room.

my ability, she said, and regretted tion ! And yet I have seen worse that she had been denied the power matches made. She is in excellent which I possessed. As soon as I had health (a “decline" would be preferfinished the drawing, I placed my initials, able, however), and she is passionately and the date, on the back of it, and fond of art, and she-might be older, begged her acceptance of it.

She re- and she-has forty thousand pounds! ceived it with emotion. It was my first No more contriving, then, to spread the nibble at the bait.

smallest possible amount of money over But I will not spend time to tell of the broadest possible surface of time : the events of that morning. We went no more of the drudgery of art; no from Dante's head to Michel Angelo's more selling of the creations of weary house, and thence to the Uffizzi gal- hours for haggled pittances of dealers' lery, and rounded to at the Hotel de prices; but—it was time to dress for New York about an hour before dinner- dinner. time.

At table, it became convenient for me Pour moi, I was glad to get to my to occupy a seat next to Miss Caley;

I was tired-almust tired out; but we conversed but little, for Doud. and, besides, I wished to reflect on the ney was jovially voluble, and talked words of Doudney, which had, I con- enough for all of us. He had made fess, made a deep impression, and I was the acquaintance of a Mr. Brown, a glad both of rest and time for a quiet splendid billiard-player, and he had ponder.

taken a quiet turn up by the square of “ Here am I”-said I, as I stretched San Marco, and had a look through the myself on the lounge—"a poor painter, Grand Duke's stables. “Splendid white with just money enough to carry me Arab mare thur! Head finer than a through a brief tour of Italy and back bit of sculptuer! Eyes like a child's ! to New York in the second cabin. Legs clean and straight, and such a When I arrive there, I shall have, as

pastern !” capital, a stock of paints and brushes, After dinner, at Mrs. D.'s invitation, some little skill at using them, but not I accompanied my friends to their par a paragraph of reputation, and hardly lor, and when seated there, Miss Caley a single friend. She, who once inspired me to win fame and friends and her own sweet smiles, is heed. less of the poor young artist : her father's wealth attracts suitors whom I can never hope to rival." (There, now, Mrs. R--, you spoiled a splendid paragraph with your illtimed interruption! I am confident that if you

had allowed yourself to-Well,

WA won't discuss that all over again.) And I went ou complaining to myself of the sad fate which compelled me to paint out my heart for bread and butter, and groaned to think of that last picture which was ticketed “ for sale" in Williams & Stevens's window.

On the other hand, here is — well, bere are forty thousand pounds and Miss Caley! Alas, the conjunc

well;

A WELCOME GHOST.

assumed the lead in conversation, and, asserted that about the only thing (?) for some good reason, Doudney retired he cared now to see in Italy, was the into ignoble silence. He ventured, how. Pope: and so the conversation turned ever, to take out his cigar-case, and to on the execution of what had been their indulge in semi-audible winks at me. plan of going to Rome for the ceremoMiss Caley soon noticed his actions, nies of the Holy Week. Concerning and, turning to me, remarked, very going to Rome, I had nothing to say ; blandly,

for the question of my going was set“I have heard that you artists all tled by the state of my account with smoke. Is it so ? Doudney, offer Mr. Maquay & Packenham. To save my. R-a cigar. I often envy you gentle self from exposure. I turned the submen the pleasure you seem to take in ject on Dante; whereupon, Miss Caloy smoking

produced my sketch, and demanded the Surprise gave a momentary lift to admiration for it of her relatives. I Doudney's eyebrows, and he immedi- must have other sketches, she said, and, ately came and pressed his case into with a singular admixture of command my hands, winking, as he did so,

“with

and entreaty in the tone of her voice, the wbole upper half of his body.” It she bade me go and bring my collection. was as much as to say: There's for I was only too glad to go; so I went to you, my boy! Go in and win!

my room for my portfolio, Our cigars lighted, conversation be. On the way, I cursed the fortune came free and pleasant. Miss Caley which forbade my accompanying them eulogized, magnified, and glorified every. to Rome, and wished a small share of thing pertaining to art, in a manner which reminded me of that lady whose epitaph recorded the facts that “Sho was bland, passionate, and deeply religious ;” that " she painted in watercolors, and sent several pictures to the exhibition ;" that “she was second cousin to Lady Mary Jones;" and that, " of such is the kingdom of heaven.'” The tendency of her remarks was so laudatory of artists" heaven-inspired beings”-that I was obliged to the £40,000 already in my possession. remain silent; to reply to her by even And I thought-a villa on the road to the usual “Yes,” was more than my Fiesole, with a studio in a room with a modesty would allow. With many of northern aspect; or, a home there, and her expressions of opinion, I could and a studio next to White's, near the gardid heartily coincide. Florence was the den Torrigiani ; time and means to study home of her heart: I coincided. She in the academy, and to copy pictures in wished that she might spend her life the galleries, and similar etceteras. In there : another coincidence chimed in my abstraction, I nearly forgot to take from me.

She must purchase a villa from the portfolio a horrid caricature of just out of the city, somewhere; spend Miss Caley, made a day or two after I her winters there ; surround herself first saw her at table. If I had left with the society of artists ; have a gals that in! lery, and become a patron of art: (coin- On my return, my sketches were cidence No.3). She did not wish to think examined with numerous exclamationof Rume. Pecuniary circumstances en- points of delight. abled me to coincide fully with the last · Why, Mr. R--, you are a born romark. But at this point Mrs. Doud- artist! You must study here and at ney ventured to put in a word about Rome, at Paris - overywhere. Your Easter and the illumination, and Mr. D. talents will raise you to the first rank

€40,00

PAINT VERSUS PELF.

66

among modern painters. I never saw positively probibited the smoking of such happy effects in light and shade." ono within the reach of her noseAnd other adulatory and eulogistic criti- rather a long one it is, and a sharp one, cisms.

too. Come, now, none of this deuced A shade of sadness must have crossed melancholy ! You are sure to win. my face ; for I thought-ah! how sad- My wife has a pair of eyes of her own, ly!-of what I might do, and of what and from what she says, I see the villa, soomed denied to me. Thoughts, too, and all that-eh, my boy! all in a lovely of home and of you, Annie—despairing perspective ; and the summers up in thoughts, crowded my aching heart. The Westmoreland, where she owns the inspiration of the love I had so long yet neatest little place ; and a month or so so hopelessly borne for you, bad not yet at Paris, at Meurice's, if you like ; and entirely burned out in my brain. Yet everything, generally, all your own

. , not for her, the proud. cold-hearted girl, way (Doubtful, that! thought I). Yes,

my boy, it's as good as settled, and you'll do the walking hereafter. I'm discharged. thank my stars! I'll give you warning that you'll earn your money. You've had a taste of it; but it is very healthy exercise, and you'll need it after confinement in your studio, you know. Now we'll go down to Rome, by sea, I say, and as soon as the Pope gets through his grand performances, we'll get him to marry you, and then Mrs. Doudney and I will leave you to spend your honeymoon--you lucky dog where you like, and we'll get back to Westmoreland, please God, by the express train."

• My good friend, all this is

“ Deuce a bit of it! No

nonsense about it! Go on would I win fame, but to show her that to Rome with us, take her all over the the poor artist she despised was one city ; I shan't be in you way. Talk whom even she might care to recognize pictures to her, make sketches for ber, as gifted with genius, if not with wealth. and all that.” I cannot put in words the emotions which “But, my friend, I can't afford to go made me silent and sad in the presence to Rome. I am poor, I must tell you, of my admiring friend. She must have and" noticed the seriousness upon my face, “Poor? That's just the reason for and my silence; for she closed the port- investing what you have, in this stock. folio abruptly, and gave me an oppor. It's in the market for just such buyers tunity to wish her good-evening. as yourself. Take it at your own

I had bardly left the room when price.” Doudney joined me, and began, with “ But listen to me! I must be frank “ uncommon" earnestnese, to shake with you. I have exactly three pauls in both my hands, with alternations of my pocket-for I have just paid my patting me on the back vehemently. bill here up to this date—and until my

“My dear boy, didn't I say so ! Did next remittance comes--about a fortyou see me wink to you when I gave you night from now-I shall be living hero my cigar-case ? Upon my word, now, on appearances. And when that comes, she never could bear a cigar before. and one other, I shall have seen the

AGE BUYS BEAUTY.

row"

last of it. I must turn back towards up her mind to proceed at once to Havre, and manage to save enough to Rome. get me home from there in the steerage • For your sakes (turning to her relaof some ship or other. You see that tives). I sacrifice my own preferences, my going to Rome with you, is out of for I should be content to remain here, the question."

and we will start for Rome as soon as Mr. D. made me no reply. His possible. hands were plunged in his pockets, and “ Doudney, my dear (very blandly), his mind in thought. Suddenly start- get us a vettura to-day or to-moring from his reverie

• I forgot ;" said he, “my wife told “But, my dear sister, the land me to inquire about the washing: She route" has lost a night-cap, or something of “But, my dear brother, I have made the kind. Excuse me. I'll see you up my mind. You can go by sea, if about this to-morrow morning. Au re- you choose, for I am sure that our voor ""'—and I was left to my medita- friend, Mr. R- will accept of a seat tions.

in our vettura, and give us the pleasure I spent that night in strange thoughts, of his company” (A smile so very bland). and stranger dreams. But I shall not " Don't be a fool," said sense to me, inflict them on you, Anvie. You will “and refuse good fortune when it is be anxious to hear the story, and as it thrown at you.” is getting late, I shall omit several • With pleasure, Miss Caley, and splendid opportunities for sentimental with many thanks. I had not intended roveries, “and all that,” as Doudney to go to Rome at present (winks bewould say, and hurry on with the tween Doudney and me); but I cannot events.

deny myself the pleasure of visiting The next morning, at breakfast, Miss that shrine of art with such a friend as Caley informed us that she had made yourself."

Well :

: arrangements were made, and get into trouble, she must get me out we were to start for Sienna next day, to of it. take vettura from thence to Rome. I'll The inland journey to Rome, from borrow a little from Doudney, thought Sienna, may have attractions in sumI, and trust to luck; for if ever fortune mer, but during the month of March, seemed inclined to befriend me, she my advice to travelers is, to go by way does now; she leads me on, and if I of Civita Vecchia.

For five weary VOL. IX.-38

days we toiled along, with rain, or snow, suggest, or her purse procure. My and wind, all day, and detestable quar- nurse was an elderly contadina-you ters, in dreary old alberghi, at night. remember her portrait in my sketchEarly in the journey, I caught cold, book, in Albanian costume. The Doudwhile tramping in the rain with Miss neys came in as often as they wero Caley, to see the interior of some permitted to. “Miss Caley regards miserable village church-I forget where you as her own property, my boy, and —and this grew into a fever. During the she guards her treasure like a miser, last two days I was unable to hold up my and all that,” said Doudney, one day, head, and when we entered the Porta when we were alone. del Popolo, and Miss Caley whispered My feelings towards my benefactress, to me, “ We are in Rome,," I raised at that time. Well, I see you don't my head from her shoulder, gazed one care to hear about the feelings, and I'll

go on with the story.

It was on a sunny afternoon, in early April, that Miss Caley and I were sitting on a turfy mound, pear the grave of Keats, in the English buryingground.

How pleasantly comes to me the memory of that Italian afternoon! A mellow haziness softened the tone of the grand old ruins around us, and the mild sunlight gave a rich golden hue to nearer objects. The lyre, with chords half broken, which hangs over the daisydotted grave of “poor Keats," made sad minor music beneath the flow of the harmony of audible

light and fragrance, and “ TIRED NATURE'S SWEET RESTORER."

my convalescent languor

added to my susceptibilimoment about me, and know no more ties for the enjoyment of tho peculiar until I awoke one morning, as it were beauties of the time and place. With from sleep, beneath the curtains of a all this, a consciousness of the tender comfortable bed. Miss Caley sat near debt of gratitude which I owed to the the bed, looking at the papers in my kind friend who sat by my side, affected portfolio, but I had not strength to my very beart, and you cannot wonder, speak to her. In utter weakness, I Annie, that I took her willing band in closed my eyes again, and thanked mine and—. God for life and friends. At a later Just at that crisis, up came the hour, as she leaned over me, and parted Doudneys. They had left us at the my hair, and kissed my forehead, I gate of the burying-ground, to continue whispered, "God bless you!" which their ride towards the aqueduct, and

, “ startled her into a glow of surprise and had returned at an interesting moment. happiness.

As soon as they joined us, Miss Caley I need not dwell on the incidents of seized the arm of her sister, and they my convalescence. Indeed, when I wandered off among the grave-stones. think of all that happened during that Doudney and I were thus left together, Roman experience of mine, I am un- and he improved the occasion by inwilling to speak of all the acts of tender, dulging in a high degree of general thoughtful kindness with which Miss congratulations. Caley busied herself for me. Every “I know all about it,” said he, with a thing was done that her heart could compound wink and a tenderish poke at