The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-03-04
LOVE CROWNED.
BY BELLE MOSES.

Good locality; three flights up;
steam heated. Inquire on premises,
added Dorothea after announcing the
above title with much impressment.
RosaIie set down her coffee cup with
an animation which threatened serious
damage to frail china, while Evelyn in
her sunny corner looked up from the
cluster of ferns she was painting, full Of
the liveliest interest.
"That sounds very plausible" she
observed, leisurely mixing two shades
of green upon her palette. "What dc
you think of it, Dorothea ~
"What do you think of it, Rosalie ?''
inquired Dorothea, parrying, as was
her custom, one question with another.
''Seven rooms are really too many for
our needs" said the prudent eldest
sister $50 much to keep in order with
out a servant"
'Don't worry, we'll keep the place
tidy somehow. Evelyn can dust on
dark days when the light is poor for
her pictures, and during those black
periods when inspiration fails, and so
betwixt us both, like Jack Sprat and
his wife of ancient fame, well lick the
platter clean, interposed Dorothea.
"And with you at the helm, dear, we
can't get stranded" remarked Evelyn
insinuatingly.
''But seven rooms" grinned Rosalie;
''and two are not always what they
should be-"
Don't fiatter yourself that fate has
reserved for us seven barns the size of
this apartment" said Dorothea with
fine scorn. "From Flora's description
| should judge that an Overbundance
of space was not a leading feature of
our embryo establishment. Then I've
calculated, with the necessary parlor,
dining room and kitchen, bedroom
each maiden unto herself, and little
den where you can make your mud pies
in peace, is not too much to take care
of, and 1 move that we set our seal
upon Flora's discovery as soon as pos
sihle.n
al second the motion,n cried Evelyn,
springing up with alacrity.
"Well, 50 he it," said Rosalie, with
resigned air, ~ she put on her hat.
And so il was in less than week.
The three sisteFa with their numerous
belongings had taken possession of
their new quarters, well satisfied with
the change from the dull monotony of
their former life.
1t was . novel sensation to these girls
to find themselves once more in q real
substantial home, however small and
unpretending, for years since their
mothers death they had struggled on
in their dreary lodgings, eking out
their meagre income by a practical APP
p,ication of their various talents.
Rosalie fashioned cornices and artistic
plaster moulding for the interior deco
ration of buildings, while she waited
for that golden opportunity for which
she longed-the leisure to model the
figure of a woman that should only lack
the breath of life to crown her perfec-
ton, creation that should possess
more than the sensual beauty which
caused Pygmalion TO fall in love with
his own work She wished to show the
world woman in all the glory of her
nineteenth century development and Il
foreshadowing of future possibilities.
Dorothea wrote short newspaper
articles, with her treasured novel hid
den in her desk awaiting the few
crumbs she was able to fling to II from
time to time, some of her best thoughts
probably, but i'm crude state, just as
they slipped off her ready pen. She
had longings, too, though her ambition
took no definite shape, like Rosalie's.
1t was not one woman that she wished
to picture, but men and women with
out number, who posed in many posi-
| tions before the world. But all this
would take time, which could i'll be
spared when the monthly bills came
down. upon them like so many crows to
pick the bones of genius.
And Evelyn, passionate lover of
nature, was ambitious, too. She
wanted to scatter the odor of gardens
and fields through the flowers and
grasses she so skillfully painted. "If
| should die happy" she would often
say, when her sisters or friends express
ed their admiration of some specially
good effort. Meantime, the dainty
creations found ready market, and
practical Evelyn went cheerfully on
with her work, adding more than her
share to the family exchequer and
patiently waiting for the happy day
when she might roam through the smil-
ing country under the blue sky and
paint nature at he's beat.
And such was the trio that settled
down to enjoy life in seven rooms and
"A bath. A truly remarkable family,
one might say Not at all. They were
merely anxious each TO reap the benefit
of her one gift, and working truly for
that end succeeded, as earnest workers
often do, and enjoyed with all the zest
r. Z, I,.. Of laI.