Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-08-01
MY FIRST COMMISSION.

MY FIRST COMMISSION.
~ wonderfully handsome woman
still: she must have been very beautiful
once. Isuppose the queer old fellow at
her side is her husband. Looks for all
the world like Paul Pry."
That was what my nephew said to me
rs Ecr carriage turned into the park at
the Apsley house corner.
beautiful" l replied, beautiful
doesn't express it; she us an angel
She is an angel, q saint, a.. martyr, too.
Cad, how l loved that wo AM"
''Oh, of course. uncle, replied my
graceless nephew. PRO -essionally,
SUPPOSE"
You see there Int SO very much diff
ference in our ages, though 1 am his
uncle, ard 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 LIST finishing
touch. and thea yea start another can
vas I'D .coin to love somebody else. l
Lelieve that's the secret Of your success
as portrait painter"
My nephew is always saying rude
things to me.
Jack" l said severely, my success
ia due entirely to perseverance and the
fact that l never flat;er." And then that
impudent 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.
have three pupils, including my
nephew; they all smoke short pipes in
my presence. and they all three call me
"boss."
That's the Countess OF Wallsend, be-
gan. Fifteen years ago her husband, the
eaE3, 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 l
lived off the Tottenham Court road, and
was madly in love with Lottie Vivian
l was the third floor ledger. l just
earned living then. and no more. !
was before had. learned to fatter, NJ,
Jack. Her photograph struck me q
first. bought the photo-the photo OF
Lottie Vivian, Of the Portico theatre
and l paid my half crown at the pit
door,
One night as l came out Of the pit OF
the Portico found that it was raining
70 nd
with me. and l walked home through
the rain. because couldn't afford cab
Just as l neared my own door four
wheeler drew up at it. "a lady paid the
driver. and then she opened the street
door with her latch key and disappeared
into the house. Great heavensi it was
Lottie Vivian herself. and stood in the
rain in open mouthed astonishment. In
a few moments the gas was turned up in
tho first floor. and then it lawned upon
me at once.
lam not curious man. knew that
an actress lived on the first floor, and
that teacher of languages lived on the
second. but l, the third floor lodger, had
never troubled my head about them in
tho least. had never even asked their
Names went up to my rooms and
flung myself into my easy chair, and ]
thought Of the strange fatality that the
woman admired above all living wom-
en- should DO actually dwelling with me
under the same roof, and that we were
separated only by single floor. But
though l was In love l had a certain
amount Of common sense left, and l re-
Numbered that there was O great gulf
between Lottie Vivian, the popular act
ress, and the painter Of pot-boilers on the
third floor.
We are still cannibals, Groper and l,
and fast friends It was from Groper,
By dint Of pretending that had never
heard all his old stories before, that /
ascertained the true history of Lottie
Vivian. Of tho Portico Theatre.
''She was q pupil Of old Jack Slider's-
most OF the successful ones have been
pupils Of Slider's." said 0roper, "at
some time or other. lisa strange thing"
b went on: ''she came out at the Port
loo, and she has had constant engage
ment there ever since for the last eight
yean Every farthing she earns goes to
her family her old father, who was
big man on the Stock Exchange once,
mind you, said Groper. land to whole
family Of little brothers and sisters, who
are entirely dependent upon her. Shc Is
m ambitious girl, too" he added, land
they say she's going to marry Lord Wall
ssnd."
What! liz i,,el millionairel" said l.
That's to- Hail.. said Groper.
And then Grope, began to abuse the
dinner, and l heard no Qore about Lot
tie Vivian from him
went on paying my half crowns at
he PUrt'co, and got deeper and deeper
IN love it'll my fellow lodger, and my
iove interscred . good deal with my
work Then Il was that got my first
commission to paint . portrait. That
pertrait made my fortune, and the paint
ing Of Il nearly broke my heart.
Il came about IN this way: got note
one day from Miss vivian-I have it
still-requesting me to call upon her on
. little matter Of business. l took a
good deal Of pains with my toilet, and
then went down stairs and knocked at
the door Of my fellow lodger.
There vas nothing fast about Miss
Vivian. She 4was very quietly dressed,
and shs came to business at once.
'sAr. 6tippler." she said, you'll excuse
my asking you to come here in this in
formal way. but the fact il that want
70 have my portrait painted. can't af.
ford to pay much for it. Mr.. Melchizedec
recommended me to you. Can you obligs
~ In this matter, Mr.. Stippler, and,a
here she blushed violently, twill it b
very expensive?"
Madam" I replied with enthusiasm.
you do me too much honor in selecting
me. II you permit me to paint youi
portrait. it'll cost you just nothing Il
AL"
"AhT abe answered, with q silvery
laugh-don't grin, sir, it was silvery; Il
wasn't . bit STACEY; an innocent, silvery,
girlish. delicious little laugh--''that's moi
business. Mr.. Stippler. Besides" she
added. gently snubbing me, sit was Mr..
Melchizedec's selection, and not mine.
Let's leave compliments, and come to
business You don't know how sick of
-