Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1885-12-12

/
eff it could only stay long enough
for me to catch those colors, but no,
it is fading now"
Turning, Helen found her compan-
ion had left her side and stood u few
yards away.
edwin" she called.
In an instant he was beside her,
everything forgotten except that she
was the woman he loved.
81 wanted to tell you how good
Mr.. Hovey is. 1t seems he was ac-
quainted with poor papa years ago,
when was a baby, and therefore
feels quite interested in me. You
have heard how he praises my work,
and last night he proposed"
'Proposed?" exclaimed Edwin
Bennett, hotly. "Why, you don't
mean to say the old man actually had
the audacity to ask you to marry
him ~
GLOW ridiculous How could you
think of such a thing?" answered
Helen, ripple of laughter escaping
from between her pretty teeth as she
continued:
ono; he proposed, if | were will
ing, to send me to Italy for two years,
he, of course, defraying the greater
part of the expense. He said when |
became famous | could refund him
the little amount if / wished. Was
it not generous of him? Just think,
two years at work among the old
masters! What could l not do then?
1t would be such help to me. One
can live very simply there. My little
income would do, with care, l think"
"And you would go?" AS Edwin
asked this question a look of pain
crossed his face.
"Why not ?" came the reply, as
Helen raised her eyes questioningly
to her companion.
"You say you love, and yet you
would put the sea between us. Helen
wait / will work hard and earn
money enough to take us both abroad.
DO you think l could deny you any
thing? You shall paint to your
hearts content, from the old masters,
or anything else you pleased. So
long as you were happy / should be.
Perhaps might turn painter, too,
some day, with you to inspire me,
he added, smiling slightly.
81 do not doubt your love for me,
, Edwin, but l shall never marry; l in.
: tend to devote my life to art; as q
wife it would be impossible for me to
do so; | should be hindered and
= trammeled in thousand ways. Be
lieve me, have thought very ear
t nestly of all this, and /"
| ''Helen, when came to spend my
vacation here at Little Rock, 50 as tC
, be near you, / said to myself, "NoW
| you can ask the woman you love tC
be your wife, and know that vol
g have home to offer her. For you
L sake wish were rich but / an
! still young, and with the good pros
: poets l have, / do not see why l shall
not be able before many years to give
: my wife all she could wish"
:, at is not that, Edwin. l SHOULD
not love you one bit the more if YOU
# were millionaire" interrupted Hell
!. en-, CHANGING reproachfully at him.
"Helen, my holiday is over tomor
It row. must have my answer to
y night" The words came somewha
n sternly from between Edwin Bennett
n lips.
Mechanically with the end of he
II parasol Helen Armstrong traced Of
IS the glittering, yellow sands: "Fam
is versus Love-" Then, seeing wha
II she had done, she sought to effac
J. them. Too late. Edwin Bennett
G hand stayed hers, as, pointing to tn
letters that stood out, he said, hoarse
% ly:
d "ChOoSe J"
t. For a second she hesitated ther
slowly came the answer:
l. II accepted Mr.. Hovey's offer thi
h morning. 1 am to sail in a week.
III Spurning her hand from him Et
y win Bennett cried out passionately
d "God forgive you! / cannot!
re Then, without another word, he lie
D. her.
3. A faint cry of edwin" escapedhC
re lips, as her arms were held out in
d ploringly toward him. Then the
fell to her side, and she, too, turne
I'd and went across the sands in the o.
Re pOsite direction. If he had locke
w back and seen those outstretched arm