The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1888-04-21


which always follows; and here she had
left bunch OF Wild flowers, which she
must have plG0ked in the fields on her
way. To, wanded in fields, to pick
flowers as you 60 are these not evil
dences Of refinement and q beauty -lov.
ing naturep
could not help breathing hope
that she was neither old nor plain. 1
Ook up the simple bouquet; is was
limp, but showed every Indication Of
being recently plucked. She could not
be far away.
In my enthusiasm I darted forward
and started back as If had been shot.
There. written on the sand in clear.
bold letters, was name--"Constance.n -
So now, on oircumstantial evidences
I had before me a picture of being
that ] had never seen, and OF whose
existence had not known until this
day. I could almost imagine, that
"COnstanCe" walked before me press
ing footprints in the sand, tall, slen-
der girl, with graceful walk, stylishly
dressed, and swinging dainty parasol;
but, alasl with her back always turned
to me.
Was my fair unknown prettyp That
she was strong. sensible, thoughtful
and refined, had guessed; but the
paramount question still remained
unanswered-was she prettyP
had walked for some distance under
the cliffs towards Dover, when, lol a
flash Of color caught my eve. Gould it
be bird of brilliant plumage, or a
child dressed in red. or young lady
with a crimson hat? It was the latterl
She reclined upon the beach, her
head resting upon little bank OF sand;
and, as neared her, I noticed para
sol and novel. COnstancel
I hesitated as to what should DO
Should I pass her, and thus turn my
back upon those artistic little footprints
for everp No; could not do that.
slackenei my pace, and politely
I almost reached her, when I turned to
have = full look at her face.
Judge my disappointment, however,
when L found that the pretty crimson
sailor-hat, with its poppies and plush,
was tilted over the face, obscuring IL
completely! l stepped short and gaZed
desire to snatch Off the hat, and un-
mask the face at whatever cost. But
l could not nerve myself to do it.
My unknown appeared fast asleep.
ssaraag Maas + Hrom sne shSalS o b @
hat? There was something awful in
this thought; and though am not a
coward, I confess quailed before the
mere idea Of two staring, glaring eyes
in ambush under the hat.
After contemplating such a desper-
ate. onslaught, it seemed quite tame
and civil, Quite delicate and unObtru-
sive, when quietly unfurled my camp
| stool, ana sat down and sketched her
as she lay, washing her in grays and
! crimson.
Scarcely had I finished, when sudden
panic seized me. What If she should
awake and come out from under the
hat likes hideous visionp shuddered
at the thought, and, bundling my paints
into the box, caught up my stool and
hurried away, retracing my footsteps
and hers, rejecting ruefully that though
| had seen her in the flesh, 1 knew no
more than did before.
The problem as to her age and
beauty, alas! was still unsolved.
Twelve months later / had painted
two pictures, which intended to send
In to the Academy. One of them I
had designated "Day Dreams" It was,
as you will have guessed, an exact re.
production Of the fair one whose foot
steps had traced along the sands at
Deal. The central 0gure was that of a
fashlonably. dressed young lady reclin.
ing at full length upon the golden sand,
her hat pulled down over her face to
shade 1t from the sun. She was asleep,
indulglng in day dreams, while the pale
green waves sighed softly upon the
shingle, and The white sails Of yacht
relieved the broad expanse Of blue.
My friends generally said that the
picture was fantastlcal, but they all
prophested 1t would be a success; and
some art critics, whose acquaintance
had made, thought we'll of it. NV
friend and college chum, Jack Barrett,
though an artist himself, was ecstati-
cal over it. What sport ne and had
III our studio about It. We always
spoke Of 1t rs dreamy Constance" :"
and we made hundred guesses at
what sort Of facial expression was under
the sailor hat.
The first Of May had come and gone.
My pictures had been accepted, and.
what lsmore important, "Day Dreams''
was hung on the line.
Walking leisurely about among the
throngs Of people, his hands clasped
behind his back, and trying to look
like one Of the crowd Of commonplace
young mon who had not a picture &C.
cepted, was myself. For the greater
part Of the first week could not help
hanging about my pictures and listen
| ing to what the public said about them.
I One day as was standing In the
vestlble, Just on the point OF leaving,
a carriage drove up, and from it.
allghted q young lady, accompanied
by gentleman perhaps ten years her
senior.
AS they were passing caught the
words 'Day Dreams" and turned to