Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-06-29
ny FIRST COMMISSION.

she must have been very beautiful once.
I suppose that queer old fellow at her side
is her husband Looks for all the world
like Paul Pry"
That is what my nephew said to me as
her carriage turned into the park at the
Apsley House corner
Beautiful! !" l replied, beautiful
doesn't express it; she was an angel. She
is an angel, saint and martyr, too. Cad,
how l loved that woman!"
ooh, of course, uncle" replied my grace
less nephew. Professionally, 1 SUPPOSED"
You see there isn't so much difference
In our ages, though I am his uncle, and
we are more like brothers than uncle and
nephew
"You know you are very bad lot,
uncle" the boy went On. "You 60 on
loving 'em till you put the last finishing
touch, and then you start another canvas
and begin to love somebody else. l be-
lieye that's the secret of your success as a
portrait painter"
My nephew is always saying rude things
to me.
"Jack," said severely, s'my success is
due entirely to perseverance and the fact
that | never fatter." And then that
impudeIt nephew of mine blew out his
cheeks, got very red in the face and nearly
choked himself with laughter.
And then we sat down upon two of the
green chairs.
"Tell US about her, boss" said Jack.
l have three pupils, including my
nephew; they all smoke short pipes in
my presence, and they all three call ME
"boss"
That is the Countess of Wallsend. be-
gan. Fifteen years ago her husband, the
Earl, Paul Pry, as you call him-and you
are not the first, Mr.. Jack, to call him
Paul Pry-became widower, and every
right-minded young woman in society
duly set her cap at him. At that time
lived off the Totenham Court road, and /
was madly in love with Lottie Vivian. /
was the third-foor ledger. / Just earned
a living then and no more. 1t was before
| had learned to aatter, Mr.. Jack. Her
photograph struck me at first. bought
| the photo-the photo of Lottie Vivian, of
the Portlco Theater-and / paid my half
crown at the pit door.
One night as l came out of the pit door
| of the Portico | found that it was raining
cats and dogs, but money was scarce with
me and l walked home through the rain,
because l couldn't afford cab. Just as /
neared my own door a four-wheeler drew
up to it, lady paid the driver, and then
she opened the street door with her latch
key and disappeared into the house Great
heavens it was Lottie Vivian herself, and
| stood in the rain in open-moutbed aston
| lshment. In few moments the gas was
turned up in the first floor, and then it
dawned upon me at once.
am not a curious man. | knew that
| an actress lived on the first floor, and that
teacher of languages lived on the second,
but |, the third floor ledger, had never
| troubled my head about them in the least.
l had never even asked their names. |
| went up to my rooms and flung myself into
my easy chair, and l thought of the
| strange fatality that the woman | admired
above all living women should be actually
dwelling with me under the same roof, and
that we were separated only by single
floor. But though l was in love, had a
certain amount of common sense left, and
| remembered that there was great gulf
between Lottie Vivian, the popular actress,
and the painter of pot-boilers on the third
floor.
We are still cannibals, Groper and l..
and fast friends. 1t was from Groper. bv
dint of pretending that l had never heard
all his old stories before, that | ascer-
tanned the true history of Lottie Vivian,
of the Portico Theater.
'She was pupil of old Jack Slider's-
most of the successful ones have been
pupils of Slider's," said Groper, "at some
time or other. It's strange thing" he
went on; "she came out at the Portico, and
she has had constant engagement there
ever since for the last eight years. Every
iarthing she earns goes to her family-to
her old father, who was big man on the
Stock Exchange once, mind you," said
Groper, "and to a whole family of little
brothers and sisters, who are entirely de-
pendent upon her. She is an ambitious
girl, too" he added, "and they say she's
going to marry Lord Wallsend."
"What! the mad millionaire said I.
THAT'S the man." said Groper.
And then Groper began to abuse the
dinner, and heard no more about Lottie
Vivian from him.
l went on paying my half crowns at the
Portico, and / got deeper and deeper in
love with my fellow lodger, and my love
lnterfered a good deal with my work.
Then 1t was that | got my first commission
to paint portrait. That portrait made
my fortune, and the painting of it nearly
broke my heart.
1t came about in this way: | got note
one day from Miss Vivian-I have it still
requesting me 10 call upon her on lit
tie matter of business ] took good deal
of pains with my toilet, and then | went
down stairs and knocked at the door of nv
fellow ledger.
There was nothing fast about Miss
Vivian. She was very quietly dressed,
and she came to business at once.
"Mr. Stippler," she said, "you'n excuse
my asking you to come here in this in
formal way, but the fact is that / want to
have my portrait painted. / can't afford
to pay much for it. Mr.. Melchizedec re-
commended me to you Can YOU oblige in
this matter, Mr.. Stippler and" here she
blushed violently, twill it be very expens-
iyew
Madam" l replied with enthusiasm,
you do me too much honor in selecting
me. If you permit me to paint your por-
trait it'll cost you just nothing at ALL"
"Ahw she answered, with a silyery
laugh-don't grin, sir, it was silvery; it
wasn't a bit STACEY, an innocent, girlish,
delicious little laugh-"that's not business,
Mr.. Stippler. Besides" she added, gently
snubbing me, lit was Mr.. Melchizedic's
selection, and not NINE Let's leave COM
pliments and come to business. You don't
know how sick of compliments ! am, Mr..
Stippler."
] blushed; felt like fool, and l know
/ looked like one.
"Mr. Melchizedic said something about
twenty guineas," said Miss Vivian.
u shall be only too delighted" / burst
in.
"Then We may consider it as settled, Mr..
S.ippler," said my fellow ledger. "When
shall sit to your
l made an appointment, and the thing
was done. OF course expected that she
would want to be painted in character.
Nothing of the kind