The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-02-25

other words, should you like to come
here to live?"
The child looked at him to see if he
was in earnest, and said:
"Shall have to go for rum?"
"Well, no, my friend" he answered,
81 hardly think you will. If 1 should
want any thing in that line, have a man
hele in the house whose business it is to
supply it; but L may mention confden-
italy to you that 1 never drink it. By
the way, may ask your nsme?"
"They call me Egg Msrean," she said.
egg, Egg" said Mr.. Sidney. 81 sup
pose that means Byzantine. Would you
have the kindness to have 'Eglantine
Maresn' engraved on your visiting
cards?"
In this absurd way was Byzantine Mare
an introduced into her new home, for this
whimsical man was really in earnest. At
the bottom Of his freaks there was usually
a solid groundwork of kind-heartedness.
He had noticed great bruises on the
child's arm, which spoke of cruel treat
ment. He had heard of "Old Betty" before,
and was very sure that she would not
care to interfere with him. He had plenty
of money and no relatives, and in great
house full of servants one small child
would hardly be noticed; so he sent for
the housekeeper and told her to have the
child made comfortable, to bring her up
to wait on herself, and to see that she
went to school at least half of the time.
He visited old Betty in Jail, and found
that the child was the daughter of
French couple who had come to America
in the time OF the cholera, and had been
among the first victims; that old Betty
had taken the child and had in her fash
ion been kir d to her whenever she hap
pened to be sober.
Having done this, he went back to his
books and his pictures. and when he was
tired OF these he travelled in the West,
and when he was tired of the West he went
had forgotten all about the child, till the
housekeeper came to him with a handful
of papers.
Excuse me, sir" she said, "but these
are Tina's. Do you remember Tina"
81 think may safely say that 1 never
heard OF Tina in all my life," he replied,
"Don't you remember the child whom
you gave me to bring up as waiting
maidP"
ooh, yes; remember her, Some queer
name-what was it? Egg2 know, I made
her call it Byzantine. But what of it? Has
she turned artist?" for he saw that the
papers were sketches.
"My son is a designer" she said, "and
he says that she has talent. Will you
please to look at these?"
Mr.. Sidney looked at them, and as he
looked, he said:
81 declare, it's coming out finely, Mrs.
Jones'"
81 beg your pardon, sir?" said the
housekeeper.
"Why. don't you see? There's poor
child. A rich young man takes fancy to
her, and sends her to school. She proves
to be an artist Of vast talent. Rich man,
grown old and decrepit, loses his money
and she supports him, or else he dies and
leaves her his estate, or else he falls in
love with her and marries her. There
are thee ways of finishing the story, all
in accordance with the newspaper tales
and I suppose it will have to be one of
them. People who won't write stories
have to live them. The thing balances
somehow. Send up Miss Byzantine,
please. I'd like to have look at her be-
fore the next scene opens"
Mrs. Jones disappeared. In few min
utes there was knock at the door, and
a tall. thin girl of thirteen appeared,
dressed in a greenisb calico, that hung
in straight lines, and whose color gave TO
her brown complexion an ugly sallow
cast. Her hair was drawn tightly back
in prim coil.
"How do you do?" said Mr.. Sidney,
and added, half to himself declare,
it's no wonder they left of Byzantine and
called you Tina"
He had no idea that the child would
underst and his words, but a deep flush
spread over her face, and she put her
hands quickly in front OF her green dress
as if to hide as much of it as possible.
Mr.. Sidneys kind heart was touched.
"Ah, child" he said, "never mind the
dress, see your hands can do something |
better than cover it up. Mrs. Jones tells
me you drew these sketches. Is that sop
"Yes, sir" said the child, looking down
at the carpet.
"Do you like to draw?"
"Yes, sir" she said again, as shyly as
before.
"How would you like to have some
lessons in drawing and paintingP"
This time she looked up into his face
with the same blaze of delight that he re-
membered in the little beggar girl.
"You are so good to me-, she said, while |
her fingers twisted themselves together,
and the tears came into her eyes.
"Not at ALL" said Mr.. Sidney kindly,
"You know told you L would give You a
chance to learn how to earn your own liv-
ing, and if you can make it by painting it's
all the same to me. Now you run off and
IL - 4 haf huc