Morris tribune., 1880-05-13
TIE ROMANCE OF A WATER
COLOR.


Pretty Maria Lawrence sat in the ele-
gantly furnished library, dividing her at
tention between the books she had in
her hand and the sprightly little kitten
in her lap, which playfully toyed with
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 as he settled into large
easy chair, "there's a little package on
the table in the hall which the express
man lett at the office to-day"
For me, did you say, pa9 Why, I'm
not expecting anything by express"
The matter was quickly settled by
Marie going into the hall and returning
with package about an inch and half
thick and perhaps foot by loot and a
half square. There could be no mistake
about II, for there were the name and sd-
dress as plain as could be. The small
red label showed that 1t had come from
New York.
II don't see what it is or whom it is
FROM" she said, as she laid it down to 60
in pursuit of something with which to
cut the binding cord and wrapper.
A moment latter she held her arms
length 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 familiar to
her, being the old mill in the town where
he spent portion of every summer. Yes,
there was the pond stretching back until
it was lost in the distance and the stream
as it crossed the roadway under the sim
gle arched stone bridge seemed true to
nature. How often had she visited that
old mill, made dear to her perhaps by
girlhood's memories!
But who was the artist that had paint
ed it, and why had it been sent to her7
Surely, among her long list of scquain-
tances there really was not single art
ist.
In the lower right hand corner there
was cipher which had escaped her scru-
tiny, and which on closer examination
took the form of ~. H"
Mr.. Lawrence regarded the picture tor
4 minute, and as he handed 1t back to his
daughter he said that whoever the author
Of 1t was, ne was far from being novice,
tor such blending of light and shade was
rarely seen.
TIE remainder of the household were
taken into the library after dinner, to see
the picture, aud many were the utteranc-
es IN admiration of it, and many were the
Surmises as to why it had been so unex-
pectedly sent to Marie The mother said
that probably it would be explained IN
good time. And sure enough, the next
mornings mail brought letter for Miss
Lawrence which partially cleared up the
mystery.
'And SO Jerome Hart is an artist and
strives to enter into correspondence with
me, does he!" and Marie stamped hel
pretty foot in an impetuous manner and
threw the letter to her mother.
Mrs. Lawrence read it slowly, and as
she returned it to the envelope she asked
her daughter if she had any idea who Mr.
Hart was.
mot in the faintest, only that the let
ter says he is an artist and has his studio
at No. 155 street, New York." came
the response, sand he must be as poor In
judgment as such people generally are in
pocket to send me picture one day, fol.
lowed by letter on the next, saying thai
he has had desire for some time to know
me, AID trusts that will keep the sketch
which, of course, means to start CORES.
pondence with the fellow by writing 8
note Of acceptance" she continued, show
ing her displeasure as much in her ex
preston as in her speech.
ho c11ro Nrc T ,osJ az.
was peculiar way OF seeking an &C
quaintanceshIp which must of course fol
low should the picture be kept" and sht
quickly decided that it must be returned
So the next express to New York bore
the package which had created the adj
miration and at last the displeasure O
the family. A letter written by Mrs
Lawrence was placed within the package
in which she briefly but concisely stated
that she could not for moment think O
her daughter keeping the water-colo
without the acquaintance, by Legitimate
means, of its painter. Surely, Mr.. HART
letter was on its face honest in purpose
but there was no alternative; the rules O
etiquette must not be disregarded
or the lovely Marie might oecom
connected with vagabond ADVENTURE
Months passed, but the circumstanc
would not free itself from Mary's mind
and her father and mother had spoken o
tmore than once.
One day the mail brought letter t.
Miss Lawrence from Margery Lovejoy,
very dear friend, who summered at tn
same rural town with her, and who, wo
man like, pretended to be regular cor
respondent, but it was only when sh,
had some bit of news of social natur
to communicate that she ever wrote.
'Do you know, Marie,'' wrote Mis-
Lovejoy, "that have found the nam
and all about the young gentleman wit
the fine, manly face and lovely physiqu
who stopped at Dixon's, up at Grosven
ordale tor week last summer. You vii
remember him, and how we used to driv
our heads almost crazy with wonderin
why he took such long walks every day
always carrying portfolio under hi
arm. There is one thing that which yo
will certainly remember, and that is, this
you did nothing but rave over him, an
when be caught your eye one afternoon
as We passed him while out strolling, 20
declared that you knew you could lov
him with little urging. Well, I won
keep you in suspense any longer. A shol
time ago, / went to New York to Wis
nv Aunt Julia, and one evening cousi
Tom took me to the theater, where a
most the first face I noticed was that {
our.A6rE r-admiration of last sun
mer. After making sure that there We
no mistake, I asked Tom If he knew VIII
the young gentleman was, pointing hii
ont in an unobselved way with my fal
ana he said it was young Hart-Jerom
Hart. he believed---and that he was Ii
Young man whose water-color painting