The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-08-28
I suppose 1t is m old story to you. Mr..

I suppose 1t is IN old story to you. Mr..
Palmer"
Panl wa silent. In the course of
his business he had Witnessed many
trying scenes, but his heart ached for this
pale little girl, with the sunny fiax-gold
hair brushed away from her forehead.
and the almost imperceptible limp in
her gait. It seemed to him as if he
could read her story almost as plainly
as il il were written on her face in print
ed sentences.
Suppose you let me take the picture
home and submit it to my fathers opin-
ion? 2" he said, calmly.
II do not believe it will be OF any
use" sighed Minna. at seems as it
my eyes had been unsealed all too late.
/ am no artist. / am only a fraud.
Oh, yes," as he looked i%nquiringly at
her, you can take it. The sooner I
know my fate, the better it will be for
mo-"
So Mr.. Palmer wrapped up the can
vas in y piece of brown paper, bowed a
quiet Rood-by," and departed.
All that day Minna sat i'll a sort of
terrified suspense, scarcely daring to
breathe. Toward night MI. Palmer
came back.
"Well?p she gasped, breathlessly.
II am happy to say that the picture is
accepted" said he. II have brought
you twenty-five dollars for it. And l
would like q pair of smaller ones
companion subjects-as soon as you
can furnish them"
Minna Morton gave o little gasp for
breath.
eOhw she cried, "you really do not
mean it. Accepted! and more wanted!
Oh, it don't seem possible!"
How soon can you have them
ready?n said Paul, quietly. I'm a
month 2"
"Yes, in less time than that" an
swered Nina, half giddy with delight.
II shall work day and night. Oh. Mr..
Palmer how kind you are! Indeed, in
deed, you do not know what all this
means for mel"
II Minna could have been temporar-
lily clairvoyant that day-if she could
have followed Paul Palmer back to
the "art emporium" where his father,
half doubled up with lumbago, sat view
ing his recent acquisition through an
eye-glass-what would have been he1
feelings"
Paul" said he, CURLY, "this thing
that you have brought home isn't worth
shop-room."
"What is the matter with it, sir ?"
"Nothing--nothing on earth. The
trouble" said Mr.. Palmer, yindictively
lis that there is nothing to it. It is 8
negatative from beginning to end
Tell the artist we can find no sale fol
such trash!"
But Paul Palmer carried back M
such message. He went and came Of
ten. He spoke words of kindly en-.
couragement to the poor young girl
and paid, out of his own pocket, liberia
prices for her efforts.
And one day he asked her to bs hi.
wife, and Minna promised that sh'
would.
Heretofore" said she, 81 have al
ways dreamed of devoting myself t,
art; but of late am not so hopeful
Il seems as il my poor pinions are no
strong enough to soar. Yes, Paul,
you can care for o helpless lame gin
like me-"
81 love you, Minnap he said, simply
SIT you will trust yourself to me, I wi
never give you cause to repent it.
1t was not until they had been maj
fried some years, and old Mr.. Palmer
the picture dealer, was dead and buried
that Minna, wandering through the de
serted rooms of the old warehouse, wit
o rosy-cheeked child clinging to til
skirts Of her gown, came across SON
, dust-powdered canyases, with the
/ faces turned to the wall.
sob, look, mammal cried little Pau
, "What are these?"
; .Let Is examine them, dear" sal
she.
They were her own long forgotte
effortsl She stood looking at then
through a mist of tears and smiles.
"Dear, noble Paulv' she murmure
to herself. "'This only adds 10 til
debt of gratitude that I already ow
him. But he need not have been S
tender of my feelings. I know no
that art, so far as l am concerned, We
q delusion and n snare. know that N
t truest happiness. my greatest %felicit.
1 has been in cherishing him and II
children"
t And she never told Paul that che hi
$ discovered his long guarded secret.