The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1892-02-19
THE PRETTY ARTIST.
A Girl Who Insisted on Having
Her Own way.

Mrs. Barbara Best was one of the
sweetest, most peculiar old ladies in
the world. 10 begin with, she was
very rich. That in itself was, perhaps,
not SO much of q popularity. But,
then, she was spare and crooked and
withcred up like q crab apple which
has hung too long on the tree, and she
wore a little black satin cape and n
cap trimmed with ribbon bows, such
as were in fashion half n century ago,
and she walked with q gola-hcadcd
cane, n In FAIRY Godmother; and her
eyes 'sparlslcd wcirdly through gold
spcctnclcs, and her hands were COW
cred with little knitted silk mitts.
And as she sat by her drawing-rcom
fire, drinking chocolate and talking
with another witch-lilke little old
woman, they made q very funny pair
indeed.
"Yes," said Mrs. Barbara, nodding
her head. 81 couldn't endure it any
longer. 1 told her she must either give
up me or give up her everlasting dab
bling in paint and varnish!!"
"Dear! dear!" said Mrs. Fanshaw, the
second witch-likc little old woman. IA
tri1le more sugar in my chocolate,
please. dear"
"For my part" observed Mrs. Bar
bara, 81 don't know what the world is
coming to. In my time, we used to
leave that sort of work to the trades
people. But Gladys had an odd notion
about independence. And she inherit
cd some of that artist-blood from her
fathers family. There's o. of it in
the Bcsts, I'm very sure"
mo, to be sure, not" said Mrs.
Fanshaw.
"And l told Gladys plainly that 1
would not tolerate it," sud Mrs. Barr
barn. "Choose between u.s." said 1.
'.Be IL lady or a grubbing artist, which
ever suits you best. BECAUSE" said l.,
eff you don't consult my wishes l shall
disinhcrit you aud cast you off! 1
know of another young relation whom
1 can adopt, and who cares nc mor
for art than 1 do for the Egyptian
obclisiS."
.And what did she say??" asked Mrs.
Fanshaw, c~ontendedly slipping her
chocolate.
"Shc told me to do just us l pleased"
answered Mrs. barbara, in an ag-
gricvcd tone of voice. 'l,ccausc, she
said, she intended to take the same
privilege"
what shocking ingratitude!" COM
mented Mrs Eanshaw, heayipg q deep
sigh.
sOf course we parted good friends"
said Mrs. Barbara. 'I}ut Gladys knows
) very we'll that 1 never shall sec her
again. If she has wrecked her wv
fortunes, she has only herself to thank
for it." -
rAnd where is she nova" asked Mrs.
TanshaN.
"ln q studio. %somewhcre on Sixth
avenue" soicmnly answered Mrs. Bar
bara. with q sign ont: art sales.
roon.' and .l'ain.iug and Decorating
Dorc to Order"
"Did you ever!' said Mrs. Tansl.aw.
7 And, by way OF answer, Mrs. Barbar.,
t only groaned.
But I like Lovcl very wcll,' sh.
added. "IIc's q splendid young fellow,
although l sometimes find his college
t bills high and his low of spirits rather
overwhelming. But he's a gentleman
A real Bcst!" &
"Does he know about Glndys?" Mrs
Fanshaw asked, in n mysterious wills
s per.
q "Ccrtainly not" said Mrs. Barbara
4 "therc is just enough of the Don Qu!Sot'
u about him to make him goto sea or take
to versc-writing or some other prcnos
10 ferrous business if he thought he wa.
, standing between Gladys and her for
" tunc-which he isn'ti" Mrs. Barbara
a added, with %cmphasis. .'Thc money i
le mine, to leave t. whom I please, an.
N he is Just as near a relation on the sid
of the Bcsts rs Gladys is on the Matt
lands!"
n "Dear, dear, how silly young folk
arc!' said Mrs. Fanshaw.
"All l want them ta know is that
am not to bc tri1lsd witt," said Mrs
Barbara, with the mir of n Nero, il
black satin and little cor!tscrcw curls
=. In truth Mr.. Loycl Best was g yer
IL frank, loyal-naturca, handsome youn.
Ks fellow. lie liked Aunt Barbara Ii
re cause Aunt Barbara was kind TO hin
- but he rallied her to her f;a.o. tease
her parrot. made her pug lark. laughc
er at the stiff old portraits of the dead
e. and-gonc Bcsts, that hung on the pal
n lot SGAlSs Olil ASpo GSeOdiotihS III
pcrpetually. But all the time Aur
IL Barbara knew that Lovcl was fond {
~ her in his heart, and it warmed he
n chill old pulses TO hug this knowlcds
to her!
}" '.I1e's n wild chap" she said to he
rs, self; ''but he'll come out all right. I'll
re Hcsts always do, when they have ha
~, their ding. JIG .has none of Gladly
obstinacy about him."
We And Gladys? Well, that hcadstrou
le. young votary Of art lived on the lea
II. possible amount of money, m
=. dreamed rapturously over her ssctcl
~ ing.board. She had a very l,ttl
TO money, which her mother had b
ul qucatlled hcr-about sufficient to re,
~ the little studio and pay the gas a,
y fuel bills.
n "As for eating and drinking, VIII;
tic does that signify?" said Gladys.
Of So she taught q class daily
Miss M:nchcr's academy, to furr;s
y. the observation-disclosures part of the bus
ty ness; and very tedious work she four
,xt it.
~ "But l shall sell some of n
PLAQUES and vases soon,'' said sh
Gu hopefully.
srs She did not. however. To be q ST.
or: cessful artist, one must have an q
,sa preciatiye public. and the public new
came near poor Gladys Maitland.