Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1892-01-29
PAINTING ON CHINA.

Mrs. Barbara Best was one of tn
sweetest, most peculiar old ladies il
tho world. To begin with, she wa
very rich. That in itself is. perhaps
not SO much Of popularity. Blu
then she was snare and crooked AM
wIthered up like crab-apple whicl
has hung too long on tho tree, and sh'
wore little black satin cape and
cap trimmed with ribbon bows, sucl
as were in fashion half century ago
and she walked with gold-headet
cane, q Ia Fairy Godmother; and he
eyes sparkled weirdly through golt
spectacles, and her hands were covered
with little knitted silk milts. And a
she sat by her drawing-room fir,
drinking chocolate and talking will
another witch-likc little old woman
they made very funny pair indeed
Yes" said Mrs. Barbara, noddine
her head, 81 couldn't endure it any
longer. | told her she must either
give up me or give up her everlasting
dabbl'lg in paint and varnishl"
"Dssr, de -" said Mrs. Fanshaw,
the second witch-like little old woman
"a tiific Tnre 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 Ia
leave that sort of work to the trades
people. But Gladys had an odd notion
about independence. And she inherited
some of that sstist-blood from her
fathers family There's none Of it in
the Bcsts, I'm very snrc.n
ono, TO be sure not said Mrs. Fan.
shaw.
"And | told Gladys plainly that
would not tolerate il, said Mrs. Bar
bara. "Choosc between u.s. said |.
"Be lady or grubbing artist, which
ever suits you best. Becau sc, said |,
"lfyog !. Sc consult my wishes Isi.ali
disinherit you, and cast you off! /
know of another Young relation whom
| can adopt, and who cares no more
for art than | do for the Egyptian
obelisk."
"And what did she say?" asked Mrs.
Fanshaw, contentedly SLIPPING her
chocolate.
"Shc told me TO do just as !
pleased" answered Mrs. Barbara, in
aggrieved tone of voice. "Because, she
said, she intended to take the same
privilege"
"What shocking ingratiiudc!" COM
menied Mrs. Fanshaw, heaving deep
sigh.
"Of course we parted good friends"
said Mrs. Ba bara. "But Gladys
knows very well that l shall never
see her again. If she has wrecked
her own fortunes, she has only herself
TO thank for it,"
"And where is she now, )" asked Mrs.
Fanshaw.
I'm q studio, somewhere on Sixth
avenue" solemnly answered Mrs. Bar
bara. "With sign out: art Sales.
ROOM and Painting and Decorating
Done 10 Order"
"Did you everl' exclaimed Mrs.
Fanshaw.
And, by waysof answer, Mrs. Bar
bara only groancd:
stBut | like Lovel very WE'LL" she
added. "He's splendid young fels
low, although | sometimes find his
college bills high and his flow of spirits
rather overwhelming But he's a
gentleman. A real Besiiv
''Does lie know about Gladys?'
Mrs. Fansllaw asked, in a mysterious
whisper.
"Ccriainly not" said Mrs. Barbara,
'fhere is just enough of The Don Quix-
ote about him to make him 90 TO sea
or take to verse writing or some other
preposterous business if he thought
lie was standing between Gladys and
her fortune-which he isn't" Mrs.
Barbara added with emphasis. The
money is mine, 10 leave TO whom
please, and he is just as near a relation
on the side Of The Bests, as Gladys is
on the Maillandsl'
Dear, dear, how silly young folks
are!" said Mrs, Fanshaw.
can ] want them TO know is that
am not TO be triled WITH" said Mrs.
Barbara with tie air of Nero, in
black satin and little corkscrew
curls.
In truth Mr.. Lowell Best was frank,
loyal-natured, handsome young fcl-
low. He liked Aunt Barbara because
Aunt Barbara was kind to him, but
he rallied her to her face, leased her
parrot, made her pug bark. laughed
at the stiff old portraits of the dead
and-gone Bcsts that hung on the par.
Tor walls, and kept astonishing her per-
petually. But all The time Aunt Bar
bara knew that Loyel WIS fond of her
in his heart, and it warmed her chill
old pulses to hug this knowledge to
her.
"He's wild chap" she said to her.
self; "but lie'n come ont all right.
The Bests always do, when they have