Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1891-01-29

noon to come, and was in a fever until
the few clouds of the morning had dis
appeared and left me the golden sun
shine needed to print the prize picture.
watched the first print with breath.
less attention, lest it should be too dark
or ashade too light. And when it seemed
exactly right | removed it carefully and
put it in dark place, and laid another
piece Of freshly fumed paper upon the
negative. Then put the printing frame
out again on my window sill and began
to fuss with another negative.
How it happened I never knew, but
there was q Grassland when | turned
to the window the printing frame was
gone.
Ipicked it up on the sidewalk forty
feet below-with my precious negative
shiyered into thousand pieces.
All my hopes now centered on the one
print which fortunately had secured
And oh, the agony Of anxiety that went
through in the toning, mounting and
Furnishing of that one priceless PRINT
But it was safely finished at last and
perfect in every beautiful, artistic,
beyond question the best piece of photo
graphic work that had ever done.
So, in spite Of the irreparable loss OF
the negative, felt almost happy. for
with this l would surely accomplish my
double purpose. 1t could not fail to win
the prize-a small tribute to pay to my
unknown darling's beauty. And it
xxrr.111I a1co ~. fin .,,o,,,~ ,eI
face to face. For the picture must GER
tainly find its way into the hands Of
some Of her family OF friends, and she
would hear of it, see it, be a little indig-
nant perhaps. But her father or brother
or guardian would be certain to resent
the supposed liberty, and might even
write to the successful amateur to take
him to task for his presumption; that
was my most ardent desire-the very
clew | wanted. Once I knew where to
find her, and then Icould manage all the
rest.
was radiant with satisfaction, and
was now only keeping the finished pict-
ure until should have chance to take
copy of it for myself; for 1 could not
make up my mind to part with it alto
gether until | had found the original.
| was coming up town the next after
noon, my mind full of the beauty and
winsome grace of my fair unknown,
when | ran across my old chum Fred.
1t was the first time l had seen him
since his marriage. and we each had
much to say.
Il want you to meet my wife, Tom;
| know you'll like each other. She was
as disappointed as l was that your i'll
ness kept you from coming to our we'd
ding. Are you all right again now:
You look well. Can't you drop in upon
us tonight? We are stopping at the
Buckingham until our house is ready"
Il shall be most happy to, l answer
ed. And accordingly l presented myself
that evening at the door of their private
parlor.
Fred welcomed me cordially, and his
young wife dropped the roses she was
arranging as [ entered, turned and came
forward smiling and with outstretched
hand.
1 Ctelt3EC4Oa DtCAMt10--1 DtuCfG i
should have fallen if Fred had not
caught me by the arm-for the beauti-
full unknown in my prize picture with
whom had fallen SO desperately ia
lave was no other than Fred's wife.
"What is the matter? You are illr' she
cried, while she hastily brought me a
glass Of wine
''It is nothing nothing, stammered.
81 believe I'm not yet quite strong. I
beg your pardon for being such fool"
The wine restored me somewhat, and
l stayed long enough to remove the feel
ing of embarrassment that naturally fol-
lowed after this awkward scene.
When at last got back to my room
looked at my picture eagerly. The same,
beyond the shadow of doubt. And
then began to realize the full extent OF
my double loss. Impossible to continue
my alteration of the fair unknown
since now knew her to be the wife of
my friend, ana impossible to send the
stolen picture Of another mans wife into
public competition.
turned the picture to the wall, and
sal. for long time lost in thought. Then
| seized pen and wrote:
DEAR FRED-Truth is stranger than fiction With
this I send you the photograph of fair stranger
who deliberately and uaconscously walked into
my picture wheR was off on a photographing
trip two weeks ago This win also explain my
peculiar collapse this evening It takes a smaller
thing than such queer coincidence to upset 4 fet-
low when he is still below par. know you win
prize the picture, fnr it is the only one in exist
encc, ana the negative unfortunately is broken.
With respectful reInembrances to your wife, your
old friend ToM
As | sealed my note the We / '.Kis-
met sleamed lnockingly up from the
dark wax. ! tied up the photograph and
sent 1t OF by a messenger before had
time 10 reconsider my decision.
"Good-by to my dreams and to my
prize picture" said sadly, as the mes
senger pursued his way down the dark
and silent street.
Itwas gone, and already repented Of
my haste. Then, as a sudden thought
struck me, exclaimed:
.'By Jove, if can find it I'll tone the
proofr' Prank Leslie's Weelzlv