Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-03-05

before twenty-f6ur hours were over /
was desperately in love with the un-
known original of my prize. That we
should meet again some day had not
the slightest doubt. Kismetl
But after all would it be right to
send this picture-her picture-into the
competition to be criticised, admired
freely. passed from hand to hand, then
reproduced and sent broadcast over the
length and breadth of the whole coun-
try?
Why not, when this might be the very
means of bringing us together? And
then l thought how l should persuade
her that my wish to find her out had
overcome all scruples, and that with the
seeming liberty which l had taken had
shown myself ready TO surrender myself
her prisoner and await her sentence
for life or death!
could hardly wait for Saturday after
noon to come, and was in a fever until
the few clouds of the morning had dis
appeared and left me the golden sum
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 l put the printing frame
out again on my window sill and began
to fuss with another negative.
How it happened l never knew, but
there was Grassland when l turned
to the window the printing frame was
gone.
Ipicke1 it up on the sidewalk-forty
feet below-with my precious negative
shsvered 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 way-beautiful, artistic,
beyond question the best piece of photo
graphic work that l had ever done.
So, in spite of the irreparable loss of
the negative, felt almost happy, for
with this l would surely accomplish nay
double purpose. 1t could not fail to win
the prize-a small tribute to pay to my
unknown darling's beauty. And it
would also be the means Of bringing us
face to face. For the picture must GER
tainly find its way into the hands of
some of her family or friends, and she
would hear of it, see it, be 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 l could manage all the
rest.
| was radiant with satisfaction, and
was now only keeping the finished pict.
ure until should have chance to take
a copy of it for myself; for l could moi
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 anG
winsome grace Of my fair unknown
when ran across my old chum Fred
1t was the first time l had seen hin
since his marriage, and we each had
much to say.
81 want you to meet my wife, Tom
know you'll like each other. She wa!
as disappointed as l was that your i'll
ness kept you from coming to our wed
ding. Are you all right again now
You look well. Can't you drop in upol
us tonight? We are stopping at tn
Buckingham until our house is ready"
Il shall be most happy to-" answer
ed. And accordingly l presented mysel
that evening at the door of their privat
parlor.
Fred welcomed me cordially, and hi
young wife dropped the roses she wa
arranging as [ entered, turned and cam
forward smiling and with outstretche'
hand.
I staggered backward-I believe
should have fallen if Fred had no
caught me by the arm-for the beauti
full unknown in my prize picture wit
whom I had fallen SO desperately i
love was no other than Fred's wife!
What is the matter? You are ill!'' sh
cried, while she hastily brought me
glass of wine.
''It is nothing nothing, stammereC
II believe I'm not yet GUT" strong.
beg your pardon for being svch fool. u
The wine restored me soIu"vhat, an
l stayed long enough to remove the fee
ing of embarrassment that naturally fo
lowed after this awkward scene.
When at last got back to my room
looked at my picture eagerly. The same
beyond the shadow of a doubt. An
then began to realize the full extent {
my double loss. Impossible to continr
my alteration of the fair uN2nown-
since now I knew her to be the wife {
my friend, and impossible to send tt
stolen picture Of another mans wife int
public competition.
l turned the picture to the wall, an
sat for long time lost in thought. The
I seized a pen and wrote:
DEAR FRED-Truth is stranger than fiction. Wi
this send you the photograph of fair strssne
who deliberately and unconsciously walked in
my picture when was off on photograph
trip two weeks ago. This will also explain j.
peculiar collapse this evening 1t takes slnal.
thing than such queer coincidence to upset a fl
low when he is still below par. 1 know you W
prize the picture, for it is the only one in ext
ence, and the negative unfortunately is broke
| With resnectflll rememhrances to Yorr wife. Yo