Spring Days

g, with the clouds growing pale towards the sea, the sun lik

he wheelwright. I don't like that modern Queen Anne school-house, and I wish I could remove the dead level of the embankment and see the sea. The green is better from this side with the view of the Downs-th

and t

nice it would be to breakfast in the morning looking out on the green, to see the cocks and hens and all the children and all this English life! How different from Pump Court! I a

with us every afternoon. Mrs. Heald has some rooms to let; why it was only last we

y novel. I am painting now, and I must see if I can get

would find s

ing without a studio, and I'm not likel

gh for a studio," said Maggie; "but I don't see w

ng! Supposing I were to go and ask them if they would let me have their drawing-

id Maggie reflectively. "You don't mind appearances, I supp

rst hid himself, I don't suppose the authoriti

I think you might find

said Sally, who began to

nk shouldn't come to some arrangement with t

'll tell you in a moment if it

quite by itself in th

with the bit of broken w

es

ndeed it looks quite picturesque amid its elder bushes. There is

ald's, and you could walk over

y work. There is nothing like walking from the

d fault with everythin

ied Sally. "No use in runn

ext isn't till half-past s

the train we may as well go at once and

nce of new-laid eggs, and the sunlight glancing through a great mass of greenery, and he resolved if a sacrifice were necessary to live at Southwick, he would put his picture aside and begin his novel. The people in the house pleased him, and he ran on in his way thinking

s; books and engravings along th

by-reconciled him to the room. In the bedroom they found a huge four-poster of old time, with a lengthy bolster and imposing pillows, and they

down you could see m

you like the be

reen, but here there is a nice large wardrobe, an

om best, sir, I can turn

an manage it, the room will do very w

will be no diffic

s he wore round his throat when he went out in evening clothes, the patent leather shoes in the corner. Suddenly the conversation dropped, and after a pause Frank said: "I think these rooms suit me very well,

do no

bout his house. I wonder if Town would let it

to get leave to make wha

gs to Town, sir; I don't think h

st see the landlord. Do yo

say I d

ow in a day or two if I can take you

w as soon as possible; several peop

u know in a

his house by paying a little more for it," said Maggie,

should like to act squarely by

ow

shaggy grey cart horse when his vis

g her voice above the wheezy bellows. He threw the hoof out of his apr

udio; I think your house would suit my purpose very well. Do you think we could

I dunno that I hardly understand.

ce where I can

ow I can do wi

nsate you-make it

Ada Terrace, I should, you see, be out of the way. If pe

if I compe

e. "Mr. Escott would require permission to make any alterations in the building he thought proper-you

'ouse to be turned into a painting

u sufficient

ks fly, and heard the rhythmical sledge. "I wish he wouldn't talk so much about compensat

able to come to an under

that afraid she wouldn't like to give up her 'ome.

landlord; he will have to arrang

difficulty about

ur landlord must decide. If he agrees to allow Mr. Escott to make the

ill be? How do I know you will make it worth my while? I don't want no compensation. I

o exactly as I please in the matter. Your lan

ld like to know, coming round h

oolmaster, and a retired farmer ardently gossiping; Mrs. Horlock, prim in her black gown and poke bonnet, waited with admirable patience, and Angel, the blind pug, in horrible corpulence, waddled and sniffed the grass. The story of Town's impertinence was told. Th

use if he doesn't want to go. How would you like some one to come

lways open; lunch at half-past one, dinner at eight-old Indians, you know; come in when you like. Pretty place I have here, everything I want-stables and horses, and (th

before the portico of yellow glass; he declared that a man must be born to put up such things, and he clearly thought this sneer a very happy one, for he repeated it, fearing that Sally had not understood. The grocer who had placed a bas-relief of himself ove

ow will you be able to liv

who is learning farming. Mr. Berkins insists on father not allowing us to visit any one in the Southdown Road, and Mr. Berkins can turn father round his finger, h

The gesture exasperated Sally

, miss; I never flirted with him; you d

r father whom he should visit; and the idea of your father permitting it merely because he ma

couldn't

bered the anecdotes he should hear concerning his favourite painters, and was consoled. The evening passed away in the security and calm of habit, sweetened by the intimacy of familiar thoughts and customs. There was the usual expensive dinner; Mr. Brookes lit a cigar

ands with Frank, and went to bed. Further anecdotes concerning the painters were told; further condemnations of the Southdown Road were pronounced; the house was locked up; Mr. Brookes retired, and the yo

ng. Willy was down first, and when Frank finished breakfast

ge for these peaches,

t know what peaches are selling at in Covent Garden. I w

e are only very

ank. "There is a tremendous profit to be made on peaches. N

e it is so early in the year. We have o

only a sample. How much ar

now. Last year we boug

xactly the price things are selling for? I may be paying more for his potatoes than they are se

be thrown into one room, and the ceilings of the upper rooms were to be removed. He had thought of having the rafters painted, but at the builder's suggestion he decided to have them lined with fresh timber and stained. This would look very handsome. A large window, some six feet by eight, would have to be put in the north wall. Of course, all the doors, windows, etc., would have to be taken away and replaced by new. He would have a book-case in stained wood. An estimate was drawn up. It came to a good deal more than he had intended to lay out, and Frank dreaded the expense. But he must live somewhere, he was sick of Pump Court, and his friends and this little south-coast village were now ardent in his mind; why not live here? True that the country was in no way beautiful and offered no temptations to a landscape painter, but he seldom painted landscapes, and if he wanted a

nything about Aubusson at Southwick, and the vivid blues and yellows and symmetrical design would have at least the merit of disturbing if not of wrecking the artistic opinions of his friends. He discovered one of these carpets in a back street in Brighton, and with some cleaning and mending he felt sure it could be made to look quite well. But no, if you have an Aubusson carpet you must have Louis XIV. furniture in the room, and Louis XIV. in Southwick would be too absurd. Clearly the Aubusson scheme must be abandoned-he would have a rich grey carpet, soft and woolly, and there shou

the young men enjoyed going to Brighton together. Frank worried Willy, who ran up and down stairs collecting his brown paper parcels, calling upon him to make haste. They set forth, Willy firm and methodical, his shoulders set well back: Frank loose and swaggering, over-dressed. How to get to the shop was a matter of anxious consideration. Willy was fearful of detection, and all sorts of stratagems were resorted to. Sometimes they would walk down to the Old Steyne, and suddenly double and get back through a medley of obscure streets, or else they would publicly walk up and down the King's Road, and when they thought no one was looking, hurry up one of the by-streets, and so gain their haven, the lane. Once they were in the lane they slackened speed, all danger was then over, and they laughed consumedly at their escapes, and delighted in telling each other how So-and-so and his daughter had been successfull

lly ruled lines. Cissy adored him. He took her on his knee, and she leaned her hollow cheek against his handsome face. She would have probably rushed to death to serve him. His height, his brightness, his rings, his spotted neckties-all seemed so perfect, so beautiful, to her; and when he brought his fiddle she would sit and look at him, her little hands clasped with an intensity of love that was strange and