The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1891-03-06


among the hills, or had she been a
stranger like myself? How could find
out, and where could | see her againi
for see her felt must.
1t is strange confession to make, but
before twentyfour 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. Kismet!
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 aud breadth Of the whole coun-
trY2
Why not, when this might be thevery
means of bringing us together? And
then | thought how | should persuade
her that my wish to find her out bad
overcome all scruples, and that with the
seeming liberty which | 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 fever until
the few clouds of the morning had dig
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 i'll adark 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 a Grassland when [ turned
to the window the printing frame was
gone.
Ipicked it, up on the sidowalk-forty
feet below-with my precious negative
shlvered into Il 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 printl
But it was safely finished at last and
perfect in every way-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 plize-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 indis-
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 | knew where to
find her. and then 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 | could not
make up my mind to part with it alto
gether until had found the original.
l 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 | 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 I was that your i'll
ness kept you from coming to our we'd
ding Are You all right again now?
You look we'll Can't you drop in upon
us tonight? We are stopping at the
Buckingham until our house is ready"
Il snail 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
as [ entered, turned and came
forward smiling and with outstretched
hand.
! staggered baclward-I believe |
should have fallen il Fred had not
caught me by the aIm-for the beauti-
ful unknown i'll my prize picture with
whom | had fallen so desperately in
love was no other than Fred's wife!
''What is the matter? You are i'll" she
cried, while she hastily brought me a
glass of wine.
''lt is nothing-nothing, stammered.
81 believe I'm not yet quite strong. 1
beg your pardon for being such a fool"
The wine restored me somewhat. and
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 |
ooked at my picture eagerly, The same,
beyond the shadow Of II doubt. And
hen began to realize the fun extent of
my double loss. impossible to continue
ny alteration Of the fair unknown
'ince now knew her to be the wife Of
ny friend, and impossible to send the
stolen picture Of another mans wife into
I public competition.
| turned the picture to the wall, and
at for long time lost in thought. Then
seized pen and wrote:
DEAR FHID T uth sstfaneer than fiction. with
ms send you Tho hotugraph Of a Fair stranger
'ha atl1twteiy ana uneuu5ci4uslY walked into
iy pletute when was oif 0H a photagfauhHg
liF two weeks ago This win also csplaiu my
eeutar collapse tai5 evening. 1t tt,s,a a smaller
hing thh stea queer u0iuCit1aJe q uistt a fsi,
lW WheH na Is stu hfluW par / EGuW SOFA YilI
i'@e the Ht'ufe, lsr % IS tho only one iH cSst-