ITIE STORY OF A PICTURE .

obeerfulness, has not changed in the least; and so
much is she admired by all who know or even see her,
that it is a general subject of surmise and wonder who
is the young noble or gentleman who will be fortunate
enough to win her hand. But Maria cares not for
either the gay or the wealthy, who strive to win her
affections. For two years she has now been the
light and life of her brother's new home, and she
seems to think of nothing but his happiness, and that
of the beautiful young wife whom he has but lately
brought there. She is a Florentine lady of high birth
and rare accomplishments, but with an unusually gifted
mind, she possesses a sweetness of disposition which,
even on their first meeting, endeared her to Maria.
It is hard to tell which of them is really the mistress
of the Villa di Selvico, but certain it is that every-
thing goes rightly and happily beneath their care.
Maria lives there like a fairy in an enchanted palace,
turning to gladness and beauty everything on which
she looks; Francesca seems more like a spirit of peace,
across whose still bright pathway no shadow can fall.
 Yet in the midst of all the pleasures and pastimes
which were at her command, Maria often spent whole
hours together alone; and almost always during the
brightest part of the day she was to be found in a little
room, which looked out upon the garden, and which
was commonly called Maria's studio." For, as she
grew up, the love of art, which had made itself ap-
parent in her when she was quite a child, had increased
with every year; while the remembrance of Pietro
and her few first lessons made it still dearer to her.
But she had now acquired some skill with the pencil,
and since we saw her last, her natural talent had been
aided by instructions from some of the best masters.
During the last years of her uncle's life, he had ex.