The whole atmosphere seemed full of
health, purity, cheerfulness, warmth, and brightness. Brilliant flowers
peeped in at the windows, and were set on the tables in vases, or hung
in them from the walls. And there were pictures, and there were statues,
but there too was Miss Dudley, paring a peach for me, for sociability's
sake,--for she could not eat one herself, so soon after her breakfast;
and, as I knew the time must be running away very fast,--hard that it
will always run fastest when we are the happiest!--I seized my first
opportunity to say that few things would give me greater pleasure than
to furnish the illustrations she had mentioned, if I could but succeed
in executing them as I ought.
"As to that, I will be your sponsor," returned she, gayly, "if you would
like to begin them here. Your touch is very firm and true; and I will
show you all our tricks of color. Here is my paint-box. Have you time
to-day?"
I had time, and no excuse; though, in falling so suddenly into the
midst of painting-lessons from Miss Dudley, I really felt as if I was
having greatness thrust upon me in a manner to take my breath away. If I
had only had a little more time to think about it, my touch might have
been truer for the nonce.
Pages:
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190