Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-05-17
hour, and he walked unsteadily. Pres

hour, and he walked unsteadily. Pres
emily the train gave an admonitory
lurch. Mr. Devens would lose it, she
thought; no he was coming, quickly but
not surely. His foot may have beer
upon the step when it painted and rolled
forward, and broke up suddenly with q
noise like the crack of doom. Itseemed
to Laura as if the heavens had rolled
together as a scroll at that instant; she
knew what had happened without hear
ing word; she was on her feet, crop
ing her way out amidst the excited
throng, which seemed to part instinct
lively to let her pass. She did not know
that she had called his name tendcrly
wildly, with the terrible solicitude in
her voice which only love lends. She
knew nothing until she found him ly-
ing like death, broken beside the track
white and speechless and mutilated.
She crouched beside him there, whis-
pering tender words, as if he could un-
derstand, as if they two were alone, and
not the spectacle of curious crowd
Il was desperate, Laura, at losing
you, were his first faint words. Il be-
lieve-1 took something to drink k-at
the inn-in Chester-just to forget all
about it, The first-and the last"
There is to this day an unfinished
portrait, turned face to the wall, in the
studio Of Mr.. Raphael Smith. "The
lady never arrived for her last sitting"
Her husband would have purchased it,
but the artist declined to sell an unfin-
ished painting
Il meant the portrait for Christmas
present, dear, to you, said Mrs. Devens;
that was why | went to town so private
ly for my sittings-why | made such a
secret of it"
And the wretched fellow prolonged
the sittings in order to make love to
you"
Il remember the very day when I re-
ceived the postal card from Cousin Jack
her name is Jacqueline, you know,
but we call her Jack for brevity-tel
ing me what day to 60 up for my first
sitting Mrs Bender brought it, and
thought you would be in that evening;
l supposed you would drop in &C any
moment and make up; and then-after-
ward-I had engaged the portrait, and
what excuse could | give for withdraw
ing-and Jack at all the bother of secur-
ing Mr.. Smiths services"
And presently it grew interesting,
with a Raphael at your feet. | will
swear that | heard him kiss you at the
gate, and VOW he should be the hap
pest"
NO, sir; he only kissed my hand, and
said he should be the happiest artist
alive when the picture was finished. and
begged permission to show it to his
friends and 'fellow-students.
But pardon, Mrs. Devens, what was
it you owed Mr.. Smith, for which you
could return so little?"
why, | thought you knew. | owed
him heart, but found myself insolvent.
Somebody had stolen all I had
Indeed" said Mr.. Devens, taking up
his crutch. Il wonder you preferred a
cripple but I'm glad you did
We'll, now, postal-cards don't seem
to give much information after all" !"
considered Mrs. Bender, when she hap
pened to learn the solution of her rid
die. How was l to know that Jack
was only girl, and Laura was just 60
ing to town to have her picture taken?
1t beats all how misleading they are.
All I've got to say is, they might as
well never have been invented
But it was owing to postal-card
that Mr.. Devens married gray-haired
bride, and that Laura Vaughn welded a
crippled lover.