The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-04-09

distant. On the way Mrs. Oytrander
came out Of her swoon sufficiently 10
realize that her friends were deeply dis
tressed about her.
:" IL was only sudden attack OF heart
trouble, something she was subject to-"
she said.
She was taken to her apartment i'm
mediately on arriving at the hotel, and
her friends who had accompanied her
upstairs, fearing that she was going to
be seriously i'll, were told to have no
alarm. "No, it was unnecessary to call
a physician" said she. Mrs. Lovejoy
remained with her until midnight, when
her patient fell into sound sleep.
The next morning Marie was q trifle
late for breakfast, and when she came
down it was noticed that her face, which
had begun to have some color in it, was
still quite pale, but she appeared quite
cheerful, and inquired after their friend,
but made no allusion to the occurrence
of the day before.
Early that afternoon, true to the native
politeness of the French people, he called
to inquire after the health of Mrs. Os-
vate reception room to see him, her
companions being absent on shopping
trip.
He was delighted to find her able to
see him, and hoped she had fully recov-
cred. Had he kept them too long ct the
academy?
Mrs. Ostrander assured him that such
was not the case, and when asked il she
enjoyed the visit aside from her illness,
she replied that until they went to the
water-color department it had been very
pleasant. She then, in answer to O sec
ond interrogation, told him that the sight
of the picture of the old mill brought
up an unpleasant remembrance which,
she was frank to say, was in O measure
the cause of her fainting.
"How peculiar" he said, "that that
picture of all should tend to make one
i'll. On the contrary that was the most
noted work of art in the entire collec-
ton. Why" he continued, shat is the
master piece of Hart, the eminent water
color artist, who was taking all Europe
by storm by his brush. It had taken
the grand prize, and its value in itself
was fortune. Had she never heard of
Jerome Hart? He was an American, he
believed?"
81 have heard of him." she replied
family, and then she asked to be excused,
as she was afraid that she was going to
have a headache, and Mr.. and Mrs.
Loveioy coming In at that moment
relieved the gentleman of embarrass-
ment.
LIS it destiny?" Marie murmured, as
al, II, ho uOfo in hot
room, and gave way to the tears which
she had kept from the gaze of NJ. Men,
nier during a part of their short inter-
view by only the greatest exertion.
She took her tea and breakfast without
going down, and when Mrs. Lovejoy
came to her room for the third or fourth
time she was assured that it was only
headache, and that she would be down in
time for lunch ut noon.
That afternoon she thought she did not
feel well enough to 60 out with Mr.. and
Mrs. Lovejoy, and consequently they
started alone.
As soon as they had departed Marie
hastened to her room and dressed for
going out, and in less than half hour
she entered cab, which was in waiting
for her, having been ordered by one of
the hotel ATTENDANTS, and drove off alone,
going direct to the academy.
She crowded her way through the i'm
mense throng until she stood before the
picture of the old mill. Yes, there was
the same cipher before her that she had
seen six years before. To be sure, it
was not the same picture, but the same
scene in larger form and more minute
in detail and finish; but it was the same
to her.
As she stood there it had another in
tent admirer, she thought, although the
surging column Of people at her back
made general expressions of comment as
they passed it. 1t was a gentleman, she
could see, without raising her eyes, and
when she did look up she found that his
gaze was not directed on the picture but
ut her.
"At last p were the only words he
spoke as he grasped both her hands in
his.
Mrs. Ostrander had an escort to her
homeward ride, and before he he had
left the hotel it had all been explained.
How he had seen her ut the little village
Of Grosvenordale, and from the time he
had caught her glance when passing her
| Ou Iu0 way DdCh 10 lib DOdfuluy uOubc,
from a short sketching trip, he had
longing for her acquaintance, and had
finished up the very sketch of that day,
and learning her name and address from
the Dixons before his departure the next
day he had taken the liberty of sending
her the water-color, although with the
conviction that it was just trlhe i'm
proper, but he couldn't help it. For
couple of days his suspense was agoniz-
ing, and when the picture came back ac-
companIed by the freezing letter, he was
almost broken-hearted. From that time
he had loved herl
Conveniently removed from Paris, in
suburban district, is now q charming
villa, where Jerome Hart, Justly called
the greatest water-color artist is the
world, and his wife live the happiest of
mortals. In the richly furnished draw
ing-room of the house hangs. picture
of the old mill, but not the one from the
Royal Academy. 1t is a smaller one and
Marie Hart thinks she likes it better.