The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-08-14
HER HUSBANDS SECRET.
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

Iltl -luoIllOh II IlC AOSAs save SA NAS
blank whitewashed side of an adjoining
house, which lowered up a story OF so
higher than its u~npretentious neigh
bors.
But Minna-a parsonage who always
made the best of things-had absolutely
persuaded herself that this was the best
light in the world for her oil-painting.
"There are no bursts of sunshine or
stray sunbeams to disturb the cool,
clear atmosphere" said she. ARTISTS
always prefer this sort of light"
For Minna Morton was q working
girl. Too delicate to stand behind the
counter or superintend the busy loom,
she yet endeavored to earn her own
livelihood by means of an artists palette
and sheaf of brushes.
Her outfit had cost a considerable
sum there was no denying that; but
Rosa Hale, who stitched kid gloves in q
down town factory, had lent her the
money for the purchase, and little Bess
Beaton, the landlady's daughter, "sat"
to her two hours every day after school
quite satisfied with gingerbread nuts
to MUNICH and a battered rag doll, which
had belonged to Minna's own younger
days, to play with.
And Minna was young and hopeful,
and in the far distance saw herself ac-
quiring name and fortune by means of
her beloved art.
This morning, however, the room
seemed a degree gloomier than its usual
wont; and when Minna arranged her
canvas on the easel, q dim sort of mis-
giving crept across her heart.
It was a simple picture that she had
painted little girl playing oil a sun
1ecked barn-fioor, with a brood of
chickens futtering around her, and 9
stealthy cat advancing from beneath
tangled masses of hay.
Yesterday the little girl had seemed
animated with real, actual life; the hay
had seemed almost torustle in the wind;
one could almost perceive the sinuous,
gliding motion of the cat. But to-day it
was as if a leaden spell had descended
upon everything.
"Am / an artist?" Minna asked her
self; cor am / not? }"
Rosa Hale's step, coming softly down
the stairs, aroused her from a disagree
able ~reverie.
She hurried to the door, with the al
most invisible limp which had always
haunted her since that unlucky fall of
her childhood.
Rosa" she said, are youin hurry?
J Do come In a momentl"
And Rosa came In, with her little
brown bonnet neatly tied under her
chin, and her lunch basket in her hand,
on her way to the factory where real
imported kid gloves, fresh from Paris"
were turned out by the dozen gross "a
day.
"What is it, Minna!" she asked,
cheerfully.
"Look at this picture" said Minna,
drawing her UP IN front of the easel.
We'll I'm looking" said Rosa.
"What do you think of it,"
Rosa -epeated. why, / think it is
beautiful!'
"Oh, I know that" impatiently cried
Minra "The bits of hay are painted
| to perfection, and the rat holes In the
barn-foor are copied exactly after that
one In the corner of the cupboard, but
all that isn't true art, Rosa. Does the
childlook as if she would speak to you?'
apron are pointed beautifully said
Rosa, timidlJ.
Minna frowned.
"But the cat?" said she. ITS it a
live cat? Do 70 fancy You are going to
see her spring."
'N-no,' unwillingly admitted Rosa.
'sIts a lovely cat, but it's only . picture
OF q cat. M;ana-dear Minna, I
haven't offended you, have I2'
sob, nor said Minna, lightly. "But
you have told me exactly what | wanted
to know-what / was sure of myself.
Good-by, Rosal-and mind you don't
bring me any more of those delicious
little bouquets. They're lovely, but
they cost five cents, and you haven't
any five-cent pieces to throw away"
And so, with a loving kiss, she dis
missed the pink checked little factory
girl, who was always SO kind to her and
then she sat down in the Upas shadow
of the dismal whitewashed wall, and
cried:
II knew it all along,v she declared.
HYou are q hideous little impostor!" (o
the simpering figure in the foreground.
"And you" TO the cat) ARE simply o
thing Of wood. And + am not an artist
atall! IT,"
"Rat, tat, tat!p came a soft knock at
g The dear.
Minna started guiltily to her feet, and
dashed away the wet spray Of tears from
her cheek.