The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-02-13
SELECT STORY.
A LITERARY EFFORT.
Are you satisfied, my daughter ?"
More than satisfied. papa"

Wore lhah satlsneu. papa.
"ls it all your fancy painted it =
Beyond anything / dreamed of.
Indeed / never imagined that " should
have such beautiful hone.
"Then, my dear, hope you will be
inclined to favor my wishes, in return
for what | have done TO please you. |
have spared no expense in trying to
make your home everything that the
most fastilious taste could demand,
and trust that you will not refuse
some concession TO my -whims, per
haps you will call them.
"What is it you desire, papa! :"
"Nellie have given you every ad
vantage in regard to education-have
tried to make you cultivated and ac-
complished woman--and now | do not
want to see you throw yourself away
upon any one who cannot appreciate
you. In simple words, l want a clev-
er son in-law-a man able to write a
good essay, or poem, or paint a picture
worthy of notice aad admiration
"But, papa, l love Charley, and he
loves me-
"Yes, my child, suppose so; but
you are both very young, and have
seen little of the world. He did very
well when we were plain, simple peo-
pie living in the country but now it is
quite different thing. We live in
another world altogether. | do not
demand money with your future hus-
band-I have enough for all concern
ed-but talent l do require
"Oh, papa, cannot give up Char
ley Where shall | find another like
him $50 good, and kind, and devot-
ed 7"
Thousands of them, my dear
thousands of them. He may not prove
any better husband for being 80 devot
ed now. Matrimony is the thing that
tries mems souls-and constancy."
81 do not believe that Charley will
deceive me-and he loved me too be
fore we were rich. We never shall
know, when new lover comes, wheth.
or it is myself or my money he cares
for"
"Oh, well, my dear, young men are
not all mercenary. There are plenty
of fine young fellows, ready to love
you for your own sweet SELF
perhaps Charley can write !" unused
Nellie. "He never has tried, I know,
and he may be great genius without
suspecting it. l am sure he is clever
enough to do almost anything"
"Geniuses do not live to be twenty.
five years old without suspecting theil
own powers. The trouble is that they
are generally too eager to suspect them
But promise you this, my daughter:
If Charley can paint good picture, OIL
furnish successful article for the pa
per, will consent to the match
"Oh, Charley" the young girl said
to her lover that night, "cau't you
paint picture"
"Paint picture, Nell Are you
crazy?"
"No, dear-but papa is--or else he
has got new hobby, which comes to
nearly the same thing. I suppose he
is aesthetic, and think it is just aw.
full. But now, dear, don't You think
that you could paint something 2"
"Nellie, why don't you ask me if
can fly like bat, or winged-squr
rel ?"
"But every one paints now"
"Indeed How do they do it7'
"They just buy paints, and brushes
and palette, and take one or two les
sons, and they are ready to exhibi,
their plates, tiles, and so on. 1t is just
as easy You can paint anything you
choose-birds, fishes, cranes - one
leg or two, just as you please--or lit
tie, uncertain landscapes. Everybody
does it--children, grown people, and
grandmammas. And they all do il
alike, pretty much-for l can see
scarcely any difference in their little
dauby thirgs."
"There is no use talking about it
Nell, l could not paint one of youl
little, dauby things if I took lessons
six years.
'Then you must write something.
know by your forehead that you have
latent talent, which only needs devel
opment,'
'My dear Nell, all the development
iu the world would never bring ou
any talent in my case. hope that
have good, common sense-but clever
ness don't run in the Barrett family"
"But, Charley, you must either pain
a picture or write talented article
"My darling, | am afraid that you arr
touched bere-just little, you know;
and he laid his finger on her white
forehead with an air of such deep con
Germ that she burst in fit of laughter
in which he quickly joined. As soor
as she could speak, she told him wha
her father required, and was surprised
to see how grave he took it.
"Why, how serious you do look J
she exclaimed.
sit is pretty serious affair, ] SHOULD
think y he replied ITO lose YOU
"But you are not going to lose me
You will write an article for the pape
Ia successful one, too.
"Nellie, | tell you again, dear, that
have no literary talent whatever. |
has been pretty hard sometimes evel
to write letters to you, whom low
better than all the world. How the
could / write successful story 7"
Couldn't you write pretty poer
then 7"
"Horrible Ask me something rea
sonable-to swim a thousand miles
or kill half dozen tigers-but write
poem Good heavens, Nell, its enoug
to make poor fellow commit suicide
! could not make rhyme to save m
| life-or even your life, darling"
snow it connot be so very hard
A little poem upon spring, for instance
to begin with. Something about buC
ding leaves, and perfumes of the SOC
and young mems hopes, and achin
voids, and all that sort of things
SIT gives me an aching void to thin
of it A! And the rhyme l. Oh, Nell
the rhymes !"
"Take dictionarv-some poets d
that. Find a number of appropriat
words to rhyme in pairs, put thel
down on the paper, and then write