Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-10-25

Master made me go anu look at MS
pitcher. ma'am the one on the weasel.
Beautiful, | call it. y
eyes. it is, said Daisy, who rather
spoiIt Jones from having no one else
to talk to when her husband was busy.
But it stands on an easel, not a weas-
el, Jones.
YES m
When her maid was gone Daisy sat
down and sighed once more.
1.-THE prettiest woman he had ever
painted, he called her. And she has
such sweet expression. And am
too short / wonder what he married
short girl for, if he wants to paint
| tall ones. / could have stood on some
thing No. it isn't because | shouldn't
do. He likes having her, | know he
does. Well, the picture will be finish
ed soon, and then she'll be done with.
/ | suppose ke doesn't think | should
look we'll in a Gainsborough hat and
long cloak. "
She fetched sorse water and refresh
ed the plants that bloomed IN the
window, though with melancholy
and resigned air like a much ill-used
woman resolved TO bear her wrongs
with patience. After that there were
so many little housekeeping duties to
fulfill, that, by degrees, her fancied
griefs were forgotten.
There was a dainty pudding to make
with her own fair hands, for Justin
objected to Jones cooking; there were
the cut flowers to arrange for the
table; there was the man who came
with the gilt frames, and who was de
termined TO see Mr.. Lester to be spoken
to and sent away; there were all her
husbands beloved little pots, jars and
vases, that he called his properties, to
be busted, he permitting them to Or
nament the drawing-room on condl-
ton that Jones should never touch
them: there were a hundred other lit
tie things TO do, of whose existence no
one without house Of her own would
dream
But, after her solitary luncheon,
when the afternoon gave her no more
active occupation than piece of nee
dlework, her thoughts turned to the
beautiful model with wearying ser
sistency.
~ viii go and look in to see how
Justin is getting on, she said, at last,
sticking her needle safely into the
hem on which she was engaged, and
trying to think she was going to do the
most natural thing in the world TN
go very quietly, and then he surely
won't mind. y
She went out at the back, crossed
the intervening yard. and laid her
hand ON the knob Of the studio door,
half hesitating. Then she turned it
gently and drew back the heavy cur
tain hung itinside to keep out the
draught
For two on three seconds she stood
there, with her face gradully assum-
ing deathly whiteness; for there, his
back toward her. was the artist, his
model in his arms The Gainsborough /
hat lay against his shoulder; and his |
head was bent, as if to catch the
whispered words OF her who wore it. |
Daisy let fall the curtain, shut the |
door as gently as she had opened it, |
and hurried back into the house.
When the daylight was fading
Justin Lester locked up his studio and |
went in to look for his wife.
There was no answer to his loud |
DAISY, where are youp but Jones |
came running out of the kitchen.
"Missis is gone out, sir; but she
lefta note for you on the dining-room
table"
lie entered tho dining-room, wond-
ering ON his wife's part opened the
letter and read;
81 have gone home to mamma. |
wish | had mover left her.
That was all; and it puzzled him
not % little. He sat down on the
table, which gave a demonstrating
crack, reread the note, frowned heav-
lily, crumpled it up; then, relenting,
smoothed it out, and stared at 1T once
more.
ooh, very well,' he said, abruptly
at last, as before his minds eye rose
the weak, vain widow from whose ma
ternal embrace he had taken his Daisy
Whatever she has got into her head
my dear mother-in-law Will encour
age her to keep there.
He walked about the room with his
hands clasped behind him; uncon-
sciously brushing the table-cloth aw-
nv, aud kicking the chairs out of their
usual positions i'm his hasty passage to
and fro; giving vent now and then,
TO his feelings i'm such expressions MS
1 .Pshaw ~ absurd ~ "What on
earth"
Then, acting. ON a sudden impulse,
+ he sat down 10y Daisy little writing