these purveyors to the world's taste don't mince matters with
their journeymen. They remind them pretty plainly of their shortcomings;
but considering how much of pure opinion must enter into these things,
they might have uttered their judgments with more diffidence."

"They may not always know what is best, Gusty; but I take it, they can
guess very correctly as to what the public will think best."

"How humiliating it makes labor when one has to work to please a popular
taste! I always had fancied that the author or the painter or the
musician stood on a sort of pedestal, to the foot of which came the
publisher, entreating that he might be permitted to catch the utterings
of genius, and become the channel through which they should flow into
an expectant world; and now I see it is the music-seller or the
print-seller is on the pedestal, and the man of genius kneels at his
feet and prays to be patronized."

"I am sure, Gusty," said she, drawing her arm within his, as he stood
at the window,--"I am sure we must have friends who would find you some
employment in the public service that you would not dislike, and you
would even take interest in. Let us see first what we could ask for."

"No; first let us think of whom we could ask for it."

"Well, be it so. There is Sir Francis Deighton; isn't he a Cabinet
Minister?"

"Yes. My father gave him his first rise in life; but I 'm not sure they
kept up much intimacy later on."

"I'll write to him, Gusty; he has all the Colonial patronage, and could
easily make you governor of something tomorrow. Say 'yes;' tell me I may
write to him."

"It's not a pleasant task to assign you, dear Nelly," said he, with a
sad smile; "and yet I feel you will do it better than I should."

"I shall write," said she, boldly, "with the full assurance that Sir
Francis will be well pleased to have an opportunity to serve the son of
an old friend and benefactor."

"Perhaps it is that my late defeats have made me cowardly--but I own,
Nelly, I am less than hopeful of success."

"And I am full of confidence. Shall I show you my letter when I have
written it?"

"Better not, Nelly. I might begin to question the prudence of this, or
the taste of that, and end by asking you to suppress it all. Do what you
like, then, and in your own way."

Nelly was not sorry to obtain permission to act free of all trammels,
and went off to her room to write her letter. It was not till after many
attempts that sh