Stories with a Vengeance — page 24: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

20 It strikes me that Jack had learned something else besides thrift during his country trip. He absolutely put his arm round Patty’s waist, and calling her a dear, silly, affectionate little thing, Lissed away her tears. Nor, oddly enough, did Patty box his ears, nor the worthy woman, her mamma, reprehend him. | There were three letters waiting for Jack at Upper Charlotte Street: three letters in | Sq large envelopes, two of which bore the official seal of the Carlton Gallery, while the other was impressed with a monogram of an Ear!’s coronet and the intials E. B. interlaced. Jack, his heart palpitating with hope and fear, opened the Gallery letters first. In one he was secretarially informed that his picture, “Maso Fineguerra in his Work- shop,” had been accepted and hung. The second contained the even more agreeable intimation that the painting had been pur. chased for the sum of one hundred and fifty guineas by the Right Honourable the Earl of Bellarmine, G.C.B., Her Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. “By Jove!” cried the delighted Jack. “You're right after all, Patty, and I am as rich as a Jew.” ' But there was the third letter to be opened. It contained only a large card en- graved in copper-plate, but with his own name written in manuscript: thus— ee < The Countess of Bellarmine At Home, on reer Oe | Ce Saturday, October Ist. J. F. Halstead, Esq. Whitehall Gardens. | 10 o’clock. A fortnight afterwards Jack, arrayed in a brand new dress suit, presented himself at the appointed hour at Lord Bellarmine’s mansion. He was most courteously re- ceived by his lordship, who told him that he was so delighted with the picture of “Maso” that he had taken the earliest opportunity of making the artist’s ac- quaintance. And, added the good-natured nobleman, he hoped ere long to become the fortunate possessor of other produc- THE STORY OF JACK THE PAINTER. Ew Jack was presented to the Countess of Bellarmine, a strikingly beautiful lady in ruby velvet. She had very dark hair and eyes, and on her upper lip there was the faintest indication of a silky moustache. | “You mus’n’t stare so,” somebody whis- pered in Jack’s ear, “it’s very rude; and if you don’t behave yourself I shall tell uire Grim,‘ and he’ll give you a month.” “Mr. Halstead,” interposed the Countess of Bellarmine, “I wish to present you to my sister, Lady Florence Perceforest. Florence, this is Mr. Halstead, the dis- tinguished artist.” Lady Florence Perceforest curtsied ve demurely to Jack, who, admiring her super bust and arms, could not help noticing the apparent absence of anything resembling a “tunic” or under garment. He men. tioned the circumstance that night, on his return, to Patty. | “You stupid thing!” said Mrs. Copat’s daughter, with a laugh and a blush. “What right have you to pry into the secrets of ladies’ dress? They slip their arms out of the sleeves, and draw the thing down so that you can’t see 1t.” , “Oh, that’s it, is itP” said Jack, much edified. ‘One sees all sorts of odd things in the fashionable world. Would you believe it, Lady Florence Perceforest took me into the conservatory and introduced me to her sister, Lady Gwendoline, and we smoked a cigarette together.” —_- * Ah, yes! I daresay!” quoth poor little Patty, pouting and half ready to cry. “And now youll be a grand gentleman, and you'll forget all about your poor friends in Upper Cha:lotte Street.” But Jack the Painter had not the slightest intention of deserting his friends or Upper Charlotte Street either, until he had become rich enough to build a house for himself. Through the patronage of Lord Bellarmine, Mr. John Fuseli Halstead speedily obtained a number of remunerative commissions. He is now an Associate of the Royal Academy; and by his happy union with Patty Copal he has five charm- ing children. “That's an odd name, Jack, to have given to your eldest girl,” one of his oldest friends chanced to say to him one day. “Philocoma! It sounds lke an advertise- ment of a hair-wash.” “Tt was chosen by Lady Bellarmine,” answered Jack, “who was kind enough to stand godmother to the young one. Her ladyship said that Philocoma had been the tions of Mr. Halstead’s skilled and facile | name of a very dear deceased friend of hers, pencil, Google somewhere down in Surrey.” > a NOOO S CO)