The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1893-07-28
THE ART STUDENT.

I"h ltIl Ou' IL ) NOT Ddu lie, on TINS
whole, but at first it used to be very an
noying IN some ways. To begin with.
they planted me down in such q 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 a soup tureen Gt was
when | stood close to the door of the re-
freshmen room in the gallery, you
know, tumbled MP against me and
smashed Il great piece of the pedestal.
Afterward, when every one had gone and
the place was quiet, just leaned over to
one side a bit and slid down Hurt my
self Oh, dear, mol | Clipped my Tyre
rather. There was a fuss next morning
when the curator came round. That |
waiter got into no end of a 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 clumsiness.
There was little student who came
to draw here, little bit of thing, with
a sallow face and slight limp. She was
always shabby. Her gloves Zone button
black kidd were very much cracked. She
wore a battered black straw hat which
had outlived the picturesque stage, with
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 were her clean collar
and her big, hungry eyes She worked
for the gallery, and l heard her say she
gives lessons. l 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 fine, handsome fellow, very like
that sturdy Discobulus you see straight
in front Of you. By Jupiter! that boy
can draw! | could tell he had it in him
the first time | saw him handle crayon.
The little lame student was passing him
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
Twill call 1.-THE Boy" for distinction,
was up in moment, had put her on her
feet again, and picked up all the dis
persed articles with a reassuring "All
right" before you could calculate Muir
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 50 busy. Pres
emily he felt timid pull at his sleeve
and looked up. "Hullo," he said, with
that sunny smile of his; 81 beg your
pardon, can do anything for you?"
"W-would you l-l-let me look at your
drawing" she faltered.
Certainly, but there is nothing to see. ="
Well, they chatted bit after that and
compared notes till the ice was fairly
broken, 10 the time few 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 a 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
black lace ruffle, the poor tired roses
disappeared too, and in 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 il
looked smart, and that cheered her, poor
little soul. The gloves, too, were new
or else she had managed 20 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 9
step came swinging down the corridor
she gave little start, but it was only al
attendant, who was a conceited ass with
nothing to do, and he came in and bull
lied her and made himself perfectly obi
GUS. would have set my dog at him
only fortunately the Boy turned up a
the right moment and sent the wretch
flying. | couldn't resist whispering t
my Venus what smart fellow he was
and she nodded approvingly.
When these two got tired of work thu
Boy would sit and talk to her by thu
hour together. Sometimes it was art
shop" sometimes poetry or scraps o
science wonders and often odds and end
, of mythology, over which last he go
considerably mixed at times, till one da.
/ was in such fits that Venus though
they would hear and snubbed me fear
fully.
This went on for couple Of months o
a so, and then the Boy left of drawing
here. The little gray figure plodded il
and out bravely, but l could see her bit
her lips to keep back the tears of disap