Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1884-05-14

house, Q pair OF turtle doves in q nest.
Although Hubert was such genius,
and had painted SO many beautiful plot
ures. he was young and comparatively
unknown, and We found it hard to live,
particularly after the twins had opened
their blue eyes on the wintry sunshine
OF glorious February day.
l had done little fancy needle-work
heretofore; but now my hands were tied,
and it was hard to see the shadows creep
over Hubert's brow and know I had no
power to lift them.
SO the years went by.
More ittle:ones clustered around our
scanty board, and although Hubert
worked hard and oonscientiously, there
were other artists who pandered to the
public taste, and received more orders.
We were very poor.
"Hubert, " said I, one day, when the
load of poverty had been almost more
than we could bear, s'don't you wish you
never had married?' (.
EDO wish the sunshine had never
come into my ife?" he asked.
"Never put that question again, little
wife. What would existence be worth
without you and the babies?'
"If you could only sell that picture,
sighed, thinking of something that had
been on the easel for months.
He shrugged his shoulders.
"Harper says it isn't worth nything, :"
said he. "Harper thinks it is far be-
yond the popular standard of apprecia-
tion."
sighed; but in spite of all our priva-
tions I would not have asked Hubert to
lower his grand ideal Of art.
| I was proud of it.
Hubert came in from the studio next
day with radiant face.
'Wifey, the golden age has dawned,
and true art is appreciated at last.
have sold my picture"
"Not the Sunrise Hubert?"
eyes, the Sunrise Look! Here's
a check for thousand signed by Estel-
la Severini, the prima donna. She is in
the studio now, and he says she wants
to be introduced to the artists wife,"
"But, Hubert, my dress"
| "Oh, your dress is we'll enough, Mrs.
Cinderella" he cried, laughing, as he
drew me to ward the door.
| A lady sat in the models chair-a tall.
superbly moulded lady, dressed in black
velvet and an Indian shawl, with hair of
rippled purplish black and large dusky
eyes.
The instant she looked up I knew her.
''Stella! Stella Severn!' I cried, with
a sort of gasp.
She rose, laughing and crying, and
ran into my arms.
'EAie darling, to think that we
should meet otter all these years!''
She told me her story.
bow, after long battling with the
world q vicissitudes, she had came across
an opera manager who preceived the
hidden treasure that enlisted in her
voice, and voluntarily assumed the ex-
pense of training it.
''And am rich and famous now,"
said she. 81 can pay back the debt I
owe to you, Efie; for think if it had
not been for you and your money that
winter night, should have been driven
to swallow the little vial of laudanum
had already in my pocket"
''Oh, Stella!"
''Ah, but I should. You do not un-
derstand how prosecuted aud haunted
was, Efie-but, thank God, that is over
now"
Signora Severini's thousand was the
beginning of our new fortunes.
1t was the fashion to copy her whims
and caprices.
Other people bought because she did
and pretty soon we were able to move
into pretty cottage of our own.
And when my mother and Mr.. Cor
nell, down the country, heard what
Stella Sevsrn had become, they declared,
sagely-
"Well, there's never any telling how
things may turn out in this world!''