"What do you work at, and what do you play at?"
"My work generally consists in attending at the public store; I sell in the hosiery department at New York."
"And what do you play at?"
"Sculpture."
"She's a great sculptor," volunteered Cleon, nodding at her from the other side of the table.
"No, I am not," deprecated Anna; "I am not recognized."
I looked at the Mater inquiringly.
"By 'recognized,'" said the Mater, "she means the state hasn't recognized her; that is to say, she has to do her work at the store or wherever else she is assigned during the regular three hours a day. When the state recognizes her—as it is sure to do one of these days—she will be allowed to devote all her time to sculpture."
"I don't believe the state will ever recognize her," said Ariston; "she is a great deal too good. That Sixth is a fool!"
"Sixth is head of the fine arts department," explained the Mater. "His full name is Sprague Sixth; six generations ago we had a great artist called Sprague, who was for twenty years our secretary of the fine arts, and one of his sons has borne his name ever since, until it has become a tradition in Massachusetts that we must have a Sprague at the head of our fine arts. This man Sprague Sixth, whom we call Sixth for short, doesn't believe anybody can be good at art unless he has studied in the state school. Now Anna did not show any talent until her school days were over and she had been assigned to work in the store."