The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-02-21

leaning over. managed TO pluck a spray
| of the hlossom.A
Austerely dressed aud delicatsly grave.
she stood for a space, against the invad-
ing Hood OF spriss rapture. till suddenly
IL reached and overwhelned her.
She paled and held out the ciaspei
hands which held the lilac. as II omering
II at some shrine. while her eyes burned
with the mystic alteration OF an early
saint.
Her pupils were chattering inside. wait
ing for the blossom, which was 10 serve
as their drawing model, and when the din
became too loud 20 be ignored Elizabeth
switched her mood back on To the line OF
her duties, and. returning 20 the table,
brought the girls TO order by some chill,
repressivo words and set them to their
task.
Then she went her round. instruct
Ing silently, for the most part, with
india rubber and pencil
But that isn't there. Fraulein." OH
jected one OF the young draughts-
women, the laborious versimiitude OF
whose copy Elizabeth was tamperina
with.
Elizabeth flushed, and hastily rub
bed out the addition by which she had
achieved rhythm OF line at the expense
OF realism.
IL was tendency which. az a teach
er. she strove against with all her
misht, but To which, as an artist. she
chung with y passionate instinct
The lesson over. every face frightened.
The young eyes royed with relief over OBJ
Jects which they were not bound 90 re-
cord with foolish minuteness. tfi .G.a
Glasses were changed with a buzz
and clatter of feet up and down the poll
ished wooden stairs. and during the inter-
val Elizabeth took a volume out of
drawer and pencilled delicate border
round one OF the pages
She was absorbed in her work when an
Older woman entered, and. with some in
decision on her handsome face, crossed
the table. and laid her hand affectionate-
ly on Elizabeth's shoulder
Fraulein Anna was the eldest of ihe
three sisters who ran the institution aud
although the silent. beautiful Elizabeth
held a large place in her heart. and the
one thing She ever really shrank from
was giving her pain she was boiind. as
educational head. to insist on lhe eff
cheney OF her STAFF
She had just come from an interview
easiness concerning the drawing class,
and il was indecision as TO the most tact
ful mode OF broaching the subject which
had puckered her brow.
VERY pretty" she remarked of the bor-
der, without giving il a glance. You
have never tried oils, Elizabeth?"
mo, that medium doesn't attract. me-"
THAT is rather pity. dear one. for IL
seems TO attract the parents Frau Ha-
gen has just been here 10 tell ME that
she wishes Mariechen to leave your class
and join Herr Hofmeycr's. That's the
fourth withdrawal this month"
1T doesn't matter who teaches them"
Elizabeth answered; they cannot learn"
True. my Herzchen, but-don't you
see they can pay? And it's beginning to
make "a difference. Now. you mustn't be-
vexed, dear" tfor Elizabeth had WINGED
and reddened), but / thought i ought TO
mention IL.
They know nothing Of art. nor do I;
your style. I am sure. is perfect: but ev-
erybody seems 20 think more OF oils: I
notice they always give oil paintings the
handsomest frames. ! was wondering IL
you couldnt--just to satisfy their preju-
dice-take some lessons yourself from
Herr Hofmeyer.
You are SO clever you would soon
pick up his method. which appears to be
very popular one; aud IL would be so
secrecy OF his part condition. as, of
course, your prestige must not be low
cred i'm tho girls eyes"
Elizabeth drew forward her sisters
hand, which stiil lay upon her shoulder
and pressed 1t against her cheek.
You spare me too much, dear Anna
You give me so little to do that 1 may
well try to do that little In the way most
advantageous for the school. i will ap-
proach Herr Hofmeyer on the subject my
self, tomorrow"
Herr Hofmeyer had a local reputation
Az a prominent artist, as well az a
teacher.
Through the interest OF an early pupil
who had succeeded I'm his career TO the
point OF influencing hanging committees,
one of his pictures had been smuggied in
to the Neue Pinkakothek OF Munich,
where it's height above the level of the
public gaze made IL innocuous as an art
ensample.
The fact, however. of being even
"skied' in the gallery OF big city
brought him well on to the line In his
native town, and there he was potent
for harm.
His compositions. which he borrowed
from the old masters Elizabeth found
tolerable: it was the heavy, realistic de-
tails and the brutal color schemes that
reused her antagonism
mean martyrdom To her every art in
stinct. but she was Of the stun of which
martyrs are made.
An English lady boarder, Patricia War
rem by name, had been 40 obliging as TO
escort Herr Hofmeyers contingent TO his
studio thar morning and began 10 sing
HIS praises during the midday meal
She was a raw-boned. harsh-featured
young person with merry slits OF black
eyes. and. as her German was always a
literal translation Of her somewhat racy
ldiom she was n source of constant de-
light 10 the girls.
"Ach. 1ch lied Inn Grausam!" she ex-
claimed not meaning. OF course, that she
loved the Professor grewsome, but that
she liked him awfully. "Er ist so
hubschl"
TO hear IN addition To her oddly de-
clared love, that Patricia found the fat
old teacher pretty set the giddy young
folk I'm n roar
But among the laughing faces there
FNs.-.