Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-02-19
ing the thingsa It's only three or four
dolars."
81 would gladly give fifty to secure quiet
in +l,o bouco ,, hp ronliod

ing the thingsa It's only three or four
dollars"
81 would gladly give fifty to secure quiet
in the house," he replied.
And so the matter was settled.
Mrs. Maxey had not long to wait for a
rliny day to test the success Of her expert
ment 1t came, and found her provided
with the materials which were to convert
the children, from noise and vulgarity, to
refined and estht tic aspirations.
| But unfol tunately for her own enjoyment
of this triumph, she was called upon to at
tend special meeting of "The Association
for the promotion of Esthetic Culture
Among the Masses" and at which Mrs.
Lucas was to read her own brilliant pro-
duction on "The Indivisibly Of the Oneness
of the Indestructlbly Beautiful and not
for the world would Mrs. Maxey have miss
ed. it, Or the social three o'clock luncheon
which was to follow, at the elegant resi-
dence of one of the society members.
Before leaving she distributed the scrap
books ard paints.
''Now, children" she said impressively,
| ''keep very quiet and amuse yourselves
with these. See who can choose the best
pictures, and do the prettiest painting
''Nlay we have all the pictures we can
find, mamma % eagerly inquired Evange-
| line.
''All but those in the books. Don't touch
any of the books. There are plenty of old
papers and magazines in the attic, but
wouldn't choose any common pictures; on
ly those that are really nice and pretty
| "Aud may paint the ceal-scuttle, moth
er, demanded Eddie, fourishing bis brush
in what his admiring parent considered a
very artistic manner.
well, yes, if you will take pains. And
then perhaps you will be able to paint Ell
lies dolls furniture; and by and by, pic
lures and portraits. knows" she ad-
ded, encouragingly, ''but that you may one
day be an artist, like that gentleman whose
studio We visited the other day."
Eddie, with visions of grea ness floating
before his mental view, strulted proudly
away in search of the coal l-scuttle which
was to be he humble beginning of his dis
tinguished career; ard his mother, in a
hopeful and satisfied frame of mind, took
her departure.
| DR. Maxey, 10 his office on the basement
floor, congratulated himself on the children
being so quiet. He only heard them once,
and then it was little Ellie's voice, at the
/ head of the stairs.
L WdutS d SCrdp-UOOR, COD. uOl1l 10
asst my papa to dive me one"
The doctor put on his overceat, and wen.
cut On his usual daily round of professional
visits. thinking that there might be some
thing in aesthetic culture after all, if it
could thus keep these usually irrepressible
children from noise and mischief.
1t was past five when he returned home,
meeting his wife who had just taken leave
of Mrs. Lucas.
She assured him that she had had a most
delightful time, except for dull and con-
fused feeling in her head, which had pre-
vented her fully enjoying her friends bril-
liant reading
The doc; or didn't wonder at the symp-
toms.
All che children, nicely dressed. came
running to meet their parents; aud Mrs
Maxay remarked, exultan:ly, to her hus
band how unusually bright and happy they
looked.
She had scarcely time to remove her bon
net, when they eagerly crowded around
| her.
"Oh, mamma" cried Evangeline, "we've
been SO good I'll day. and have done so much
prStly wo,k. Louise and have most filled
ourscrap-b ,ok. just look! Did yon ever
see anything so pei fectlv lovely ?"
very pretty, indeed!' said their moth
er, daintly turning the damp and sticky
leaves.
First" said Louise, Eve pasted iu all
the prettiest pictures we could find in the
mage zines. We didn't use the common
ones; and then we seai iched all over the
house for the uncommon. Let me show
them to you, mama"
! ''LOok, mother, what I'ue done!' inter-
rupted Eddie. proudly, as he thumped down
coal-hod pain ed all over in yellow and
red stripes, eros ed with bands of purple.
"Ain't that bully. thought"
Remarkably SOL" said his father; "and
will be very pleasing and instructive to Tot
and Toddle." he added, with sly glance
at his wife.
''And I've painted Ellie's doll's bureau,
and tho nursery wasii-sJand, and the china
vases in manuals room," announced Ed
die.
sAnd he's painted -grandpa's por-
trait, papa; he's made his cheeks red, and
his brown coat green!" said Louise.
! "What!" cried D 'ctor NJ txey, who valu-
ed nothing beyond his old family portraits.
elbow dared you touch that picture, sir?'
''Mamma said I'd be able to paint por-
traits after awhile" said the boy. deprecat
ing; ''and whenI found could paint things
1 thought I'd try. Didn't you, mother?'
But Mrs Maxey was staring with wide
open eyes at tie scrap-book before her
There were all her lovely aud costly Easter
and birthday cards, which had lately a.
dorned the fancy -easels in the drawing-room
and still worse, there were the much priced
contents of her photograph album, now
hopelessly glued to the leav, s ofthat abOm-
Unable scrap-book. And there was one
exquisite painting on white silk-violets
and lilles-of-the- -valiey-which instantly
caught her eye.
"We cut it out of your fan. mamma. 1t
was all broke to pieces, you know, aud no
use to you now."
That fan had last month cost Mrs.
Maxey ten dollars. The rive had come
out and she had carefully laid it aside to
he re ,aired.
sPapa," cried little Ellie. pushing her
way through the group, and, with an air OF
much importance, mounting to her ia hers
knee, 'ssee what a nice scrap-book Is
madep'
1t was a "F'omily Record" bound in red
morocco, which generally reposed in a
drawer of Doctor Maxey's private Office
desk.
To-day he had. as was sometimes the case,
left the desk open, and it was evluent that
his little daughter, in her yearning for the
aesthetic, had discovered it.
'-Look, papa! what nice pictures!'
The DOCTORS eyes opened as wide as his
wife's had done.
Ellie had industriously pasted various
pages full of variously colored postage
stamps; though the chief and most vaiua-
b ornaments of the book were two or three
small and delicately- executed plates on din
gy, greenish-tinted paper.
"By Georgep' exc aimed the doctor, who
was not usually given to such strong ex-
pressions. ':.By George! she's been at my
money drawer, and cut up the iive-dollar
bank notes!'
And then there was tableau; after which
Doctor Maxey reproachsd his wife for be-
ing the cause of all the mischief, while she
asserted that she had acted with his full
consent and appreciation
so much for aesthetics and aesthetic cul-
ture"' he said, pointing to the esenia-
| tiOn of his venerable ancestor, in led cheeks
and a rreen dress s.Huw much will 1t cost