The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-18

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$50 understood"
'Well, / hope it is all settled, Mr. Ellice," said
Frank
"By no means. Mr. Roscoe. There is much to
| consider before that can be said Before giving
| my consent In so important matter / must
satisfy myself as to your qualifications hus
band for my daughter. You see the justice of
| this, hoper
| answer any questions you choose to ask"
In the first place, you can, presume, give
| me satisfactory references as to your habits,
moral character, and so forthP
| Frank flushed little but answered quite
readily: Certainly refer you to my entire
| circle of acquaintance. You may investigate my
career from infancy up to date I'm not a saint,
but I'm not afraid to have my character looked
at in broad daylight.
''And as to your financial position, is that
| equally open to Investigations
Frank was idly dabhling little oily patches of
color on his palate with one of the brushes he
held.
'Well." he said, with laugh which his white
teeth ilumined brilliantly lit is open to inves
tigation. but I'm afraid you'll strike some snags
there. To say the truth, am confoundedly hard
up just now"
I'm that case Mr.. Roscoe, do you consider
yourself justified in asking my daughter to share
your lotg"
''Oh, as to that, you know" said Frank COM
fortably, I'm always hard up, more or less. We
artists get used to that can contrive to scratch
along somehow"
Pardon me, Mr. Roscoe, but it would not be
satisfactory to me to confde my child to any
thing irregular as the scratching along sys
tenn"
IF you confde her to me, Mr. Elice, shall
take good care of her, and what's more, shall
make her happy / suppose that would be salts
factory, wouldn't it,"
II should wish to see the means to that end
more clearly than l do now. Are you by chance
in debt9"
"oh, nothing to speak of. One good sale
would clear off all owe"
"Manette tells me you wish to be married
very soon. How do you propose, in that event,
to provide for your wife's comfort?"
''Oh I'd look out for that I'd manage some
how to make her comfortable Ii l keep this
studio we might stay in it for awhile. Nettie
says she can get on capitally here. There is a
little room next door we could have for q bed
room"
"And your meals-how should you arrange
about them?"
"Oh somehow" said Frank ''For breakfast
I've got famous eoffee-pot that will make you
a firstclass cup of coffee in three minutes by the
watch Ever seen one of them? You have your
coffee ground to a fine powder, you know,
and then"
But, Mr.. Roscoe, my impression is that
Manette will require more than cup of coffee
for her morning meal"
''Why, of course we would fill in with other
things, too"
II am afraid Manette would not fill in much.
according to your plan"
''She wouldn't starve-never you mind about
that" said Frank reassuringly.
HAS 1t ever occurred to you in making these
highly picturesque arrangements that you might
have familyF
"a family" echoed Frank, opening his brown
eyes widely "Oh, you mean baby~
Yes. Possibly babies"
"Great heavens! Not twins, I hope. But
one wouldn't bother l like children. L
know fellow--Karl Mill, who does such jolly
marines, you know-he lives in two rooms, no
| larger than this, with his wife and three kids;
| they get along firstrate. And, besides, by the
| time the baby arrives | may be able to take a
house on the avenue and set Nellie up in style.
| One thing is certain, Mr.. Elice, I'm willing to
risk it, and so rs She"
"Ah! possibly you think that my affection for
| my daughter would operate in your favor fnan-
ciallyg"
"By Jove No, sir! You do me injustice
I'm not above helping hand in my profession,
but want nothing from you but Nettie love
| her. and I'll take care of her and the baby, too,
and I'll make her happy"
''And how do you suppose Mr.. Roscoe, that
| your wife would tolerate the presence IN her
| home of such young persons as / saw but now
| upon the platform yonder!
| Frank Roscoe put down his palette and brushes
and stepped before Mr.. Ellice There was an
| angry light in his laughing eyes and hot flush
| on his cheek.
'sMr Elce he said, 81 wonder you're not
ashamed to make such a remark as that You
| insult your daughter as we'll as me. I haven't
so far forgotten my dead mother" and he lifted
the battered hat from his head, as to be capable
| of bringing my wife into an atmosphere of i'm
purity. That's not in my line at all. AS for
| poor Becky, she's good, modest girl, and sup
ports an old blind father and troop of younger
sisters and brothers. There's more harm in
| her being here than In your own visit"
| 'Ah! Possibly am wrong, Mr. Roscoe; but
| ] have always been under the impression that
| the young women who offered themselves as
models were an abandoned class; but there may
| be- as you say, honorable exceptions"
| II didn't say Becky was an exception, Mr..
Ellice. There are many as good as she. There's
not what you would call an abandoned char
acter on my list l don't want that sort. Net
tie has seen the models about lots of times. She
| doesn't mind them in the least The fact is
| sir, don't think you know much about artists
do you? You haven't been much among the
| studios, have your
| one. have taken an interest in art in gener-
! al way, and have occasionally purchased pic
| ture that pleased me, but there my experience
ceases"
well, if there were no patrons there would
be no artists, very few, / suspect; SO you see
| you are responsible for US, after ALL But as re-
CARDS Nettie, she has seen good deal of the life
| we lead, and do honestly believe she would be
happy with me. Now, do give her to me- won't
| you, Mr.. Elliee9 I'd vastly rather have her with
| your consent than without it"
Implying that you mean, in any case, to have
| her."
! .'Well, don't mean to give her up. I'm will
| ing to wait, however, till you have known me
! longer and grown to like me-
| You seem tolerably confident that you will
| win my regard"
ooh, yes. There's no reason why you shouldn't
| like me-none in the world"
II am not aware that dislike you now" said
| Mr.. Elhce smiling benignly.
"Come, now, that's capital I knew you
weren't of the stern father type, the moment
| saw you"
1.-The conviction must have sustained you con-
| siderably during this interview, Mr.. Roscoe
| certainly have not spared your feelings"
| "Oh, [ haven't minded in the least" said
| Frank. laughing.
| WELL" said Mr.. Ellice, gathering together
| his hat and umbrella and rising to go, Il shall
| give this matter my earnest consideration, and
| will let you know in a few days"
| ''All right" said Frank extending his hand as