Medoline Selwyn's Work

so far as it could be seen-the knitting certainly excepted. My sketches in water colors and oils I brought out rather timidly for his inspection. Mrs. Flaxman had told me how severe

ibrary that bright early autumn morning, I felt a shrinking at submitting my pictures, in their imperfection, to unsympathetic eyes, much as a mother might feel at bringing a deformed child to a baby show; but I had also a measure of satisfaction, since I could prove to my guardian that I had not been idle, when I spread before him

hen he said: "I will only look to-day at what you have done since coming her

ir, I did not suppose you car

one since you came here?" He picked one up, not noticing apparentl

ed I should have been so blind as to permit such glaring faults to creep into my work. Of the many scores of drawing and painting lessons I had previously taken, not any twelve of them, to say the least, had widened my knowledge of art as this hour spent with my guardian over that first picture had done. I looked at him with a provoked sort of admiration, surprised that one who knew so well how nature should be imitated, did not, himself, attempt the task, and angry both

ch seraphic expression, but it is utterly thrown away on those vegetables; his face and his broadcloth coat are in perfect harmony,"

ent in these has been quite w

nsequence in any case. I am not an artist, and do not value paint at a high figure; so I most decidedly affirm that you made an excellent use of the paint. Labor conscientiousl

continue decorating canvas,

stead of covering so many, if you would take time and tale

he future; to-day I want to speak of other things. You have made use of my library, M

ovels of all kinds were, for the most part, forbidden mental food at school, and therefore, when opportunity offered, I dipped into them with the keener avidity. But my mind was healthy enough to crave more solid food than

ce you came to Oaklands?" he

es; the 'dry-as-dust' parts of whi

amination, think you,

the opposite side of the table with folded hand

e Froude's C?sar to-day; let me hear

p for the majestic C?sar. I was surprised at the ease with which I repeated chapter after chapter of those stirring incidents, while with

e pile paused a moment, and then said: "I will defer the criticisms on thes

hose books again before the furth

o in addition to your other work; may I a

or unpleasant out of doors I took longer ti

your music, after this once a week, we will s

eal. I fancied examinations and I had said g

seeing so much good money and time wasted on young girls! With the majority of them, once th

to train the mind to work, fitting it, so to speak,

utilized, what good are th

hallowest boarding-school Miss may carry herself more gracefully in

hing about Mrs. Blake

hen I came here and she t

sons in your position to

merica all were

not an

ould always travel first-class, and

r decided that your home was to

attain my majority

lands?" His eyes were

ered, exceedingly frightened,

sar for a few seconds, in silence,

e will leave book

find vent, and began gathering up my sketches. He took up a view of Oaklands over which I had ling

keep this, if you

owever, was the only compliment he paid me for the work over which I had been expending so much time and effort