The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1886-04-16
miscellaneous.
A GEM OF ART.
BY AMY RANDOLPH.

"Seventy-five dollars for a picture frame =
cried Mr.. Mapleton. "My dear Augusta
isn't that just little eXtravagant
1t was almost the first remonstrance thai
Mr.. Napoleon had ventured to utter to his
wife, for the glow of their honeymoon had
not yet faded from the matrimonial horizon
But he was only II young merchant, whose
business had not yet arrived at an over.
whelming pitch of success, aud he was be.
ginning to think that Mrs. Maplelon's ideas
were little too high-toned for such limited
income as theirs was.
Mrs Napoleon turned towards him with a
sad moonlight sort of a smile
MY dear Gerard" said she, 'pray excuse
me, but you are quite ignorant of the subject.
That picture which dear Louise Larrance
gave me for wedding present is real
| Meissonnier One of the great artists earliest
attempts, it is true, and perhaps, lacking in
the exquisite finish which characterizes his
later productions but still a Messonnier. And
| no common or tawdry piece of gliding can
| befit such a gem of art as this. 1t will
| light up our drawing room as a jewel lights
| up some dusky ocean cave"
So the seventy-fiye dollar frame was or.
dered, and the Meissonnier was sent home in
cased in its splendor.
Grandma Mapleton shook her old white
head when it was carried in.
no iuasgey b be augg gem Of said she Il amt
that your business won't support Augusta if
she keeps on at this rate. Your grandtath-
ers picture of Washington Crossing the
Delaware" was framed in cherry wood
moulding that didn't cost fifty cents. And
even the portrait of Sarah Jane, playing the
harp, that was done by the travellin' jour
neyman who painted the barn, was put in a
vii hat lv fp a 81
lars and a-hulf.
"Oh, grandma |" cried Mrs. Mapleton de-
spairingly, "cant northumberland that the
world has altered since you were a girl?"
"Oh, | know that well enough" said
Grandma Mapleton, meditativcly, polishing
her spectacle glasses with the corner of her
apron. But amt altogether certain that
it has altered for the better"
Grandma Mapleton, bless her kindly old
heart, had many doubts and fears as to the
way in which her grandson and his wife were
beginning their career.
"Brusses carpet all over the house." said
she Ingram was good enough in my day,
| with Venetian strips on the stairs and oil
cloth on the hall, so that you could scrub 'em
once a week and make sartin' you were clean.
And Augusta has got ebony cabinets to hold
china and stuff, where used to be satisfied
| with wooden corner cupboard. And there
are curtains strung up before every door, and
| fans tucked in every hole and corner, until |
fairly ache to go and fold 'em all up and put
'em away. But this picture business outdoes
everything. What new Gurrant-colored
plush coverings for the furniture Why, Au-
gusta, there is no earthly need for that
"They must match the band of currant-col-
ored plush in the picture-frame, don't you
see?' impatiently retorted Mrs. Gerald Ma.
pleton. Everything must be toned to the
key of the Meissonnier !"
Grandma said nothing She only shook
her head again, this time, more vehemently
| than ever.
II wish the Newcomer never had come in
to the house." said she to herself at has
fairly turned Gerard's wife's head And
don't see as it's any different from any other
picture"
Mrs. Gerard Mapleton, however, thought
differently. She toned the little drawing.
room satisfactorily TO the key of the Nelson.
nier, and then issued cards for "wednesday
evenings"
| Not regular parties, you know" she ex.
planned to her friends Gust evenings. And
and music-and literary conversation, and
all that sort of thing"
Mr.. Napoleon looked doubtful.
my DEAR" said he, call that sort of thing
| as you call IL, COStS money Anu I'm not
sure that we can afford it,"
"Oh, Gerard, don't be ridiculous, said Au.
gusta, with petulant shrug of her shoulders
afford! You are always thinking of money
few slices of cake aud glass of wine or
so-what can it signify? And as for my
dress. should have required a new black
silk this winter in any event."
Mr.. Napoleon could say no more; but by
and by, when the bills came in, thick as "au.
tumn leaves that strew the brooks of Val
lambrosa," his face assumed worn and bag.
gard expression-a troubled louk-that went
to grandma heart.
Gerard" she said, softly, "what is iti
Don't be afraid of coming to granny, my
boy. 1t was me that bound up the first cut
finger you ever had"
Heart wounds are not SO easily healed
grandma" said the young man, half laugh
ing, half signing. But l may as well bt
frank with you. That Meissonnier is running
me. wish to goodness Miss Larrance haC
kept it to herself
Mrs. Mapleton' had invited some artist;
friends that evening to look at her picture
With these came famous English connois
sour, whose manners were as brusque as h
judgment was excellent.
THAT a Meissonnier!' he cried, abruptly
why, it is the merest daub that ever wa
framed
"a copy !" cried Mrs. Mapleton, growing
pale.
"A copy" said the connosseur, and yer,
poor one 1t isn't worth the room it take
up on your wall, my dear madam"
Mrs. Napoleon cried herself 10 sleep tina
night. In the morning when she CAM