The Press., 1894-08-23
the old woman Ill her faded rags.

w nat plCGur0! thought 1nVOl- untarily Then aloud said, "Will you come some time and let me paint you, Maggie?'
 "MeP' she cried, startled "Yes, just as you are now, scrubbine brushes and all. Will you come?'' cried, my enthusiasm rising. Law! Why dye want to paint all old woman like me, MT. Carroll, with face wrinkled like peach pit? Why don't you paint pretty girl? Old wo- men are painted though sometimes, but only to make 'emselves look young agen. | Ha, hap
 It was useless to argue the point with her, so only said:
 ''Yes, but I want you, Maggie. Will you come?'
 ''Law, if ye really wanter lave me, I'll come, sir, 'cause you've been very good ter old Maggie" " The sittings began the next day, and derived much amusement from the old woman's conversation while I painted away with might and main, resolved that this picture should be hung at the salon next spring, and my imagination even went so far as to speculate on the most suitable style of frame.
 At first it was only of the other lodg- srs that old Maggie gossiped, but one day when she was looking very tired questioned her kindly about herself, and she finally told me her story. The old woman had evidently taken great fancy to me, and wish could remember the quaint words in which she told me of her girlhood ill London and her courtship by man poor like herself, though much above her in sta | tion-a newspaper writer, she said he was.
 "When we were first married, we me think of billed dinner, for twas painted ill red an green an deep yaller- jest like. that paint you re mixin up now -carrotty. Then the baby came ''
 Her whole voice and manner changed, and during the rest of the story she dropped the abrupt witticisms for a tremulous eagerness
 ''Did ye know lad son, MT. Car roll?"
 "No," I answered, intent on my work. "Where is he now?"
 "'E's 8 rich man now, an a gentle man," she said proudly and yet with a wistfulness that made me glance quick ly at her face.
 If I could only get that expression, thought, and went to work with perfect frenzy on the face.
 'How is it that you are not fine lady then, Maggie?" I asked.
 That's what 'e'd make meme, dye lear? who's scrubbed floors for 30 year! But I'd only shame i'm, an folks'd say, Dear, dear, an dye know is motEer is charwoman! An then 'e'd only be ashamed O me. No, no, no, I couldn t stand that, an tol i'm so
 There was an awkward pause. in which I could think of nothing to say to the poor thing, so glanced at her com passionately and thoughtfully mixed some sepia on my palette.
 "Ye see, sir, twas this way" Maggie went on after awhile. ''After Joe died we lad nothin, not ha'penny to buy bread, so I sent the boy to the 'ome for poor children an began scrubbin floors. It was 'ard to let Dick go, but I tried not to sorrer over it, for I knew l couldn't keep i'm. I didn't see i'm for quite awhile then-not till e was 5 year, for they wouldn't let visitors in on Sunday, an was workin all the oth- CT days.
 ''I went up there with my scrubbin things an all one night, for I'd jest come 1n l,,'+ sirl 'E ran away an id when tried to kiss i'm. Well, after that I went up whenever I could get away after my work was done at night, though I was awfully tired, an e got kinder uster me an liked to build tents by putin up my broom an mops all wrappin my shawl round lem. 'E uster call my mop Doctor 'cause e said the end was like Dr. Dicks whiskers. Dr. Dick was the reg lar doctor at the 'ome, an 'e'd took shine to my little Dick.
 "One day 1 was washin windows in an office on Turner street, all ill walks Dr. Dick. Well, we lad a talk, an the end of it was e took my Dick to fetch up for is son. B was a nice, kind gen tleman, an I knew he thought a sight O Dick, but it was 'ard for me, for Tad to promise not to see Dick after e left the 'ome But I'd no money to fetch i'm up on, an Dr. Dick d make i'm @ gentleman, an I couldn't stand ill the boys way. Ed soon forget me, though it nearly killed me when thought of it.
 ''That must "a been near 30 year ago, but somethin hurts 'ere," touching her heart, "when I think of the day I said goodby.'
 There was another pause in which I painted furiously.
 "What days today? The 18th, isn't it? Well, twas just five years ago that Dick found me out, an was still scrub bin. didn't seem to have no 'art to get anything better to do after let Dick go. What was the use?
 ''Dr. Dick was dead an 'ad left my Dick lots O money an a letter that told i'm all about me, so 'e'd come to look me up an take me to live with i'm. E was good, but awful cold an still-like an wore kid gloves an finer close nor Joe ever lad. But ought not Ter say that, for e allers is very good to me, jest as if was lady, but you see e was different, an never could love i'm like little Dick.
 ''So I told i'm e must leave me where was, for couldn't be 'appy in big IL 11~ l.