Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-01-29
MISS BRETHERTON|
By MRS. HUMPHREY WARD,


 AUTHOR OF "RoBERT ELsME E" ,"
 'I do not know I'm sure, what's the good of going to see that girl with you two carpins fellows" he began combatively, over his soup ''She won't suit you, and you'll only spoil Mrs. Stuarts pleasure and mine"
 .'Niy dear Forbes" said Wallace in his placid, undisturbed way, "you will sec l shall behave like an angel. 1 shall allow my self no unpleasant remarks, and Nlall mako as much noise as anybody in the theatre"
 sThats all very well, but if you don't say it, Kendall will look it, and 1 don't know which is the most dampinE."
 ''Mrs. Stuart, you shall Eo tho judge of our behavior" said Kendal-he and Forbes were excellent friends ''Forbcs is not in judicial frame of mind, but we will trust you to be fair. suppose, Forbes, we may be al- lowed grumb,e or two at Hawes if you shut our mouths on the subject of Miss Bretherton."
 "Hawes does his bcst," said Forbes, with a touch of obstinacy. "He looks well, hc strides well, he is q fine figure of man with a big bullying voice. 1 don't know what more you want in a German prince. It is this everlasting hypercriticisn which spells all ones pleasure and frightens all the char acter out of the artists!"
 At which Mrs. Stuart laughed, and, womanlike, observed that she supposed it was only people who, like Forbes, had suc- ceeded in disarming the critics who could afford to scof at them-a remark, which drew funny little now, half retulant, half pleased, out Of the artist in whom one of the strongest notes of character was his sus- ceptibility to tho attentions of women
 You've seen her already, I believe" said Wallace to Forbes. II think Miss Brother ton told me you were at the Calliope on Mon day."
 'Yes, was We'll, as I tell you, l don't care to be critical 1 don't want to whlttle away the few pleasures that this cu!i lie can provide mo with by this perpetual discontent with what's set before me. Why can't you eat and be thankful! To look at that girl is a liberal education; she has a fine voice, too, and her beauty, her freshness, the energy of life in her, give me every sort of artistic pleasure. What curmudgcon l should be- what grudging, ungrateful fellow if, after all she has done to delight mo, should abuse her because she can't speak cut her tiresome speeches-which arc of no account and don't matter, to my impression, at alias well as one of your thin, French, snake like creatures who have nothing but their art, as you call 1t; nothing but what they have been care fully taught; nothing but what they have laboriously learned with time and trouble, to depend upon!"
 Having delivered himself of this tirade, the artist threw himself back in his chair, tossed back his gray hair from his glowing black eyes, and looked defiance at Kendall, who was sitting opposite.
 ''But, after all" said Kendall, reused, "thesc tiresome speeches arc her metier; it's her business to speak them, and to speak them well. You are praising her for quail ties which arc not properly dramatic at all. In your studio they would be the only thing that q man need consider; on the stage they naturally come second"
 "Ah, we'll" said Forbes, falling to upon his dinner again at gentle signal from Mrs. Stuart that the carriage would soon be round. II knew very well how you and Wallace would take her. You and I will have to defend each other, Mrs. Stuart, we go to sec her afterwards l shall be invalu- able, for l shall be able to save Kendall and Wallace the humbuS of compliments.
 Whereupon the others protested that they would on no account be deprived of their share of the compliments, and Wallace es- pecially laid it down that man would be a poor creature who could not find smooth things to say upon any conceivable occasion to Isabel Bretherton. Besides, he saw her every day and was in excellent practice Forbes looked little scornful, but at this point Mrs. Stuart succeeded in diverting his attention to the latest picture, and the dinner flowed on pleasantly till tho coffee was handed and the carriage announced.