The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-07-11
THE VANISHING TICKET.


 ing-house in Bloomsbury dimly lighted by two fiickering guttering candles, and insuficiently warmed by a handful ot feeble dying embers in the big old-fash. toned grate. Dramatis persona A young artist and his wife, wracked and worn with anxiety and care; sickly in- fant, and thin, intelligent fox terrier dog. Time: 9 p. m. Date: Saturday, April 28, 1884.
 Up and down, up and down the long comfortless room, the young man walks, with quick restless footsteps, and fever. ish flush of excitement and expectation on his worn, beautiful face while his young girlish wife, sitting close to the poor fire, cradling her sleeping infant in her arms, watches his weary march with yearning, pathetic looks of love and trust. At last he stops, and leaning his burning brow against the cool curtainless window. pane, gazes long and wistfully down the street.
 He must have gone by now, Nell; for Gods sake tell me the time."
 The wife's hand involuntarily goes to her side, but finding nothing there she looks up quickly, her pale face flushing with fear lest he should have noticed the action which told such tale of struggling poverty, and answers:
 l will go down and ask, dear: but am sure the postman has not passed; we must have heard him at the other houses" She goes out of the room wearily, and down stairs to the very basement, to find, as she expected, that only half an hour has elapsed since she was there on the same errand. Up again, patiently and uncomplainingly, her breath getting pain fully difficult. She waits outside the room minute to recover. and to mur- mur, Pray, God, be merciful to us, and lei it come tonight" Then enters, and gong to the anxious watcher at the win dow, lays her cold hand on his fevered forehead and says, with a pathetic at- tempt at cheerfulness in her poor, trem- bling, breathless voice:
 "lt is not nine yet, you dear impatient boy"
 Something in her tone seems to strike the young man, for he looks quickly and anxiously into her face.
 "Ah, Nell, darling, what a selfish brute must be, to have let you go down again. forgot, when asked the time, about your poor little watch. Come and sit by my side, and give me your dear hand, and will try and be quiet, and not listen for the mans confounded foot steps" And side by side, and hand in hand, the young couple sit and wait, beautiful and sacred, in their loving sym pathy and trouble.
 After minutes pause:
 Read Brooks letter again, John."
 "Don't you know it by heart already, "Yes; but 1t will be something to pre- vent our being able to listen /; and this straining to catch every sound is so terri bie."
 "Very well: you know am always thankful for the slightest excuse for read ing it again."
 Taking well-thumbed letter from his pocketbook, he reads:
 DEAR SIR: On thinking over the matter, I have come to this conclusion: Should your picture, "Aphrodite, !" be accepted at the Royal Academy, and hung on the line (which think is almost a certainly, I will give you I5oo for 1t; should it be badly hung, could not offer you more than ,Saso; as in that case could not hope to sell IL again, at the close of the exhibition (which Is of course my ob. jecte to SO much advantage but undertake to give you [2so, however unkindly the hang ing committee treat 1t. You understand this offer does not hold goodf by any extraordi nary chance the picture should not get in at the last moment; for it is much too large to be salable unless it has the R. A. stamp of merit upon 1t; especially as at present your name is unknown. That will not be the case long, however, am quite sure. fyou take this oiIer into favorable consideration, :; shall expect to see you on Monday afternoon (var- nishing dayl and will write check accord ng to what you tell me. Wishing you every success, am. Truly youn,
 WILLIAM BROOKS.
 Everything depends on whether it is accepted or not, you see, Nell; there is no hope of getting rid of it if it should be rejected"
 But you know, dear, the porters at the Royal Academy told us It could not be among the absolutely rejected pict- ures, or we should have heard within the first fortnight"
 "No but it may be among the doubt