The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-04-13

Grandfather Kleber died and left all his
money to Lima, who had already refused
two excellent matches. Grand uncle
Michel died also, and Lima became yet
richer. AT last her beloved mother also
left her. She long remained Lima Michel,
though her beauty and her wealth had
brought many suitors to her door. The
love that she had thought necessary to
m~arrlage--thc mysterious, wonderful love
had never como to her; and now she
believed that it never would, for she was
elgltt-and-twcnty. But, somehow, ever
since the morning when she awokc and
found that her cousin Henri was gene,
her memories of him had grown more
sweet and tender with every year.
She travelled two years and heard moth
ing of her Cousin Henri, and at last
found herself i'll Paris, at the hight of it's
gay season, and there rested IL dove who
had not found her olive branch.
There is no place to dream like a pict-
ure-gallcry; no place like Paris for pict-
urcs.
Lima Michel spent many hours with
her eyes fixed OF painted faces that she
never saw, for the living face that haunt
ed her; but one day she awoke to a won
drous interest in a small picture which
hung in a small dealers gallery in which
she found herself.
1t was a simple scene. A moonlit gar
den, the distance dying into underlined
shadows, a fountain into which a Hobo
emptied her cup, and by the fountains
brim a youth and a young girl. The
moonlight kissed her face. His was not
seen. He bent toward her, lover-like.
His hand touched hers, and hers rested
on one of the little posts that held IN en-
circling chain about the fountain. These
were crowned with lilies, and as she
looked closer, she saw that one had a
broken leaf.
1t was the garden of her grandfather's
old house Mt Munich. And this was
more than chance. Was there such q
thing rs magic, or had some artist watch
ed Henri and herself on the night when
she made that miserable mistaken For
that was Henri, and surely that black
haired girl was not unlike herself.
'Is this picture for sale" she asked
the dealer.
He shrugged his shoulders.
81 think the artist is mad" he said.
''This is the first picture any one has
wanted to buy, and he refuses to sell it.
Perhaps a price sufficient will tempt him;
but if l give his address the lady will re-
member my commission?"
The lady promised faithfully to do so.
cit is a wretchcd street.-the is very
poor" said the dealer, and gave her the
number written on a card. s'The fifth
floor" he said with a shtug of his should
ers.
Lima Michel stepped into her carriage
and soon, followed by her maid, climbed
the stairs of a dingy dwelling, raped
upon the door that bore the word "Atel-
Ter" upon it.
In n moment a man with a long beard,
who held n palette in his hand, opened
the door for her, and stood regarding the
apparition of u closcly-vailed lady attend
ed by her maid, with some surprise.
81 speak to the painter of the picture
at Monsieur-s," said the Fraulcin
Michel. "The garden and fountain. I
desire to purchase it at any price"
MADAME" replied the artist, 81 re-
greet to say that picture is not to be Sold"
''But 1 must have it." said the lady.
81 am rich-anything, any price"
~ am poor" said the artist, "but it
has no price"
"Listcn, sir" said the lady. ''It is
more than a picture that I want-it is a
"reminiscences. It is like IA place that
know. I beg for it. I implore you to
sell it to me-"
"Madame," said the artist, 81 see you
have a heart. I will speak plainly. Long
ago l stood with the only woman I ever
loved, beside that fountain-a fountain
in an old garden in Munich. I was a
young idiot. I did not wei know my
W heart; but 1 know it now. I have
known it for years. One day the memory
of the spot and of the hour returned to
me as if by magic. Ipainted the picture
in a few hours. Then again she stood
before ME. saw the moonlight on her
face. 1 saw her white hand lying in
mine. l saw the whole picture. Never
before could I put it upon canvas. I
know l never can again. And, Madame,