Smyrna times., 1886-01-20

still stood out bold and clear upon the
yellow sands.
Ten years have come and gone since
Helen Armstrong and Edwin Bennett
parted on the shore, and during that
time they have never met. Helen had
won that which she had striven for
She had become an artist of renown.
Even royalty had been pleased to COM
plment her upon her art
For the last month one of Helen Arm
strongs paintings had been on exhibit
ton at the Academy of Design, and
crowds had been drawn thither to see
this last work of the celebrated artist,
The subject was simple, nothing new,
yet visitors returned again and again to
look mt it.
1t was the last day of its exhibition,
when a lady and gentleman. the gentle
man leading little girl of perhaps three
years by the hand, passed into the room
where the painting hung.
"Oh isn't it too bad there is such
crowd I wanted so to see it, " exclaimed
the lady to which the gentleman re.
piled:
"We will look at the other pictures
first and come back again perhaps there
will not be such a crowd then.
An hour or so later the lady and
gentleman returned then the room was
almost deserted, except for few strags
glers here and there. 1t was Just about
time to close the gallery.
For a few moments they stood in
silence before the painting then a little
voice said
Baby want to see too, papa"
STOPPING down the gentleman raised
the pretty, daintily-dressed child in his
arms After gravely regarding the
picture for a second, the little one
asked
g Il zay mad papa?"
1 am afraid one was pet" came the
low answer, as Edwin Bennett softly
kissed the fair cheek of his little girl.
Then his gaze returned to the painting.
A stretch of yellow sands, dotted here
and there by huge boulders and piles of
snowy pebbles, against which the over
hanging cliffs looked almost black.
Gentle little baby waves ripping in to-
ward the shore. while majestic purple
hued, silver-edged clouds seemed float
ing en- masse toward the golden crimson
barre sun that flooded the sky and
water with its warm light
In the centre of the picture, where
the beach formed n curve resembling a
horseshoe, was an old boat, turned bot
tom upward some few feet off, the
figure of a young man, apparently walk
ing hurridly away. Although the face
was not visible, the gazer felt that the
man suffered that the glorious sunset
was this day as naught to him. Perhaps
it was in the tghtlv-clasped hand the
veins of which ST ol on like great cords
or, maybe, in the mans apparent
total disregard of his surroundings.
To the right of the picture was a figure
of q young girl, trailing parasol in the
sand, as she appeared to move slowly in
the opposite direction from her COM
paniOn. Only little bit of delicately-
shaped ear and a mass of glossy btaids
showed from beneath the shade hat, but
one conld readily believe that the pretty
girlish figure belonged in an equally
attractive face
About half way between them, traced
upon the sands, were the words, Fame
versus Love"
" Is it not lovely, Edwin ?" and Mrs.
Bennett laid her hand upon her hus-
bands arm as she added
"Yet how sad it somehow seems. 1
can't help feeling sorry for them. I
wish l could see their faces 1 feel as
if wanted to turn them round"
Clasping the little hand that rested
so confdingly upon his arm, Edwin
Bennett inwardly thanked God for the
gift of his fair young wife, as he said:
"Come dear, they are commencing to
close up. Baby's tired, too"
"Ess, mes tired Baby wants to tiss
mamma" lisped the child, holding out
her tiny arms.
Husband and wife failed to notice a
lady who stood near, gazing at paint
ing. As the pretty young mother
stopped down to receive her baby's
kisses, which the little one lavished on
cheeks, lips and brow deep, yearning
look gathered in the strange lady's eyes
and she turned hastily away.
"Oh, Edwin I" exclaimed his wife, as
they passed the silent figure in black.
Wouldn't it be nice if baby should
grow up to be a great artist like this
Miss Armstrong;"
"God forbid, Annie" came the
earnest reply, followed by "lether grow
up to be true, loving woman, that is
all 1 ask. The lady's hand frightened
its hold upon the back of a settee as
the words reached her ears, but she did
not move until they were out of SIGHT
Then lifting her veil she went and stood
before the painting that had won such
fame. Tears gathered in her eyes as
she gazed, and with the words, "Ill
never look at it again, she, too, passed
out Of the building, and in her own
handsome carriage was driven home.
Scorn alone in her dark eyes as they
fell upon the costly works Of art scat,