The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-12-17

eyes, the laughing mouth, the fair hair
that was always in disorder, the little
handkerchief tied across her. breast-he
loved 1t all, and it was with reluctance
that he went away. We always 90
away with reluctance when we have
nothing to hope for on our return. 1t
is so hard to leave behind a bit of ones
life, Of which nothing is to remain.
He carried away his picture, how
ever, and it was before it that ne
passed his happiest hours that winter,
always perfecting . work which was al
ready perfect. The picture was ad'
mired; the critics, who were unani.
nous in their enthusiasm, declared thai
such faces could not exist, excepting IN
the brain of a poet or in the magma
ton of Il painter. Maurice listened
smiling, and kept tor himself the secret
of the sweet face that had inspired him
He received brilliant offers for his pic
ture; never had so high a price beer
offered for any of his works; but he re-
fused. and he refused also to allow 1t te
be copied. Since he was never to pos
sess anything of his model but her like
ness. he intended that that should be
his alone.
Autumn was drawing near when ne
returned to the village; twice had the
fires of St. John seen the whlrls OF the
merry dance since he had painted the
portrait, and when he thought OF the
young girl, it was with a smile ina
was somewhat sad. as nc asked hlmsell,
on which of the village rustics she nae
fixed her choice.
His first pilgrimage on arriving wal
! to the forest of chestnut trees; ut the
fall of day-night comes quickly at the
BEGINNING of October-he wandered
down the long path; BUTT was no longer
| dark; it was t1aversed by IN amber sun:
beam. which seemed to have fastened
itself On every one of the leaves which
auiyered on the branches or cracked
beneath his feet. >,
The odor of the dead leaves brought
to him a whole world Of regrets, of re.
membranes of bitterness, stirring up
within him an unspeakable sadness and
a more complete disgustwith everything
that he had I'D to that time. When he
had reached the glade helsat down on
the spot where eighteen months before
he had made the sketch which had since
crowned his renown. The cold stone
seemed to laugh at him ironically for al
that he had suffered.
A peasant girl coduette! q matter
of great consequence surely! She would
have loved me if I had chosen. Many
others have loved painters, and have
followed them to Paris, and then have
disappeared in the scum of the great
city without loading with chains the
one who had initiated them into the
mysteries of art and of intellectual life,
He is a fool who sacrifices to Chi
meras the real goods of this world; the
love of a beautiful girl, the glory which
talent gives, the fortune which success
brings.
While he was thus denying the god:
of his youth, he saw coming toward
him, in the we'll known path, the young
girl of other days, who had grown up,
who had become a woman, in one word,
She was not alone; q rustic vas walk.
ing beside her holding her by the little
finger; o fine fellow, for that matter.
strong and well made. and richly dressed
for q peasant. He bent toward her, m
from time to time wiped away with his
lips q tear from the young girls cheek.
On seeing Maurice they stopped, con.
fused and surprised.
"And it was fer that" thought he,
that 7 respected this fower?"
And he was thinking with contemptu.
Gus pity OF his folly when the young girl
address, d him:
"Thoy will not let us marry, sir"
said she, her voice broken with sobs,
" am poor; he has some property, and
his mother will not have mt for a
daughter-in-law. She talks of disin-
heriting him."
"And you two do not wish him to be
disinherited, do you?" said Maurice,
ironically.
"Indeedm answered the lad. eve
must live"
That is only too true! I pity you,
my children"
They went away. Maurice, left alone
with his head bowed down on his hands
thought for a long time.
His idle fancy had flown away-noth:
ing remained of the slender young cir
but 4 peasant who was still handsome.
but very near becoming an ordinary
matron.
$50 it is with our Dreams" said he,
rising. 1.-THE only sure thing that we
can gather from them is to do Il little
good with them"
The same evening he wrote to Paris.
and 4 few days later he presented him
self ut the young girls house.
SI 1,,,a cold yl,Ir nrrtrait - hp Sai0
to her, in the presence of her astonishet
mother; Il received 4 large sum for it.
1t is quite a fortune. | have brought il
to you in order that you may marry
your lover"