Mrs. Flaxman had something for each one
of them, and then I followed. When I reached Samuel and handed him the
watch from which was suspended a glittering chain, his politeness quite
forsook him. "Golly, but that's a stunner," he ejaculated involuntarily.
Suddenly remembering himself he said, very humbly: "Thank you, ma'am."
Thomas regarded his book with some apprehension; but turning over the
leaves, the pictures of so many handsome horses reconciled him. After
they had filed out I took my opportunity to deliver the gifts I had
prepared with much care for Mr. Winthrop and Mrs. Flaxman; for the latter
an idealized portrait of Hubert, in a heavy gilt frame, which I had
painted from a photograph; and for Mr. Winthrop a much better picture of
Oaklands than the one he already possessed.
I turned to Mr. Bovyer uncertainly, and, after a moment hesitation, said:
"I have a bit of my work here for you; but it is so little worth. I am
ashamed to offer it." I handed him the folded leaves, tied with ribbons,
of Longfellow's "Reapers and the Angels," which I had spent some time in
trying to illustrate, with the hope one day of turning it into cash. He
thanked me, I thought, with unnecessary fervor, considering the smallness
of the gift, and stood examining my poor attempt to express the poet's
meaning by brush and pencil.
"I say, Winthrop, this is really clever for one so young."
Mr. Winthrop took the book and turned over the leaves.
"You have reason to be proud, Medoline, that one of our severest art
critics has pronounced favorably on your work.
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