The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1884-03-21
THE oNLYiFUPIL.

W utIl6 woman, WIN uce nalT anu Il
tidy little figure, when her father died.
One after the other her elder sisters
had married and left home; and Lizzie
kept house for her widowed father and
forgot the lapse of time.
The two old servants considered her
q mere child, and she was always the
youngest at the rare family reunions.
Her father had advised, praised and
scolded her as though she had been in
her teens to the last
He was so old when he went quietly
to sleep for the last time, that people
had thought Elizabeth would be "pre-
pared for her loss;" but she was not,
and after the first great grief and the
shock of leaving the old home, when
the property was divided and the house
sold, she found that another change
had befallen her.
She was no longer Miss Lizzie, the
youngest daughter still at home. but
middle-aged spinster living in board
ing house.
Often when she had hurried up
stairs and shut the door of her room
she had thought to herself that she
could not endure this condition of
things much longer, but, after all, she
dreaded to make change.
She was exactly in the condition to
jump at anything which offered occu-
patton and interest, when the postman
one day brought her circular, gilt
edged and rose-tinted, bearing these
words:
"Mr. Buckle respectfully desires to
make known to the public the fact that
he is about to reopen his classes in
water-color painting, English school,
next Monday. Terms most reasona-
BILE. Early application desirable, as
the number of pupils will be limited.
Studio, No.--street.
1t was an attractive looking card,
and as Miss Elizabeth read it an idea
came into her mind. Why should she
not take lessons in water-color paint
ing?
She would enjoy the work. She
could afford it. 1t would pass the time
She could perhaps sketch from nature
next summer.
A little thrill ran through her at
this thought. She got her bonnet and
mantilla, her parasol and her gloves,
and taking the card with her, hurried
to make application for place in the
class before it was too late, for it was
now Saturday afternoon.
She found the number easily. A
large building with many rooms, and
at the very top of the house four en-
gravers, lady designer on wood"
and Mr.. Buckles name on neat door
plate.
Miss Elizabeth. quite breathless by
this time, applied her knuckles to the
panels, and after little delay and some
creaking of boots on bare floor, the
door opened, and amiddle.aged gentle
man, with few gray hairs in his
whiskers and a bald spot on his head,
appeared, with palette on his thumb
and brush in his hand, and bowling
politely, requested the lady to enter.
"Mr. Buckle? ?" Elizabeth asked with
an interrogative infection.
The gentleman bowed again.
II received your card" said Miss
Elizabeth. 81 should like to join your
class, if it is not full
at is not full as yet, madam" re-
piled Mr.. Buckle" and should be de-
lighted to receive you as pupil"
He opened portfolio as he spoke.
"My work." he said; perhaps you'd
like to look at
The portfolio was full of sketches
in water color of English scenes, cot
tages, lanes, old women gathering fag-
gots, ladies walking in old parks.
They were not great, but they were
very good. Miss Elizabeth was de-
lighted.
"How kind of you to take class,
she said, beaming. "Such an artist as
you are"
Mr.. Buckle bowed again. He evi-
IDENTIFY preferred bowing to speaking.
"I'm sure I've seen your pictures il
the Academy" she said, "and admired
them"
Mr. Buckle blushed violently ant
bowed again.
"How modestr thought Miss Eliza
beth.
She inquired his terms. They wer,
very reasonable. She paid it on th'