The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1901-09-19

IT was not the atelier of fashion
i able, or even a prosperous artist;
as matter of fact, nobody was ever
known to call it an atelier at all.
Teddy Stebbins usually referred to IL
as "my shop" q designation that was
rendered more or less appropriate by
its situation on the fourteenth floor
of a downtown office building. 1t
contained no soft hued oriental webs
or faded tapestry; there was not a
rusty corslet or a spidery raper on
the premises, and the big windows
were as innocent of stained glass as
they were of curtains.
Miss Gleason was the stenog-
rapher for Balch & Skinner across
the way. If Teddy left his door open
and moved his easel out into the mid
die of the room, he could see her
from where he worked, and she
could see him from where she
worked; wherefore it is not to be
wondered at that they soon detected
one another in the act of what Miss
Gleason characterized as rubber
ing"
Within few weeks, however, Miss
Gleason met the young artists ar
dent gaze with perfect frankness and
a smile that was as sweet and sunny
and altogether charming and dazzling
a smile as ever turned a young mans
head In fact. she smiled so fire.
quently that old Balch, her employer,
n
to steal up behind her and find out
what she was smiling at. To his
credit, however, he saId nothing
about it, although it is more than
likely that his glistening bifocal
glasses were turned on his pretty
stenographer rather oftener than
before.
Then Teddy, guilefully taking occa-
sion to wander out into the passage
when he heard the slamming of the
elevator gate in the morning, met
Miss Gleason AID was bold enough to
wish her a good morning and follow
up with something about the wealth
er. Later the scope of the conversa-
tion widened. She admired the car
gallantly asked her to wear it for
him.
"Some of these fine mornings I'm
coming in to see your pictures" she
said, as she left him.
For the next few days Teddy got
to "his shop" half an hour earlier, in
order to sweep the floor and tidy up
generally. The majolica utensil was
pushed altogether out of sight under
the desk and the pipes were slowed
away into drawer. The young man
began to consider whether, after all,
Robinson's advice was not good, and
wondered how he would look with
beard. 1t was only the probationary
month of bristle that deferred him
from attempting it. AS matter of
fact, he did make up his mind to let
his hair grow. One morning Miss Glea-
son made the promised visit, and he
had delicious half-hour of her all
to himself.
81 think that you must be wonderful
ly clever" she said, as he turned can
vas after canvas around for her in
spection. 81 took lessons once, but l
could never do anything but pansies,
and l couldn't do them very well.
don't suppose person could ever get
anything as natural as you do unless
they had genius for it. What a beauti-
full girl that is!
"It's Miss Peyton," he said, indif-
ferently.
The coming of Miss Peyton week
before had gladdened his heart to the
point of ecstasy. Not that she was
anything like as good-lookihg as the
little stenographer, although her skirt
had perhaps better set and swing,
and her boots might have been a
trifle trimmer; but she wa the daugh-
ter of G. w. B. Peyton, and consequent
ly her patronage meant great deal.
81 wish that / could paint your por-
trait" he added; "I would give any
thing in the world for that-if could
do it justice, that is"
81 don't see why you couldn't" said
Miss Gleason, blushingly. Il guess
| it's about time that was in the office.
] heard Mr.. Balch moment ago." and
| she made her escape.
Miss Peyton called for her second
! sitting the day after that. Her chap
| erone was with her, of course, but had
| to leave for little while to do little
shopping. Teddy decided that the girl
| was a particularly nice girl and not a
bit spoiled. 1t is not certain whe ther
Miss Peyton had come to any deci-
sion regarding him at that time. 1t is
certain, however, that as the sittings
went on, she became more and more
| friendly. She had blue eyes, by the
way, and while Teddy was prepossessed
in favor of eyes of velvety blackness,
he was compelled to admit to himself
that blue eyes had their good points.
Naturally he looked into them quite
| often. He had to. \
Miss Peyton had dash of the prac-
| tical spirit of her father, apparently
for she took Teddy to task concerning
his lack of sociability, urging the me-