The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-08-08

''She nodded in reply, and, STOPPING down,
plucked long blade of grass, which she
placed in her mouth and began to nibble-
bashfully, l thought.
"'May ask where you come fromP said.
4 mean, where do you liver
"Without speaking, she stretched out her
arm and pointed across the lake in the di7ec
ton of the sea- / could not help noticing
then, as an artist. that the sleeve of her gown
was loose and torn, and that her arm was
round and well formed, and her hand, though
rough and sun-burned, quite genteelly small
"'If it is not inquisitive, may ] ask your
namen
Matt, was the reply.
els that ala What is yon other nameF
GIVE got no other name. Tn Matt, ]
am
"Indeedl Do your parents live hereH
"'Got no parents, was the reply.
"'Your relations, then. You belong to
some one, supposeF
''She gave me another nod.
Yes she answered, nibbling rapidly. ]
belong to William Jones'
"'Oh, to him. said, feeling as familiar
with the name as if ! had known it all my
life. 'But he's rot your fatherP
'She shook her head emphaticallY.
But of course he's a relationf
another shake of the head.
But you belong to himF / said, consider
ably puzzled. where were you bornF
Il wasn't born at all, answered Matt, ]
come ashore
"This was what the immortal Dick Swivel
Ter would have called 'staggerer.' looked
at the girl again, inspecting her curiously
from top to toe. Without taking her eyes
from mine, she stood on one leg bashfully,
and fdgeted with the other foot. She was
certainly not bad-Iooking, though evidently a
very rough diamond. Even the extraordin-
airy headgear became her well.
az know what you was doing there, she
cried suddenly, pointing to my easel. You
was paintingr
| "The discovery not being brilliant one, ]
took no trouble to confirm it; but Matt there
upon walked over to the canvas and, STOPPING
down, examined it with undisguised curiosity.
Presently she glanced again at me-
"I know what this is, she cried, pointing.
It's water. And that's the sky. And that:
| trees. And these here'-for a moment she
seemed in doubt, but added, hastily-pigs.'
snow, as the subject represented flock Of
sheep budding together close to pond on c
rainy common, this suggestion was not over
complimentary to my artistic skill. was or
the point Of correcting my estute critic wher
she added, after a moments further inspec
ton:
NO; they re sheep. Look We now, know
They're sheep
&C Pray don't touch the paint, l suggested
approaching her In some alarm. 1t is wet
and comes off.
"She drew back cautiously; and then, as {
preliminary to further conversation, sat dow
ON the grass, giving me further occasion Il
remark her length and shapeliness of limb
There was freeand-easiness, not to say bold
ness, about her manner, tempered though i
was with gusts of bashfulness which began t.
amrIse me.
"'Can you paint facesF she asked, du
biously
'IIeplied that could even aspire to tina
accomplishment, by which understood he,
to mean portrait painting, if need were. Sh
gave quiet nod of satisfaction.
"'There vas painter chap came to Aber
glyn last summer, and he painted William
Jones'
"Indeed? I said, with an assumption O
friendly interest.
eyes; i wanted him to paint me, but b
wouldn't. He painted William Jones' father
though along O. William Jones'
"This with an air of unmistakable DISCUS
and recrimination. ! looked at the girl NOR
observantly 1t had never occurred TO m
till that moment that she would make CAPT
tai picture-iust the sort of study whicl
would fecth fair price in the market.
adopted her free-and-easy manner, whicl
was contagious, and sat down on the gras
opposite to her.
81 tell you what it is, Matt l said, ia
military, III paint you, though the othe
painter chap wouldn't
"'You will, she cried, blushing with de
light
Certainly; and very nice portrait
think you'll make. Be good enough to TAX
off your hat, that l may have better lool
at you