Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-05-11
THE ART STUDENT.

they planted me down in such n draft
and in the worst light possible. SO that |
could not see anything, nor could any
one see me, and then they would not
give me a new pedestal-they tried to
palm off on me one that belonged to a
discarded Nereid, which made me look
top heavy, as it was much too small.
However, one day waiter, who was
rushing past with soup tureen Gt was
when l stood close to the door of the re-
freshment room in the gallery, you
know, tumbled up against me and
smashed great piece of the pedestal.
Afterward, when every one bad gone and
the place was quiet, just leaned over to
one side bit and slid down. Hurt N.Y.
self Oh, dear, no! I Clipped my Tyre
rather. There was fuss next morning
when the curator came round That
waiter got into no end of row and had
to pay for my new pedestal and Tyre. 1t
was pity couldn't explain, but he was
poor fool, and wasn't sorry to see him
sacked for his disrespectful clurnsiness.
There was little student who came
to draw here, little bit of a thing, with
sallow face and a slight limp. She was
always shabby. Her gloves Zone button
black kidd were very much cracked. She
wore battered black straw hat which
had outlived the picturesque stage, with
a wreath of limp, streaky roses round
the crown, even in midwinter. Her
dress, such as it was, was gray linsey,
and her poor little square toed boots
were patched and repatched. The only
points about her We're her clean collar
and her big, hungry eyes, She worked
for the gallery, and heard her say she
gives lessons. | know the pay is very
small, because she doesn't have half
enough to eat, and she certainly cannot
afford to ride or drive, because on rainy
days her feet are so muddy. She has
very little talent. 1t is only by dint of
sheer obstinacy she manages to draw de-
Gently.
Some time ago young man came here
pretty frequently for several months,
He's a fine, handsome fellow. very like
that sturdy Discobulus you see straight
III front of you. By Jupiter! that boy
can draw! could tell he had it in him
the first time l saw him handle a crayon.
iiO iitsiO idilC Stutitltl WIS DdSSl1lR MN
one day, looking more tired than ever,
and she tripped over the edge of bar
rier that had been put to screen off the
LAGOON family, who were undergoing
repairs, when down went everything
with clatter, including the poor little
soul herself. The other student, whom
l will call "The Boy" for distinction,
was up in a moment, had put her on her
feet again, and picked up all the dis
persed articles with reassuring "All
right!' before you could calculate "Mur-
curry" She pulled herself together enough
to whisper Thank you." and limped
away.
Next day she came early and worked |
assiduously. The Boy was there too. He
did not notice her, he was so busy. Pres
emily he felt a timid pull at his sleeve
and looked up. ''Hullo," he said with |
that sunny smile of his; II beg your
pardon, can do anything for your
"W-would you l-l-let me look at your
drawing?" she faltered.
Certainly, but there is nothing to see."
I Well, they chatted a bit after that and
compared notes till the ice was fairly
broken, so the time flew and the little
gray student found she had forgotten all
about that tiresome foot of the Hermes
which wouldn't come right. After that
day they conversed pretty freely. Mean
while / noticed great change in her
though she still looked pinched and tired
her eyes began to have new light in
them. the white collar was discarded for
a black lace ruffle, the poor tired roses
disappeared too, and i'll their place no
ticed a large black feather, which, it is
true, soon lost its curl and had certainly
seen better days, but still she thought it
looked smart, and that cheered her, poor
little soul The gloves, too, were new,
or else she had managed to ink over the
purple cracks.
Some days she was there alone, and
then she would look wistfully from time
to time toward the door. Once, when
step came swinging down the corridor,
she gave little start, but it was only an
who was u conceited ass with
to do, and he came in and bull
] dl1r and made himself perfectly obi
/. s. ! wou-i have set my dog at him,
CAly fortunately the Boy turned up at
[ right moment and sent the wretch
flying. | couldn't resist whispering to
my Venus what smart fellow he was,
md she nca led approvingly.
" en- IT, Q two got tired of work the
IS would and talk to her by the
tos Sometimes it was art,
imes poetry or scraps of
and often odds and ends
over which last he got
mixed at times, till one day
i IN s h fits that Venus thought
would hear and snubbed me fear
vcrt on for couple of months or
the Boy left off drawing
e gray figure plodded in
but ] could see her bite
4scii the tears of disap-
longing for human inter-
lapathy. AT last one day
he pencil and sprang up,
Ind fro and up and down;
! ati,.den movement flung her