Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-01-09

as they pay and are admitted. The
girl is thoughtful, and hopes to become
an art teacher, by-and-by, she told me.
and l am sure it is much nicer to have a
| girl with artistic tendencies; she dusts and
arranges the parlors with exquisite taste
every caller notices it, and thinks you girls
| do it for me; and she handles the choicest
bric-a-brac carefully. l really never had
such faithful girl"
SO Lisbeth continued to attend the class
es, and worked in the early mornings in
her attic bedroom, as soon as the daylight
came in, and if her pictures were " skied,"
| it mattered but little, for no one saw them
but herself, and the glimpses of the early
sunlight, the first glow in the east, that she
watched in those working moods, formed a
| picture that always remained in her mem
DRY as long as life lasted.
Lisbeth won the hearts of her fellow
servants by many little acts of kindness,
| till Kitty, the parlor maid, told her one day
in confidence that she was trying to study
arithmetic and bookkeeping, so as to take
| a situation in a store some day as sales
woman.
could she make more money and be as
comfortable?" Lisbeth ventured to ask.
mo" answered Kitty, sturdily but |
| shall be treated as a human being in the
house where l board, and be independent
| don't mind the work, that's easy; but it's
| having Miss Maude look at me as if l was
| post, and talking to other girls about the
| servants as if we were not of the same
| flesh and blood. She doesn't even wait till
| our backs are turned but treats us like the
dirt under her feet" and Kitty's demo-
| cratic little head gave toss of scorn as she
spoke.
| Lisbeth often saw the young ladies busy
with their desultory drawing, but they
| never seemed to consider her as human
being with thoughts and feelings, or capa-
| BILE of observing. He- training i'll early life
and at the art school fitted her to be their
| companion in everything but money. Yet
| there was q great gulf between them So
cially, because one had to earn her daily
bread by the labor of her hands.
Professor Pontelle was very much inter
ested in his quiet scholar; her grave, pen
| sive face, the deem thoughtfunesS of her
prue gray eyes, reminded him OF the wife
| of his early manhood. who was taken
| from him during the first year of their
| married life. 1t was ten years ago that she
| died, and he had never seen woman on
| whom he cared TO bestow a second glance
| they were so frivolous many of them, and
studied art only for fashions sake, for
sooth, but this young girl seemed to enter
| into his methods and understand his moods
| He watched her closely; saw how lonely
she appeared, and apart from the rest, even
penetrated the feeling that was to be seen
among some of his fashionable pupils, who
seemed not to care about making any
social advances toward her. Was she not
their equal in position? He curled his lip
in scorn. His own father had been black
smith and peasant before they left Eu-
rope; he was alone and could snap his
fingers at the world if this sweet girl would
IN ha hia vii NJ oil ha Ia 10
Lisbeth labored On in silence; serene am
bilious and hopeful. determined to master
the art OF teaching as we'll as the teaching
of art, and fit herself for more congenial
employment.
The closing of the summer term came in
June, and reception was Civ, to the
pupils and their friends The rooms were
crowded; fashion smiled on anything ar
tistic and delighted TO honor the handsome
Professor who presided over the school,
Foremost among the gay groups were
Maude and Mignon Lyster, who enjoyed
such gatherings, but wished particularly to
see and criticise Lisbeth's work. After
some music, it was announced that an
essay would, as usual, be read by one of
the pupils, and when Lisbeth appeared in
her simple white dress, with no ornament
but bunch of pale roses at her throat and
belt, the audience listened attentively to
her words. Calmly, and in rich, deep
tones, she spoke of = Simplicity in art
and when the last eloquent words were
| said, was greeted with rapturous but we'll
bred applause. As she stood alone, the
pleased professor gave her his arm and
! escorted her down the long room, stopping
| now and then to introduce her to some
gentlemen who wished to congratulate the
| fair essayist.
A few minutes passed in pleasant con-
versation, when suddenly there fell upon
her ears the voice of Maude Lyster, sharp
and clear: " Didn't you know, Mr. Viii
burn? Why, she is our housemaid
Mamma indulgently allows her time to
attend the evening school, but | think
there ought to be rules to exclude that
| class"
The young man addressed was a dandy
of the first water, and put his eyeglasses
on to stare at Lisbeth's pale face but the
professor had heard the words, too and he
hurried her to quiet corner. and, procur-
ing cup of tea, gave it into her trembling
hand, as he commenced an argument on
the taste and culture of the age, with a
| rival professor who stood near. The whis-
| pered insinuations of the thoughtless guest
did not prevent the sensible part of the
| large hearted crowd from congratulating
| Iiisbeth upon her success her fair face and
gentle demeanor favorably impressing the
| thoughtful artists who We're assembled
And SO the time passed, though sting had
been planted in the young girls heart that
ranked sorely
- wish to see you home,n said the Pro-
fessor, with a sudden imperious manner.
| when she spoke of leaving, and she folded
her hands in her lap and quietly waited the
vetaking of the rest. 1t was over at last.
and he stood III the hall as she came ont of
81. Il. a.
and the scent of roses was strong in the
little park they had to cross to reach Mrs.
LISTERS.
Child | want to know your history"
he said when they started, and in a few
sentences she told him all, and he in turn
talked of his lonely home, his dead Anna,
and all his past. u have been loving YOU
for long time, my Lisbeth, but only to-
night toand courage to speak"
But she said, shivering in the warm,
sweet air, you cannot marry mel am
only q housemaid.'"
He stopped and turned to her" You are
all the world to me-" he said simply, land
| need YOU
Her clear, deep tones broke the silence
Then if you need me, my master, must
be yours, and-with you, feel so safe"
They had reached the front steps, he put
his foot on one of them. - Not there
she said appealingly, :" 1 go in by the area
steps. Do you repent?" Her voice had
taken JOYOUS ring almost laugh. and in
the midst of her confusion he kissed her
with sudden passion.
There Is no one to consult" he whis-
pered, land l shall come for you to-mor-
row. My home is ready Sister Greta will
welcome you, she sknows. my wishes
Good night, dear one''
He was gone, and she entered the dark
hall in whirl Of amaze To be married
tomorrow Yet it seemed as if she had
known him all her life, and aow she re-
membered many things that proved he
loved her; she had always felt that he was
her friend; she would yield; heart and art
would be safe in his keeping, and as she
CROPPED her way towards the upper hall. the
voice of Miss Maude called over the balus-
trade, It's not proper Lisbeth, to be talk
ing to young man and laughing on the