The Front Yard

he doors and windows on either side, after the usual excited whip-cracking and shouts which make the new-comer i

than the fifth line of windows, and looking up from the pavement was like looking up from the bottom of a well. There was no foot-walk, of course; even if there had been one no one would have used it, owing to the easy custom of throwing from the windows a few ashes and

n over the parlor door was raised again, and Miss Macks entered, she came alone. Her mother did not appear. The visitor was not disturbed by being obliged to begin conversation immediately; he was an old Roman sojourner, and had stopped fully three minutes at the end of the fourth flight of stairs to re-gain his breath before he mounted the fifth and last to ring Miss Macks's bell

she had forgotten that it might not be the same abroad. As to the "Ettie," having been called so always, it had not occurred to her to make a change. Her name was Etheli

ng her visitor with much cordial directness of voice and eyes. "I

had been unusually courteous and prompt, was rather surp

iately, Miss Macks," he replied, smiling a little. "I

his was something important-not like an invitation

er; she was qu

he answered. "You must remembe

for such subjects, and I can understand that you did not take it in. That is the reaso

; I have not heard

ppose the society here is all fin

If not rough, the

analyze this; she was too muc

will be rather long; but if you are to underst

lacing his hat and gloves on the sofa near him,

escribed him to her mother as "not over-polite. Not rude in the least, you know-as far as possible from that; wonderfully smooth-spok

this so frankly; but, in the first place, it will give you a better idea of my point of view; and, in the second, I feel a friendly interest in your taking measures to in

is own entertainment,"

ver take so much tr

st for that. Successfully to entertain one's se

at him; she had a

shall never get anywhere if you take me up so. It is not that your remarks are not ver

tivated and interesti

y lucky that I went with Mrs. Lawrence to that reception where I met you. But if it had not happened as it did I should have found you out all the same. I should have looked for your add

d not say that he was immensely honored, and s

course, I always had the talent. I made pictures when I was a very little girl. Mother has them still, and I can show them to you. It is just like all the biographies, you know. They always begin in childhood, and astonish the family. Well, I had my first lessons from a drawing-teacher who spent a summer in Tuscolee. I can show you what I did while with him. Then I attended, for four years, the Young Ladies' Seminary in the county-town, and took lessons while there. I may as well be perfectly frank and tell the whole, whi

stand," answer

His ideas were completely different from those of my other teachers, and, indeed, from my own. He was unreliable, too, and his temper was uneven. However, I had a good deal of respect for his opinion, and he told me to get your art-articles and read them. It wasn't easy. Some of them are scattered

y probable,

ou think he will say. Now, any one would suppose that he would have answered that he would try to make me agree, or something like that.

re than upon anything tangible that the present has to offer. They have to take that risk. Well, I have taken it; I took it when we left America. And now I will tell you what it is I want from you. I haven't any hesitation in asking, because I am sure you will feel interested in a case like mine, and because it was your writings really that brought me here, you know. And so, then, first: I would like your opinion of all that I have done so far. I ha

e my powers," said Noel, astounded by these far-

ss Macks, smiling. "But you must give up thinking of me as the usual young lady; you must not think of me in that way any more than I shall think of

s he said it, he knew that, in the ordinary acceptati

herself, and even several others also, through any contingencies that might arise. She had little color; but her smooth complexion was not pale-it was slightly brown. Her mouth was small, her teeth small and very white. Her light-brown hair was drawn back smoothly from her forehead, and drawn up smoothly behind, its thickness braided in a close knot on the top of her head. This compact coiffure, at a time when most feminine foreheads in Rome and elsewhere were shaded almost to the eyebrows by curling locks, and when the arched outline of the head was left unbroken, t

without grace, and went on looking at thi

can," Noel had answered. Then to make a diversion, "Shall

died when I was a baby, and some years afterwards she married Mr. Spurr. She is

h the picturesqueness of Roman life

e. The idea of having only a story of a house, and not a whole house to ourselves, is dreadful to mother; she cannot get used to it. And with so many families

street," said Noel. "You have establ

house-keeping; I began to study it as soon as we thought of coming, and I studied hard. But all this is of secondary

ne clearly and in so many words the office she had thrust upon him, or trust to time to effect the same wi

iss Macks, cheerfully, taking her

rdly

oel! you m

nd to give her the name of a good teacher, and

the name in a clear, o

," she said. "I don't believe I

is a for

nglish name, is

n. But isn't an Englishm

ca and-well, yes, perhaps England, too, ar

ery much obliged to you

the track. Let me see-Oh yes. As I shall go to see this Mr. Jackson this afternoon, and as it is not likely that he will be ready

inth again. But she was so unaware of any intrusion, or any exorbitance in her demands, probably so ignorant of-certainly so indifferent to-the degree of perfection (perfection of the most quiet kind, however) visible in the general appearance and manner of the gentleman before her, that (he said to himself) he might as well have been one of her own Tuscolee farmers, for all she knew to the contrary. The whole affair was unusual; and Noel rather liked the

she looked mu

ll the time?" she asked, anxio

n you have been here a while longer; you will see. As to the galleries, Mr. Jackson has a class, I thin

tudied your art criticisms until I know them by heart, and I have a thousand questions t

is opinions would be of small use to her; as she had said herself, she was very determined, and she had made up her mind that they would be of great use instead of small. Her idea must wear itself o

will find Rome all you expected, and I am sure you will; all people of imagination like Rome. As to the galleries, yes, cer

ttention to his other phrases. She had risen, also, and was now confronting him at a distanc

and merely replied, as he took his hat: "Probably you will desert me; you will find out how useless I am. You m

rd? Why, Mr. Noel, I am

d nothing of it; was she, after all, going to-But no; her se

such a cold way! Why, think of it: here I have come all this long distance, bringing mother, too, just to study, and to see you. I shall study hard; I have a good deal of perseverance. It took a good deal to get here in the first place, for we are poor. But I don't mind that at all; the only thing I should m

are seldom good illustrations of t

running yourself down. Many gentlemen do that, and then they think they will be cried up. I don't

wish it, I shall take pleasure in obeying." He added several conventional remarks as filling-up, and then, leaving hi

htened over

them, won't you?-as you cannot come

ild-like teeth, she looked very young. He was fairly caught, and answered,

moning the maid. The last he saw of her she was standing in the open doorway, her face bright and contented, wa

later he

ightful walks?" he said. "I envy y

es here are so foreign! You don't know how disappointed I was, Mr. Noel, when I got your note. It was such a setback! Why couldn't y

that he felt the impulse to walk beside her a while through the old streets of Rome; he was very fond of the old streets, and was curious to see whether she

eyed the Roman artichokes they offered. At last she secured some beans, but of sadly Italian aspect, and Noel took the basket. He was much entertained by the prospect of carrying

the sun," he s

ok the top floor. We will go r

used h

other

ked at him without replying; then held out

en Mr. Jackson?" he sa

speak. Then he saw two

g too much! You are tired. Don't you kn

ot got any one else yet, I have had a good deal to do. But I don't mind that at all, beyond being a little tired; it was only your refusing to come up

tears, but, at the same time, vexed with himself for being there at all. There was not one chance in five

he four hundred and ninety-nine. In his opinio

rike her; the effect would be the same as a blow. He was an excellent evader when he chose to exert himself, and he finally got away from the little high-up apartment without disheartening or offending its young mistress,

met, at a small p

to whom you presented me at Mrs. Dudley's recept

ne; but, knowing it, I suppose they thought that Miss Macks and I would meet, as necessarily as we should if together in their own village. The letter assures me that the girl is a great genius; that all she needs is an opportunity. They even take the ground that it will be a privile

ve not been

t cards, of course; I seldom c

ils, the vegetables, the dismissed servant, and the two tears of

as a great authority. If she really has talent-of course you would know-you must tell me. It is not talent I am so tir

that the young stranger would have no help from Mrs. Lawrence, and he added to himself: "And totally inexperienced purity alon

ally much occupied; he was a favorite in Rome. To his surprise, Jackson seemed to think that Miss Macks had talent. Her work was very crude, of course; she had been brutally taugh

him a long time, and liked him, ill-tempered though he was. Jackson, however, had not shown any especial signs of a liking for Noel in return. Perhaps he thought that, in the nature of things, there could not be much in common between a middle-aged, morose teacher, who worked hard, who knew nothing of society, and did not want to know, and a man like Raymond Noel. True, Noel was also an artist-that

had intended to say; he did, however, mention that the young lady had a mistaken ide

ile, giving his guest a glance of general survey th

lance, and smiled at

he is rather-inexperienced." He dismissed the sub

but he was not noticing them; he detested a crowd. After a while some one touched his coat-sleeve from behind. He turned, with his calmest exp

! I am so delighted that I don't know what to do. I am actually trembling." And she was. "I have so longed

by her earnestness. She looked prettier

with you, Miss Macks," he answered

ive up to it," sh

changel cou

! I have been looking at the Cara

in his charge in order to learn something of the paintings; he used the simplest terms, mentioned the marked characteristics, and those only of the different schools, and spoke a few words of unshaded condemnation here and there. All he said was in broad, plain

t reference to anything I have said, your real opinion of

erything. I al

think, then, of the Ra

k it ve

Andrea Doria, by Se

er st

he Vel

est o

large Claud

pid. There isn't any rea

Mem

hideous, Mr. Noel; it ha

h real amusement, and al

really admire in the galleries h

and me. There is one thing more I should like to ask," she added, as they turned towards the door, "and that is that y

ey call you

nda Faith. But my friends and older people ca

(he was thirty-three); "but I do not like Etti

o old-fashioned! It was

" he answered, leadin

ve enjoyed it," she sai

ot agree with

same it was perfectly

usual, an engagement. She preferred to walk.

Macks this time; he fancied that she followed a system, going through her list of galleries in regular order, one by one, and in that case she would

n her hand, and was alternately reading from them and looking at o

ning, Mis

him her manuscript. There he beheld, written out in her clear handwriting, all he had said of the Doria

two blank s

Macks, apologetically. "If you would tell me, I s

," said Noel. He had taken the manuscript,

pleas

Macks, when you do not agree with them?

Faith. Why do I care? Becaus

u think

sure y

ws, then, tha

n; I have got to study up to you. I am a

d take very little if you would

onvinced? That I

convinced agai

must be convinced to

cript won't

. I wrote it out the evening after I saw you. I only wish I had one for e

you would

me so much of your time as I had hoped for. He says, too, that your art articles will do me quite as much good as you yourself, and more

ed Noel; "I like him extremely. And whe

" she said, joyfully.

ed, still unable to recall the name; he could think o

would care about it,"

e of mothers here than we do in

s Macks, calmly. Evidently she

t Miss Macks in foreign customs. In addition, she was not only not "in society," but s

hall I come for

r me; I will meet you at the gallery,"

her way, not his own. The next morning he went to the Borghese Pala

-the galleries tire her so," she said;

the pictures. She listened to all he

, and, when he was not with her, she went alone, armed with these documents, and worked hard. Her memory was remarkable; she soon knew the names and the order of all the pictures in all the galleries, and had made herself acquainted with an outline, at least, of the lives of all the artists who

ave a morning or half-morning unoccupied, he sent a note to the street of the Hyacinth, naming a gallery and an hour. She was always pro

- was a charming product of the effects of finished cultivation and fashionable life upon a natural foundation of grace, wit, and beauty of the French kind. She was not artificial, because she was art itself. Real art is as real as real nature is natural. Raymond Noel had a highly artistic nature. He admired art. This did not prevent him from taking up occasionally, as a contrast to this lady, th

onal gallantry that he had bestowed upon her in the beginning. He talked to her not as though she was a boy exactly, or an

ore of Faith Macks. She had been a contrast, and he did not now wish for a contrast or a sooth

He made his preparations for departure, and these, of course, included farewell calls. Then he remembered Faith Macks; he had not seen her for six weeks. He drove to the

ad not come before. This he thought a great advance; evidently she was

I suppose it will be six months before I see you again; you will hardly return

bably I shall come back. One always comes back t

we stay here. That is what we c

sion to the heat

ich. We have been through hot summers in Tuscolee, I can tell you!" Then, without asking leave this time, as if she was determined to

alphabet, or, if he had done so, he had soon released her, and allowed her to pursue her own

talked on hopefully, explain

of this?" he said, selecting

iginal. He says that my strongest point is origina

-originality

" Here she paused; something seemed to come into her mind. "I know you do not think so," she added, thoughtfully, "because, you know, you said"-and here

y. He did not reply; his eyes

e if you were right!" she a

always right," he said, smiling, as

mained ver

everything

ly, and turned the conversat

peated, earnestly, with the ut

vantly. "Shall I not have the pleasure of saying good-bye-altho

t as he sat there he had thought that he really would like to have a look at the

ars that you are going away she will

ay, and with her appeared a

er (evidently Noel was never to get

at I'd come in, seeing as 'twas you, though I don't often see strangers nowadays on account of poor health for a long time pa

e feature-was surmounted by an imposing cap, adorned with large bows of scarlet ribbon; a worsted shawl, of the hue known as "solferino," decked her shoulders; under her low-necked collar repo

some retrospective amusement, his condition of mind if th

y-chair. "She has not been so well as usual, lately," she said, expla

in't used to it. Not but what I ain't glad to be here on Ettie'

er's shoulder with a little cares

re left alone. "Her talunts are very remarkable. She was the head scholar of the Young Ladies' Seminary through four whole years, and all the tea

knew perfectly that his opinion was that Miss Macks, as an

in good han

Jackson's respon

l of her. I can see that plain

rned, bringing a littl

st of the best books for me to read this summer, while you are gone. I am

were certainly none of his business; in another w

ble to find the books here. But I will send you, from Paris or Londo

very kind. Her

I send her," he thought, "perhaps in the end she

ook leave. The next