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Lee ge
WILD MARGARET. eS
undulating figure revealed: by the absence of the traveling
jacket. Tea was on the table and a huge bowl of Gloire
roses, and the whole room looked the picture of comfort
and elegance.
e : .
‘Now tell me all about it,” said Mrs. Hale, when the
_ girl-had got seated in a low chair beside the window, with
her teacup and pread and butter.“ And-you are quite a
famous personage, Margaret, are you?” /
ness.
‘Not famous, dear,’’ she said, ‘‘a very long way from.
the top of the tree; but I’ve been lucky in getting. one of
my pictures into the Academy and gaining the silver
medal, and what.is better than all, my picture is sold.”
This seemed to surprise the unsophisticated. old lady |
more than all the rest.
‘Dear, dear me!’’ she mused. ‘‘ Who ever would have
thought that little wild Madge would become an artist and
_paint pictures—’’
‘* And sell them, too,” laughed the girl.
‘¢ How proud your poor father would have been if he had
lived,’? added Mrs. Hale, with a sigh.
‘A swift shadow crossed the girl's lovely face, and there
was silence for a moment. ;
‘f And you are quite happy, Madge? The life suits
you
“Yes, quite, dear; oh, quite. Of course it is hard work.
-I paint all day while there is light enough, and I read
books on art—I was going to say all night,’’ and she
smiled. ‘‘Then there are the schools and lectures —oh! it
is a very pleasant life when one is so fond of art as T am.”
“And you don’t feel lonely with no kith nor kin near-
you?”’
‘‘ No,’ she said. ‘Three of us girls lodge together a
little way from the schools, and so it is not lonely, and the
lady who looks after the house—and us, of course—is
pleasan’ and lady-like. Oh, no, it is not lonely, but—”’
ier eyes softened—‘‘ but Iam glad to come down and see
_ you, grandma—l can’t tell you how glad!" and she
stretched out her long, white, shapely hand—the artist’s
< -hand—so that the old lady could take it and fondle it.
‘“Yes, my dear,”’ she said. ‘‘ And I can’t tell you how
glad Iam to have you. It seems ages instead of five years
since we parted in ‘London and I came down here as house-
keeper to the earl—ages! And the change will do you
good; {think you want alittle country air; you're looking &
trifle pale, now that you have settled down a bit.”
“Tis only the London color,” said the gitl, smiling.
‘Nobody carries many roses on his cheeks 10 London.
‘The girl laughed, a soft, low laugh of innocent happi-
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