Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-02-27
The Romance of a Water-CO

Pretty Marie Lawrence sat In the ele-
gantly furnished library, dividing her
attentions between the book she had in
one hand and the sprightly little kitten
in her lap, which playfully toyed with
the trimming on her dress, when her
father entered, having returned from his
office intent on getting the cream of the
days news before dinner was served by
hasty scanning of the daily papers.
by the way, Marie" he said, rather
absent-mindedly, rs he settled into a
large easy chair, there's little package
on the table in the hall which the ex-
pressman left at the office to-day"
For me, did you say, pap Why, Pm
not expecting anything by express
The matter was quickly settled by
Marie going into the hall and returning
with package about an inch and a half
thick and perhaps foot by foot and a
half square. There could be no mistake
about it, for there were the name and
address as plain as could be. The small
red label showed that it had come from
New York,
II don't see what it is or whom it is
from, y she said, as she laid it down to 60
In pursuit of something with which TO
cut the binding cord and wrapper.
A moment later she held at arms
lerg 9Th little landscape done in water
colors and enclosed in an artistic gold
leaf frame.
She was not long in recognizing the
locality, however, from which it was
sketched, for it was perfectly fami lar
to her, being the old mill in the town
where she spent a portion of every sum-
mer. Yes, there was the pond stretch
ing back till it was lost in the distance
and the little stream as it crossed the
roadway under the single-arched stone
bridge seemed true to nature. How
often had she visited that old mil, made
dear to her perhaps by girlhood's mem
= cries!
But who was the artist that haC
painted it, and why had it been sent tC
her?
, Sure enough, among her long list o
acquaintance there was not singh
artist.
In the lower right-hand corner ther
4 was a cipher which had escaped be
scrutiny, and which on closer examina
tion took the form of 81. H."
Mr.. Lawrence regarded the pictur
for minute, and as he handed it bacl
u to his daughter he said that whoeve
the author of it was he was far from be
= ing novice, for such blending of iigh
and shade was rarely seen.
The remainder of the household wer
taken into the library after dinner
look at the picture, and many were tn
q utterances in admiration of it, an
many were the surmises as to why
had been so Unexpectedly sent to Marie
a The mother said that probably it woul
- be explained in good time. And SUI
- enough, for the next mornings ma
brought letter for Miss Lawren(
which partially cleared up he myster,
"And so Jerome Hart is a : artist an
= strives to enter into corr, pondent
y with me, does hep and Marie stampe
her pretty foot in an impetuous mann
and threw the letter to her mott cr
Mrs. Lawrence read it slowly, and
she returned it to the envelope 81
to asked her daughter if she had any i'd
he who Mr.. Hart was.
N, mot the faintest, only that the lett
nN says he is an artist and has his studio
No. 1856 - street, New York" :" came t
response, land he must be as poor
Judgment as such people generally a
in pocket to send me picture one da
ere followed by letter on the next, sayi
ore that he has had desire for some time
ms know me, and trusts that will ke
ay. the sketch, which of course means
an start correspondence with the tellt
ne by writing a note of acceptance" 6
,er- continued, showing her displeasure
ing much in her expression as in her speeC
.itV ITO be sure" Mrs. Lawrence sa
the " it was peculiar way of seeking
uld acquaintanceship which must OF cou
J of follow should the picture be kept" a
ion she quickly decided that 1t must be
lgle turned. 30 the next, express 10 n
and York bore the package Wnlch |
lor- created the admiration ana at last
era disp peasure of the family. A let
ate written by Mrs. Lawrence was pla,
ade within the package, In when she prl'
Y of but concisely stated that she could
for, moment think of her daugf