The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1892-03-05

dreamed rapturously over her sketch
ing board. She had a very little
money, which her mother had be-
queathed her-about sufficient to rent
the little studio and pay the gas and
fnel bills.
s'As for eating and drinking, what
does that signify?" said Gladys.
So she taught class daily in
Miss Mincher's academy, to furnish
the bread land cheese part of the busi-
ness; and very tedious work she found
it.
'But l shall sell some of my
placques and vases soon," said she,
hopefully.
She did not, however. To be sue
cessful artist, one must have an APP
preciative public, and the public never
came near poor Gladys Maitland. In
vain she decorated the doorpost with
signs; in vain she put out her prettiest
paintings and most spirited sketches;
nobody came to buy. The agencies
represented themselves as overcrowded
when Gladys came blushing in with
specimens of her work, and our little
heroine began to wonder how !ong
this sort of thing was to endure.
Even Rosa Bonheur didn't get rich
all at once" she comforted herself by
rejecting.
But one day there came a CLEAN of
hope athwart the Cimmerian darkness
of her prospects. AS she was working
at her easel footsteps stumbled up the
semi-lighted stairs, and knock
sounded at the door. =
SIS this Miss Maitland's studio?" de-
manded cheerful voice.
''Why," cried Gladys, drawing
quick breath, "why, Lovel!'
"It's Gladys" exclaimed Lovel.
once years ago at the seaside, and they
never had forgotten one another.
why" cried Lovel, rubbing his
forehead as if not quite certain but
that he was dreaming, 81 thought you
were adopted by some rich woman
here in the city"
cart is the only mother that know"
Gladys answered, laughing. 81 hope
you've brought me an order Lowell"
But, l say persisted the bewlldered
law-student, why don't you come and
live with Aunt Barbara"
''Oh, I've tried that" said Gladys,
shaking her head, land we couldn't
get along at all together"
Speaking of Aunt Barbara" said
Lovel, mysteriously, opening paper
parcel on the table-'beholdn
Half-a-dozeh bits of old china fell
out with clink and clatter
"Oh!" cried Gladys, stiffening with
horror. 'It's Aunt Barbara's painted
china! Oh. Lovel, how did this hap
pen?"
Mr. Best smote himself pathetically
on the chest.
Like George Washington" he con-
fessed, 81 cannot tell ,lie-it was T.!
was doing my gymnastics in the
storage ge-room-Indian war-clubs and
all that sort of thing, you know-when
all of sudden, lost my balance and
tumbled over the pile of boxes. Down
they went! Aunt Best keeps 'em
packed, you know, in case of accident,
and, of course, the china must needs be
under all the rest, and got the hardest
thumps"
"What did she say?" cried Gladys,
with u plifted hands and eyes shining
humidly.
"She doesn't know" Lovel answered,
with twinkling oimples around his
lips. "Do you suppose I'm going to
"fess' before I'm obliged to? seized
a pattern-cup-broken in not more than
six pieces-and fed frantically to the
nearest china-shop. They recon-
mended me-here. To Miss Maitland
No. - Sixth avenue. But l never
dreamed that was coming to my old
playmate! Now, Gladys, am at your
mercy. Can these ruins be replaced,
or can they not?"
Gladys frowned, half closed her love.
ly impid eyes, pursed up her lips in
the intensity of her attention, and
finally nodded her head.
yes" she said. "But it will be, oh.
SO expensiye! First we must order the
china manufactured in just that outre,
ancient shape; then it must be painted
piece by piece
Let us hope" said Lovel, earnestly,
shat there will be no grand family
festival to use the china before
Aunt Barbara necer uses it," said
Gladys. ''She only unpacks it at in
tervals to dream over the grandeur of
her ancestors. Courage, Lovel; think
we shall save you yeti"
But, Gladys" said the young man,
wistfully, "mayn't l tell Aunt Bar
bara that you are here alone? l am
quite sure she would invite you to her
horse, IT,
Gladys colored to the very roots of
her hair
'"If you do, Lowell" she said, 81 will
never forgive you. No. We neither
OF us wish to see the ether Let things
remain as they are"
But 1 may come to see how the
china gets on?"
"Oh, yes" said Gladys, Frightening.
You may come. But mind, not u word
to Aunt Barbara