The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1878-06-01

child crying for the moon. He hac
better go home and marry Prue. Their
he moved forwsrd swiftly as leopard
had reached the gate and placed a com
pelllng hand upon Laura's before she
was aware of his neighborhood.
That man-who left you just now
who kissed you-you-who is he? You
are going to marry himp' he gasped az
if he challenged her to deny it.
"And you are going to marry Pru.
dence Bender" returned Laura's terse
tones. Let me wish you JOY" The
hand that held hers dropped like lead
He hung his head like one convicted
and walked away without word.
Looking drearily out of the car-win.
dow ON the following morning, on her
way to Boston, Laura's eyes fell upon
Mr.. Devens making his way toward the
refreshment-room, having just left the
cars. She fancied that there was some
thing strange in his appearance. Was
he i'll? Could he have been watching +?
He had haggard, addressed air, as if
he had been up over night, and had not
found time to adjust himself to the hour,
and he walked unsteadily. Presently
the train gave an admonitory lurch,
Mr.. Devens would lose it, she thought
no, he was coming, quickly but not sure
ly. His foot may have been upon the
step when it painted and rolled forward
and broke up suddenly with noise like
the crack of DOOM 1t seemed to Laura
as if the heavens had rolled together as
scroll at that instant. She knew what
had happened without hearing a word
Lob =
amidst the excited throng, which seemed
to part instinctively to let her pass She
did not know that she had called his
name tenderly, wildly, with the terrible
sOlicitude in her voice which only love
lends. She knew nothing till she found
him lying like death, broken, beside the
track, white and speeches. and mutila-
ted. She crouched beside him there,
whispering tender words, as if he could
understand, as if they two were alone,
and not the spectacle of curious crowd.
" l was desperate, Laura, at losing
you," were his first faint words. 81 be-
level took something to drink-at the
inn-in Chester-just to forget about it
all. The frst-and the last"
There is to this day an unfinished por-
/
studio of Mr.. Raphael Smith.
"The lady never arrived for her last
sitting" he explains Her husband
would have purchased it, but the artist
declined to sell an unfinished painting.
meant the portrait for Christmas
present, dear, to you," said Mrs. Devens.
"That was why L went to town SO pri-
vately to my sittings, why | made such
a secret of it"
"And the wretched fellow prolonged
the sittings in order to make love to
you"
remember the very day when re-
ceived the postal card from Cousin Jack
her name is Jacqueline, but we call
her Jack for brevity-telling me what
day to go up for my first sitting. Mrs
Bender brought it, and | thought you
would be in that evening. | supposed
you would drop it at any moment and
make up; and hen-afterward-I had
engaged the portrait, and what excuse
could | give for withdrawing, and Jack
at all the bother of securing Mr.. Smith
servicesw
"And presently it grew interesting
with a Raphael at you feet. | will
swear that l heard him kiss you at the
gate, and VOW he should be the hap
pest"
"No, sir; he only kissed my hand, anG
said he should be the happiest artist alive
when the picture was finished, anc
begged permission SO show it to hi:
friends and fellow-students'
But pardon, Mrs. Devens; what was
it you owed Mr.. Smith for which you
could return SO little?'
Why, I thought you knew. / owed
him a heart, but found myself insolvent
Somebody had stolen all had"
" Indeed" said Mr.. Devens, taking III
his crutch, al wonder you preferred
cripple; but Pm glad you did"
Well, now, postal cards don't seem tC
give much information, after all" con
sidered Mrs. Bender, when she happened
to hear the solution of the riddle, How
was l to know that Jack was only a girl
and Laura was just going to town to have
her picture taken? 1t beats all how
misleading they are. All I've goG to say
is, they might as well never have beer
invented"
But it was owing to postal card thai
Mr.. Devens married a gray-haired.
and that Laura Vaughn welded Grip
pied lover.-Ha1per's Bazor.