Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-11-07
HIS IDEAL.

BY Mary G. Preston
| "Of all the loves on earth-a man in
lovew Hal Liscomb exclaimed, watch
ing the clouds of blue vapor ascending
| among the branches. Il wish, with my
whole heart, that the whole mass Of
women could be sent to an island in the
South Sea!'
His companion looked off to the west,
softened light in his hazel eyes, a
smile On his mustached lip.
! GLOW many Of our own sex do you
think would remain here, then ?" he
questioned. "Hal, you ought to fall in
love yourself; it's the making of fell
low; and when you do take the malady,
which you certainly will sometime,
won't you take it badly! All you wom-
en-haters do; it's a sort of Judgment on
them"
"When / do" and there Was vol
u,ne in the tone. "When I do, you may
laugh at me, as feel inclined"
Galloping hoof's struck on the even
ing quiet, and Hal left his sentence un-
finished, lifting himself On his elbow to
sec the horse and rider. A little Black
pony WAS coming along the highway at
full speed, bearing q girl whose beauty
was enhanced by her enjoyment, and
1,o oI ot ,,,
die; she did not see the two friends,
who were lying among the shadows
just in from the roadway; and in g. mo-
ment as it seemed, she had appeared
and vanished. leaving behind her but
the memory of her dark face, her flow
ing black hair, and her upright, grace.
full figure. for the falling shadows hid
her from them instantly.
Grant Lawson merely lifted his dark
head, and allowed it to fall back again
into his clasped hands, when he saw
the rider. But he. smiled rather
satiric,l smile as Hal, hinging his cigar
hurr1edly away, sprang to his feet, try
ing to follow the vanishing beauty with
his eyes.
In the name Of all the goddesses :"
he cried, "What have we seen, Grant ?"
zone of those animals which are not
desirable this side of the South Sea, I"
Grant answered, indolently. 'She has
| few others Like you at her chariot
| wheels, Hal. Don't lose your head
Jove?" looking at his watch, ''well be
late for dinner! No wonder Ethel was
riding like a jockey. Come, Hal" And
he lifted himself from his easy position,
took up his hat, and prepared to pro-
! coed toward his home.
"Ethel?" Hal repeated, as they
walked along els that the cousin you
were telling me OFF,"
"The same. told her of you too told
! her you were q woman .hater."
Every kind Of you, Hal answered grim
ly. "What did she say?"
ooh, not much. She remarked that
there was always something wrong with
men who rallied at women. By the way"
he continued, inwardlv amused by the
uncomfortable look on his friends face,
show are you doing with your great
picture?"
"Failing," Hal said ,laconically. "Can't
find my ideal face; and the face / want is
that OF a woman, too"
"What sort Of face do you want :?
| Don't be too ideal, since you paint for
human eyes, my friend"
II have never sought it in 8 ball
room," Hal responded, a trif1e bitterly.
IT never fancied would find itin the
trained beauties Of society, for I want a
face of truth and purity, spirited, but
gentle; peaceful, but not lacking soul !;
pure, but not too spirituelle. T want
deep, earnest eyes, soulful, steady, ten
der but fearless, with something holy in
their depths; gentle, earnest lips, that
look as though they can qulver as read
| lily as smile, that can reproach where
there is wrong or commend where there
is right; a broad, low brow, with marks
of Ideally and tender thought; masses
of dark hair: falling far in rich disorder,
framing this face of mime"
"Yours?" with an uplifting of Grants
eyebrows. "You would want no one to
own it then? You are in love with your
ideal, as that sculptor was with his
statute, Hal, and if I don't make mis-
take, my boy, You have found it. Here
| we are, and the girls are on the veran
da: No more at present, but if you are
not blind--''
He sprang up the steps, three at a
| time. Hal followed more leisurelv and
| when he reached Grant he found himself
before dark-eyed stranger, with whom
Grant was laughing.
ALLOW me to attract your attention
to an individual who holds deadly hat
| red for your adorable SEX" Grant COM
menced solemnly. Miss Allen, this is our
woman-hater. Mr.. Hal I4iscomb. En-
Tighten his darkness" -
| Ethel Allen lifted her dark dreamy
eyes to the fair face of the young man,
and slight smile touched herslips, as
she withdrew the hand which she had
half extended before it had reached his
own. :. H. t~s.. - III: "s.a
seAnd whereas by petulance or pride, had hap
T. lv said some evil " s.t :
Nine afterthought was tolerance to bear the
| faults Of ALL 49,.
she quoted gently. And feeling akin
to shame went over the young man,
while those dark slumbrous eyes, with
their hint of hidden fire, were tracing
his blonde face earnestly, and. he un-z
cierstood because of the term woman
! later" he had lost a touchof the girls
white fingers. s s5 IS rs
He saw her again at dinner, when.
she sat directly across from him, in a:
dress of pure white, with crimson and
white roses on her bosom. and when he:
Ex>31 L. -. H.