News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1891-07-09
WATER LILIES,

'Have you seen 'Water-LiIies, Miss
Morrell?" inquired Walter Liscomb,
of fair, sweet-faced girl whom he was
escorting through the picture-galler,
of one of our large cities. 'It is quite
the loveliest picture in the exhibition
| hope you will admire it as much a.
l dol"
Nina MOrrell wondered a little at g
peculiar emphasis and sentimental
droop of dark eyes that accompanied
this speech, but she was accustomed
to every species of sentiment and oi
emphasis in her numerous adorers
and seldom troubled her pretty head
to translate their meaning,
''They all worship my bank ac-
count" she told her dear friend. Lou
Hardy, with a shrug of her white
shoulders, ''and II care for none OF
them"
She was thinking something of this
same kind when Mr.. Liscombe paused
before large painting, saying:
'Therel Is it not lovely? And did
you ever see a more beautiful face?'
1t was rather broad dattery, and
Nina SO considered it, For looking
into the face SO described was like
looking into a mirror. There was the
delicate oval, theregular features, the
large brown eyes, the sweet-smilino
lips and the clustering rings of soft
curling golden hair, under the broad
straw hat in the picture and under the
dainty velvet hat of the spectator.
1t was a lovely picture; a broad
pond shaded by dropping willows,
and rocking upon the water, tinv
boat, with fair girl leaning forward
to gather the vater-llies that were
within tempting reach. Upon the
broad straw hat was a wreath of
water-lilies, and in her lap the girl
held a pile of tbe fragrant, snowy flow
ers. Her dress was fr 1arint, mith only,
a ndrfOW firren- n-callar at the throat,
and possessed nothing in common
with the rich velvet and laces, the
costly jewelry of the spectator.
But, ahl how wildly Nina recalled
the original of that pictured scene
The little boatrocking on the smooth
pond, the great white water-lilies
whose profusion flied the air with
perfume, tie pretty girl who had such
sunny eyes, such tender lips, were all
so dear TO her that, looking at them
she forgot her escort, forgot every
thing but the little New England vii
lage where half her heart, at least,
was always staying.
She was deep in a day-dream when
Mr.. Liscombe's voice recalled her to
herself.
81 think" he said sweetly, "that
your admiration of the painting
equals my own. Your face is quite a
study"
Yes" she said slowly. 81 do ad.
mire it. Is it not very fine paint
ing?"
Judges of art SO pronounce it
Critics find no fault in it. Do you not
know the artist?"
Colbert Francine," said Nina, read
ing her catalogue. Eyes, | know
him ~
There was a jealous tone in Mr.. Lis.
combe's voice, as he said:
"You sat for that picture, then?
thought so.'
''No. | did not sit for the picture
and it is not my portrait, though il
looks like me. | never went alone il
a boat in my life; | am too great {
coward, and the perfume of a water
lily makes me dfathly sick"
Mr.. LiscOmbe looked mystified, bu
he obtained no further information
and felt rather aggrieved that Mis-
MOrrell was not her usual self all TIL
morning, but absent-minded and evi
IDENTIFY disturbed.
81 do believe it is that painter fel
lowl" the young sprig of fashion
thought, angrily. And he was right
"That tpaiGter fellow" Gilbert Fran
cine, young, and as yet but littl
known to fame, was much in Nina
thoughts as she edrove home, replyin:
halt-absently to her companion
efforts to be amusing.
She was glad when she was alone
when the pretty hat and soft fur
were taken away by her maid, an
she was free to sit by the low, ope
CRATE in her room and try to max
straight the problem puzzlng he
brains.
| Two years before her grand-fathe
had said to her:
IF ever Gilbert Francine shows m
five thousand dollars that he ha
earned by his own brush and palett
| will forgive him for stealing ava
from me the heart of my grand-daugl
ter! When he wins fame and fortur
| will own him for a grandson"
Five thousand dollars 1t repr
sented to a farthing the fortune ths
was Nina's own, the haIfot the legac
John Morrpll had left his two orpha
children. 1t seemed to old Mr.. Whit
Nina's mothers father, pitiful SUI
enough compared to the fortune |
intended to leave Nina, if she WI
Obedient to all his whims, married [
please him. crossed none of his man
fancies and was his devoted slave u
til he died.
Hitherto this had been easy. |
dulged in every wish, absolute mi
tress of more than half her time, wit
no household care, with a purse .
ways full, Nina had met only Il
smiling face of the world until h
nineteenth year.
Butwhen Gilbert Francine had be,
y angrily repulsed from he9 grandfat
\ er's home he had carried with him
much of Nina's heart and love tn
the days of the next two years we
+ long and desolate, and there was
, cynical twist given to the mind of t
young heiress rather puzgling to tho
accustomed to her former sweetneI
Five thousand dollars" Nipaml
!, e1r y nm sure the picture Il w0r