Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1886-04-24

sister Anne, biting off her thread and form
ing new knot. Painting china, designing
wood cuts even coloring photographs"
Agnes raised her head with flashing eyes.
@Oh, why do you not add taking in wash
ing, or scrubbing down the stairs" she cried,
with scorn and anger
'That is the difficulty" continued sister
Anne, with unruffied composure. "You are
impatient and despise the beginning. One
cannot spring into full-fledged artist at one
bound. Pray how did the great European
artists commence, about whom you are so
fond of readings Very modestly, promise
you"
Agnes made no immediate response. In
stead. she ruffied her blonde hair with her
hands, and stared modify at the lamp. The
room was plain, and the noise of the street
below was audible in the tinkling of a car
bell and the rattle of carts on the pavement
Located on one of the wide business avenues
of the city of New York, this modest home
of clerk with slender salary held dis
similar elements united by close relationship
Il could not obtain any of the work you
propose if tried, 4" resumed the young artist
There are more applicants than labor in all
fields and in every land"
aTrue,n sighed sister Anne, mindful that a
week of illness would replace her husband at
the store by dozen eager competitors in
need of bread
A key was inserted in a neighboring door,
and the object of her solictude entered bring
ing keen gust of winter air with him, The
husband of sister Anne was brisk little
man, with shrewd blue eyes, flaxen hair and
a spot of red on either cheek bone. He greeted
his family cheerfully, while unwinding silk
handkerchief from his throat
"rve got something for you in my pocket,
Aggy,n he said to his sister-in-law. "The
very thing for you"
She looked at him with faint smile
Eyes l came on it quite by accident,
may say-riding up town in the car, he pur-
sued, with animation. Then he unfolded a
newspaper and placed his finger on a para
graph The trio read together the following
advertisement:
DREMIUM offered OF 800 for best design OF Easter
T card for the approaching season. Competitors
are requested to present their applications To-
Sister Anne read over the shoulder of her
husband. "What chance for you, Agnesr'
she said II am confident you would win the
prize One hundred dollars, tool"
LANG s. Co. are the great photographers,
you know" supplemented the husband. Il
saw it by the merest chance in a column OF
advertisements. Nothing Ike reading the
papers"
Agnes studied the paragraph and made no
comment. She grew pale and her eyes
darkened ominously. One would have in
ferred that she had received some affront,
but restrained her Indignation. Finally she
rose and took the journal in her hand.
"Thank you, and good night she said
dryly
as she offendedF" demanded the little man
puzzled.
"She is very silly" said sister Anne, rather
tartly, as she poured cup of tea for him
Agnes went to her room, locked the door,
knelt beside the bed and burst into tears. A
prize given by photographer was offered to
her competition. She had dreamed of fame
and artistic excellence. Instead of the
mountain peak where she had longed to
plant her standard, the slough of the valley
of poverty was destined to engulf her. Oh,
the scorching tears of Encouragement and
humiliation which fell from her eyesl At
length she rose and lighted the gas jet in
order to again read the detested advertise
ment. Her room was cold and bare, par
taking of the characteristics of a studio
rather than the abode of woman. In one
corner the iron bedstead was concealed by a
screen, with a tiny mirror suspended near it;
opposite, a stove reached with its rusty pipe
to shelf holding several plaster busts. The
windows opened on a glass covered piazza, the
sanctuary of the easel. Here the artist INDUCED
in reveries, or wrought with pencil and
brush forgetful of all else, and oblivious of
the vicinity of laundress, who employed
the next glass-covered piazza for the purpose
of drying linen-a practical industry, which
brought in far more satisfactory returns, IN
payment, than did the color box of Agnes
Clement. The latter sought the spot now,
and seated herself on the sole chair it
boosted, mechanically. A large canvas was
propped against the wall, representing life
size Beatrice in Paradise reckoning to a
I hadowy Dante. Agnes had concentrated
he labor, ambition and hopes of years APP
Iplication in this bold attempt, had entered
the lists valiantly for exhibition in the Ma
tional Academy of Design and suffered the
cruel blow of rejection Beyond was an
"Ophelian with yellow hair, who had shared
a similar fate the previous year. These
lovely heroines languished in the obscurity
of the glass piazza without ever having met
the approving smile of an appreciative
public Oh, the cold selfshness of the world,
and the wilful blindness of hanging com
mittees and art criticsl For the first time
Agnes found the smile of Beatrice insipid and
her gaze vacant A doubt chilled her heart.
Luckily she turned the picture to the wall,
and sought the easement, gazing forth into
the night rather than longer contemplate her
own work.
The piazza, located in the rear of the noisy
avenue, overlooked the houses OF the next
street These residences were aristocratic In
proportion as their neighbors were humble.
A high brick wall, bordered by vine Of
wistaria, inclosed stable and garden of the
mansion opposite, while brilliant lights with
in revealed conservatory to the observer.
The light came through curtains of silk and
lace in a more remote drawing room, where
the chandelier was visible, like great golden
cone, and slanted across the conservatory
resting here on frond of quivering ferns
and there on a mass Of gorgeous blossoms.
At the same time the ripping melody Of a
piano, touched by skillful hand, reached the
ear Of this lonely spectator, who looked down
on all this luxury, gayety and life, not 50
much with a sting of envy as crushing,
overwhelming sense of personal failure.
The night was clear, stars sparkled in the
sky above. and the radiance of a fun moon
began to illuminate the city roofs
a girl entered the conservatory, ap-
preached sash and opened it, leaning out te
discover the moon. She wore a pink dress,
with soft white lace on neck and arms: a
Jewel flashed in her hair Turning aside
from the window her sleeve caught in the
branch of a Towering plant She overturned
it and it fell outside the window with crash
of broken pottery. The girl uttered little
cry of dismay, glanced down on the wreck
5he had occasioned a moment, then withdrew