ual　exhibition　of　the　Academicians　and　their　associates；　and　the　smaller　ones　were　given　over　to　the　students；　　one；　a　better　lighted　apartment；　being　filled　with　the　usual　collection　of　caststhe　Milo；　the　Fighting　Gladiator；　Apollo　Belvidere；　Venus　de　Medici；　etc。；　etc。；　the　other　being　devoted　to　the　uses　of　the　life…class　and　its　models。　Not　the　nude。　Whatever　may　have　been　clone　in　the　studios；　in　the　class…room　it　was　always　the　draped　model　that　posed　the　old　woman　who　washed　for　a　living　on　the　top　floor；　or　one　of　her　chubby　children　or　buxom　daughters；　or　perhaps　the　peddler　who　strayed　in　to　sell　his　wares　and　left　his　head　behind　him　on　ten　different　canvases　and　in　as　many　different　positions。
  The　casts　themselves　were　backed　up　against　the　walls；　some　facing　the　windows　for　lights　and　darks；　and　others　pushed　toward　the　middle　of　the　room；　where　the　glow　of　the　gas…jets　could　accentuate　their　better　points。　The　Milo；　by　right　of　divinity；　held　the　centre　positionshe　being　beautiful　from　any　point　of　sight　and　available　from　any　side。　The　Theseus　　and　the　Gladiator　stood　in　the　corners；　affording　space　for　the　stools　of　two　or　three　students　and　their　necessary　easels。　Scattered　about　on　the　coarse；　whitewashed　walls　were　hung　the　smaller　life…casts；　fragments　of　the　bodyan　arm；　leg；　or　hand；　or　sections　of　a　headand　tucked　in　between　could　be　found　cheap　lithographic　productions　of　the　work　of　the　students　and　professors　of　the　Paris　and　Dusseldorf　　schools。　The　gas…lights　under　which　the　students　　worked　at　night　were　hooded　by　cheap　paper　shades　of　the　students'　own　fashioning；　and　the　lower　sashes　of　the　windows　were　smeared　with　whitewash　or　covered　with　newspapers　to　concentrate　the　light。　During　working　hours　the　drawing…boards　were　propped　upon　rude　easels　or　slanted　on　overturned　chairs；　the　students　sitting　on　three…legged　stools。
  A　gentle…voiced；　earnest；　whole…souled　old　man　the　one　only　instructorpresided　over　this　temple　of　art。　He　had　devoted　his　whole　life　to　the　sowing　of　figs　and　the　reaping　of　thistles；　and　in　his　old　age　was　just　beginning　to　see　the　shoots　of　a　new　art　forcing　　their　way　through　the　quickening　clay　of　American　　civilization。　Once　in　awhile；　as　assistants　in　this　almost　hopeless　task；　there　would　stray　into　his　class…room　some　of　the　painters　who；　unconsciously；　were　founding　a　national　art　and　in　honor　of　whom　a　grateful　nation　will　one　day　search　the　world　over　for　marble　white　enough　on　which　to　perpetuate　their　memories：　men　as　distinct　in　their　aims；　methods；　　and　results　as　was　that　other　group　of　unknown　and　despised　immortals　starving　together　at　that　very　time　in　a　French　village　across　the　seaand　men；　too；　equally　deserving　of　the　esteem　and　gratitude　　of　their　countrymen。
  Oliver　knew　the　names　of　these　distinguished　visitors　　to　the　Academy；　as　did　all　the　other　members　of　the　Skylarks；　and　he　knew　their　work。　The　pictures　　of　George　Inness；　Sanford　Gifford；　Kensett；　McEntee；　Hart；　Eastman　Johnson；　Hubbard；　Church；　Casilaer；　Whittredge；　and　the　others　had　been　frequently　discussed　around　the　piano　on　the　top　floor　at　Miss　Teetum's；　and　their　merits　and　supposed　　demerits　often　hotly　contested。　He　had　met　Kensett　once　at　the　house　of　Mr。　Slade；　and　McEntee　had　been　pointed　out　to　him　as　he　left　the　theatre　one　night；　but　few　of　the　others　had　ever　crossed　his　path。
  Of　the　group　Gifford　appealed　to　him　most。　One　golden　〃Venice〃　of　the　painter；　which　hung　in　a　picture…store；　always　delighted　hima　stretch　of　the　Lagoon　with　a　cluster　of　butterfly　sails　and　a　far…　away　line　of　palaces；　towers；　and　domes　lying　like　a　string　of　pearls　on　the　horizon。　There　was　another　of　Kensett's；　a　point　of　rocks　thrust　out　like　a　mailed　hand　into　a　blue　sea；　and　a　McEntee　of　October　woods；　all　brown　and　gold；　but　the　Gifford　he　had　never　forgotten；　nor　will　anyone　else　who　has　seen　it。
  No　wonder　then　that　all　his　life　he　remembered　that　particular　night；　when　a　slender；　dark…haired　man　in　loose　gray　clothes　sauntered　into　the　class…　room　and　moved　around　among　the　easels；　giving　a　suggestion　here　and　a　word　of　praise　there；　for　that　was　the　night　on　which　Professor　Cummings　touched　our　young　hero's　shoulder　and　said：　〃Mr。　Gifford　likes　your　drawing　very　much；　Mr。　Horn〃a　word　of　praise　which；　as　he　wrote　to　Crocker；　steadied　his　uncertain　fingers　〃as　nothing　else　had　ever　done。〃
  The　students　in　his　school　were　from　all　stations　in　life：　young　and　old；　all　of　them　poor；　and　most　of　them　struggling　along　in　kindred　professions　and　occupationsengravers；　house…painters；　lithographers；　　and　wood…carvers。　Two　or　three　were　sign…　painters。　One　of　thesea　big…boned；　blue…eyed　young　follow；　who　drew　in　charcoal　from　the　cast　at　night；　and　who　sketched　the　ships　in　the　harbor　during　the　daycame　from　Kennedy　Square；　or　rather　from　one　of　the　side　streets　leading　out　of　it。 There　can　still　be　found　over　the　door　of　what　was　once　his　shop　a　weather…beaten　example　of　his　skill　in　gold　letters；　the　product　of　his　own　hand。　Above　the　signature　is；　or　was　some　ten　years　since；　a　small　decorative　panel　showing　a　strip　of　yellow　sand；　a　black　dot　of　a　boat；　and　a　line　of　blue　sky；　so　true　in　tone　and　sure　in　composition　that　when　Mr。　Crocker　first　passed　that　way　and　stood　astounded　before　itas　did　Robinson　Crusoe　over　Friday's　footprinthe　was　so　overjoyed　to　find　another　artist　besides　himself　in　the　town；　that　he　turned　into　the　shop；　and　finding　only　a　young　mechanic　at　work；　said：
  〃Go　to　New　York；　young　man；　and　study；　you　have　a　career　before　you。〃
  The　old　landscape…painter　was　a　sure　prophet；　little　　pen…and…ink　sketches　bearing　the　initials　of　this　same　sign…painter　now　sell　for　more　than　their　weight　in　gold；　while　his　larger　canvases　on　the　walls　of　our　museums　and　galleries　hold　their　place　beside　the　work　of　the　marine…painters　of　our　own　and　other　times　and　will　for　many　a　day　to　come。
  This　exile　from　Kennedy　Square　had　been　the　first　man　to　shake　Oliver's　hand　the　night　he　entered　the　cast…room。　Social　distinctions　had　no　place　in　this　atmosphere；　it　was　the　fellow　who　in　his　work　came　closest　to　the　curve　of　the　shoulder　or　to　the　poise　of　the　head　who　proved；　in　the　eyes　of　his　fellow…　students；　his　possession　of　an　ancestry：　but　the　ancestry　　was　one　that　skipped　over　the　Mayflower　and　went　straight　back　to　the　great　Michael　and　Rembrandt。
  〃I'm　Jack　Bedford；　the　sign…painter；〃　he　said；　heartily。　〃You　and　I　come　from　the　same　town；〃　and　as　they　grasped　each　other's　hands　a　new　friendship　　was　added　to　Oliver's　rapidly　increasing　list。
  Oliver's　seat　was　next　to　Fred；　with　Jack　Bedford　on　his　right。　He　had　asked　to　join　this　group　not　only　because　he　wanted　to　be　near　his　two　friends　but　because　he　wanted　still　more　to　be　near　the　Milo。　He　had　himself　selected　a　certain　angle　of　the　head　because　he　had　worked　from　that　same　point　of　sight　with　Mr。　Crocker；　and　it　had　delighted　him　beyond　measure　when　the　professor　allowed　him　to　place　his　stool　so　that　he　could　almost　duplicate　his　earlier　drawing。　His　ambition　was　to　get　into　the　life…class；　and　the　quickest　road；　he　knew；　lay　through　a　good　cast　drawing。　Every　night　for　a　week；　therefore；　he　had　followed　the　wonderful　lines　of　the　Milo's　beautiful　body；　which　seemed　to　grow　with　warmth　under　the　flare　of　the　overhanging　gas…jets。
  These　favored　life　students　occupied　the　room　next　to　the　casts。　Mother　Mulligan；　in　full　regalia　of　apron　and　broom；　often　sat　there　as　a　model。　Oliver　　had　recognized　her　portrait　at　once；　so　can　anyone　　else　who　looks　over　the　earlier　studies　of　half　the　painters　of　the　time。
  〃Oh；　it's　you；　is　it〃　Mrs。　Mulligan　herself　had　cried　when　she　met　Oliver　in　the　hall；　〃the　young　gentleman　that　saved　Miss　Margaret's　dog？　She'll　be　here　next　week　herselfshe's　gone　home　for　awhile　up　into　the　mountains；　where　her　old　father　and　mother　live。　I　told　her　many　times　about　ye；　and　she'll　be　that　pleased　to　meet　ye；　now　that　you're　WAN　of　us。〃
  It　was　delightful　to　hear　her　accent　the　〃wan。〃　Mother　Mulligan　always　thought　the　institution　rested　on　her　broad　shoulders；　and　that　the　students　were　part　of　her　family。
  The　old　woman　could　also　have　told　Oliver　of　Margaret's　　arrival　at　the　school；　and　of　the　impression　which　she；　the　first　and　only　girl　student；　made　on　the　night　she　took　her　place　before　an　easel。　But　of　the　reason　of　her　coming　Mrs。　Mulligan　could　have　told　nothing；　nor　why　Margaret　had　been　willing　　to　exchange　the　comforts　of　a　home　among　the　New　Hampshire　hills　for　the　narrow　confines　of　a　third…story　back　room；　with　Mrs。　Mulligan　as　house…　keeper　and　chaperon。
  Fred　knew　all　the　details；　of　course；　and　how　it　had　all　come　about。　How　a　cousin　of　Margaret's　who　lived　on　a　farm　near　her　father's　had　one　day；　years　before；　left　his　plough　standing　in　the　furrow　and　apprenticed　himself　to　a　granite…cutter　in　the　next　town。　How　later　on　he　had　graduated　in　gravestones；　and　then　in　bas…reliefs；　and　finally　had　won　a　medal　in　Rome　for　a　figure　of　〃Hope；〃　which　was　to　mark　the　grave　of　a　millionnaire　at　home。　How　when　the　statue　was　finished；　ready　to　be　set　up；　this　cousin　had　come　to　Brookfield；　wearing　a　square…　cut　beard；　straight…out　mustaches　with　needle…points；　and　funny　shoes　with