Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1886-04-22
AN EASTER CARD.

Sldimoi ARuCs SicueuL, pcGuIcBblys uo
speaker rested her elbows on the table
and gazed at the lamp.
pOposite was sister Anne, calm, ma
treniy. sell. satisfied, mending baby's
pinafore.
Plenty of occupation may be found in
your profession, if you would seek it.
replied sister Anne, biting off her thread
and forming new knot. Painting chi
ma, designing wood cuts, even coloring
photographs
/ Agnes raised her head with flashing
eyes.
oh, why do you not add taking in
washing, or scrubbing down the stairs ?
she cried with scorn and anger.
That is the difficulty continued sister
Anne. with unruffied composurs. You
are impatient and despise the beginning.
One cannot spring into full-iedged
artist at one bound. Pray how did the
great European artists commence, about
whom you are so fond of reading? Very
modestly. promise you.
Agnes made no immediate response
Instead, she ruff1ed her blonde hair with
her hands, and stared moodily at the
lamp. The room Was plain, and the
noise of the street Below was audible in
the tinkling of 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 rela-
| tionship.
L could not obtain any of the work
you propose. if 1 tried, resumed the
young artist There are more appli-
cants than labor in all fields and in eve
ry land
True sighed sister Anne, mindful
that a week of illness would replace her
husband at the store by dozen eager
competitors for bread.
A key was inserted in a neighboring
door, and the object of her solicitude en-
tered, bringing keen gust of winter air
with him. The husband of sister Anne
was brisk little man, with shrewd blue
eyes, faxen hair and spot of red on Ell
ther cheek bone. He greeted his family
eheerfully, while unwinding silk hand
kerchief from his throat.
I've got something for you in my
pocket, Aggy,' he said to his sister-in-
law. The very thing for you
She looked at him with faint smile.
Yes; came on it quite by accident,
may say-riding up town in the car
pursued, with animation. Then he
unfolded a newspaper and placed his
finger Oh paragraph. The trio read to-
gether the following advertisement:
DREMIUM offered of 800 for best design
i of Easter card for the approaching sea-
son. Competitors are requested to present
their applications to LANG & Co.
Sister Anne read. over the shoulder of
her husband. What chance for you,
Agnesp she said. L am confident you
would win the prize. One hundred
dollars, toop
Lang & Co. are the great lithograph
ers, you know supplemented the hus-
band. 4 sawit by the merest chance in
a column of advertisements. Nothing
like reading the papers,
Agnes studied the paragraph and made
no comment. She grew pale and her
eyes darkened ominously. One would
infer 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.
is she offended p demanded the little
man, puzzled.
She is very silly said sister Anne,
rather tartly, as she poured a 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 lenged to plant her standard, the
slough of the valley of poverty was des+
tined to engulf her. Oh, the scorching
tears of Encouragement and humiliation
which fell from her eyes! At length
she rose and lighted the gas jet in order
to again read the detested advertiser
ment Her. room was cold and bare, par
taking of the characteristics of studio
rather than the abode of a woman. In
one corner the iron bedstead was con-
cealed by screen, with a tiny mirror
suspended ear it; opposite a. stove
reached with its rusty pipe to shelf
hoidin G several plaster busts. The win
dows opened on a glass covered piazza,
the sanctuary of the easel. Here the
artist INDUCED in reveries. or wrought
with pencil and brush, forgetfHl Of all
else, and oblivious of the vicinity of
laundress, who employed the next glass;
covered piazza for-tse purpose of drying
linen-a practical industry, which
brought in far more satisfactory re-
turns, in payment, than did the color
box of Agnes Clement. The latter
songht the spot now, and seated herself
on the sole chair it boasted, mechanical
ly. A large canvas was propped against
the wall, representing a life-size Beat
rice in Paradise" beckoning to shadowy
Dante. Agnes had concentrated the la
Dor. ambition ana hopes of a years ap>
plcation in this bold attempt, had en-
tered the lists valiantly for exhibition
in the National Academy of Design and
suffered the cruel blow of rejection. Be-
vond waa an sOnhelja' with vallOw hair