The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1893-04-13

window, which found, upon examina-
ton, to be veritable chef-d' oeuvres.
Trouville had, at that time, a daily
paper, for which had promised to
write something, so made brief no.
tee of these exquisite sketches, but
without knowing the artists name,
since they bore only the initials A. L.
The following day card was
brought me with the names OF
Mesdemoiselles Alice ct Lame Theve-
not. Without suspecting the cause OF
the visit, / went to receive my I'M
known guests-two ladies, both eX-
tremely shy and both extremely pretty.
The eldest was probably thirty, but
with a freshness of tint and purity of
expression which seems to belong pc
culiarly to those whose lives have been
sacrifice to others. The youngest
was not more than seventeen, and was
blonde with eyes so frightened and
imid as to remind one of gazelle.
"Monsiuer," began the eldest, I'VE
have come to thank YOU"
For what, MademOiSelleW
MY sister Alice is the author of
those sketches you have so highly eulo-
gized."
us it possible" I exclaimed, in such
unfeigned establishment that it served
as an apology for what would other
wise have seemed rudeness. Had L
suspected they were the work OF
so young a person, my admiration
would have been enthusiasm"
I'VE are none the less grateful, Mon
sieur.- My sister has been afraid to at
tempt to teach, thinking herself still
too much of a learner, but your COM
mendation has procured for her two
pupils, and that means much to us,
who are forced to ask from the art we
have, the wherewithal to live"
you, also, are an artist?'
mo, Monsieur; give lessons on the
piano."
When after a few more words of
conversation they arose to go, the
younger sister conquered her timidity
sufficiently to say, Il, too, must thank
you, Monsieur. Yesterday l was heart
sick with doubts and fears, but to-day
l am full of hope, and am ready to
work doubly hard that | may realize
your prediction of one day becoming q
true artist"
1 was greatly touched by the words
and looks of the sisters, and it was not
long Lefore we were fast friends. They
lived in one of those pretty little houses
with yellow walls, faced with red brick,
so numerous in Trouville. By the front
door grew a climbing rose, whose
branches reached the very point of the
peaked roof and hung in fragrant
blossoms III all the windows. The
ground floor consisted of a room which
served for parlor and dining room, and
a tiny kitchen, through the glass doors
of which could be seen diminutive
garden gay with sunshine and flowers.
On the floor above was the studio and
bedroom, while the attic was occupied
by the old servant who had reared
| them, and who now watched over
them with unexampled devotion.
The sisters story was simple enough.
They belonged to a family of artists,
| for generations past. Their mother
: died soon after the birth of Alice, and
| ten years after their father died also,
| saying to Lame, II leave Alice as your
| only heritage-hereafter be father as
| well as mother to her"
Lame accepted the double duty, and
God alone knew how many privations
she endured that her darling should
| lack for nothing. Without doubt it
/ was this life of self-abnegation which
had given her her extraordinarily face,
and her serene ways.
One day, when I had been admitted
| to the studio for the first time, 1 no,
ticed an envelope bearing a German
postmark on the table, and by its side
q sprig of half-dried heather which
| recognized at first glance as a species
| to be found only among the Wages
| Alice, advancing toward me, exclaimed
| in delight: "a friend, almost a brother
is coming to Trouville-the celebrated
violinist, Stephen"
Otherwise known as the Viscount
Stephen Gregory" I replied, adding
| that the musician was one of my ole
| college friends.
| How delightful! He is now at Ba
den, but he is coming here to give 6
concert and you can renew your &C
luaintance with him. Good Stephen
Only think of his remembering tha
this is our double birthday, and send
ing AS this! had rather have it thar
diamonds" said Alice, taking up the
| bit Of heather and putting it to hel
lips.
"Silly childr' murmured Lame, draw
ing the flower from her sisters fingers
| anu 1QOkluS ut IL WIFI LnOSC I'll chiJ
eyes. Alice continued to speak of Ste
phen, telling hew be had been a pupi
of her father, though they had los
sight of him for some years, until, &C
cidentally thrown together som'
months before, they had renewed thei
old friendship. The remainder of hi
history knew better than she; how
his father, a leader Of fashion, dfet
leaving only an empty title and plent.
of debts to his heir, and courageous,
he had accepted his ruin, becoming
professional vioiinist, winning thereb
not only famous name but the mean
by which to pay his fathers debts.
Lame took no share in the converse
ton, but sat quito still, gazing fixedl.
at the heather she held In her hand
so that / could not help thinking tina
perhaps nothing more was wanting t
disturb the serenity of these lives AM
their sisterly love than this bit of with
cred flower.