic taste. were
finally all that were left to carry on their decor
alive art studies or in reality just to begin them,
under the tuition of competent teacher They
had a studio full of cast, draperies, sketches,
1t was always pretty sight to see them at
work before their easels each girl deeply inter
ested in her own work and that of her friends,
| and every head crowned with cap twisted out
of bright silk handkerchief which all the girls
affected, because, as Mr.. Lyon said, 'It was so
pictureskue.' They are all nice, bright girls
| said Mr.. Lovel, the teacher, 'but only two of
them will ever be artists The rest may learn
in time to be decent copyists, but only two will
ever be able to create"
These two girls, Gertrude Lynn and Deborah
Dana were great friends, and had worked side
by side for several months until Gertrude who
| showed great promise, had gone abroad to pur
sue her art studies at Munich, with an aunt, who
was also artist
Gertrude used to wear lavender cap and Deb
orah an orange-colored one, which made her
| dark eyes and hair look brighter and darker
| than ever.
month or so after Gertrude had gone the
| Danas were at breakfast one morning, when the
postman's double ring was heard at the door.
"There is letter for you from Aunt Nell; 1 do
| hope Bert is coming" said Robbie, handing one
to his mother. 1.-TWO letters, postal card, and
| paper for papa, and whom is this for, won
do write now days; such scrawl! They make
cat spread over whole page"
"Oh Rob, do give it to me, please" said Deb,
Il know it is for me-" From my DEAR old girl"
she said softly pressing kiss upon it before
opening it, "and such long one too, bless her!"
She read the bright, newsy letter almost
through and then jumped up and putting her
arms around her mothers neck cried:
NOW my dear darling mamma, do say yes,
oh please, please don't say no."
swell Debby, how can know what to say,
until you hSst tell me what am expected to say
yes to-"
1T is Gertrude mamma, and she writes to
say that she and her aunt are nicely settled in
Munich, are doing ever well with their Tark,
| and, oh mamma, with hug which threatened
to really squeeze the breath of life out of Mrs.
Dana ''she wants me to join.them and spend
year in Munich too. You see 1 can study under
the same teacher and live in the same apart
ments with Gertrude and Miss Niles"
| Mrs Dana shook her head sadly, as she looked
into Deborah's longing face.
II wish you could dear Mr.. Lovel says you
are doing very well, and year abroad would
| help you so much but"
OHi 3OSs lneh1iuoi ~ 10 tiiO Olo ulOhCy dueS-
ton suppose. Oh, why did the panic come on
and swallow up poor dear papas money just as
was out of school, and needed so much for
| gowns, and gloves, and parties-and-and. with
a disappointed culver of the lips, "a year or two
in Munich? But don't you think, mamma, that
we could manage it somehow Gertrude says
| can get along nicely for year on $500. Would
1 that be more than papa could spare do YOU
MI IA n n
my gloves, and make my own bonnets!'
VERY much more, Debby, since papa has
! hard time to keep up at ALL just now, and Hugh
must be kept in school for another year. If pos
| sible He IS doing very well, and so much de-
ponds upon his finishing his work there"
II know that Dear old boy! How do hope
he will get the first place again this year. So
| you think l must give it quite upl
Il fear so, daughter. But do not write to
| Gertrude just now; wait day two. Your
| father and l always meant to let you have year
abroad as soon as you out of school, and if
we can possibly manage to let you go now, we
| will"
what dear mother you are, and such a
comforter How can you always be so lovely
! and patient when the hardest part of our being
| poor comes upon your
Mrs Dana smiled her rare, sweet smile. She
| thought of the discouraged husband to be up
/ held and helped through these hard times, and
| of the children to be kept happy-and knew
\ why she was patient and accomplishing. Deb
orahs work at the studio for the next few days
| did not, as she said in her emphatic way,
| amount to a of pins" She could think of
! nothing but Munich, of Gertrude, of Aunt Julia,
so bright and kind, and Of the enchanting little
| journeys through France and Germany which she
promised to give the girls between study times.
| She hoped against nope, but at the end of the
week Mrs. Dana said: Deb DEAR it won't do
| to let you keep hoping any more Your
| father and are more than sorry, but we cannot
| give you the money just now Some other time"
But Deb had flown away, locked herself in her
pretty pink room, and seen more until
morning. She tried very hard to get over her
disappointment, and not let her mother, already
overburdened with cares, see how much she had
taken it to heart
A few weeks after she came into the sitting
rnn1n her hrinht Young face al aolnyu with