The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1891-12-10
AN IDEAL.

"When | find the girl who looks like
that picture | am going to marry her."
George MilInan, who made this re.
mark, and his aunt, Mrs. Henderson
were standing before picture of hers
almost beautiful enough to justify such
extravagant admiration. 1t was called
Future" and represented at half length
girl in all the sweet freshness of bud
ding womanhood.
Yes" he continued, mote the char.
acteristics of this picture and their sig
nificance and you will see why | say SO.
The figure is graceful, the head, deli
cately poised, is rather large, and the
brow, of unusual breadth, is brought
into full relief by the dark brown hair,
brushed straight back, with its wavy
abundance only slightly confined by a
ribbon around the head. The eyes are a
dark gray, large and at once bright and
thoughtful; the mouth and chin, though
marked by the tender lines of youth yet,
show sufficient decision of character.
intellectually and unselfishness are in
dlcated, but the one characteristic most
prominent brought out its righteousness
in the noblest sense of that often mis-
used word.
ut is more than innocence and does
not depend on ignorance. 1t is most
often seen as a characteristic of noble
woman, and is retained by them in some
miraculous way i'll spite of much intel
lectual knowledge of the worlds wicked
ness. Such woman rs is portrayed in
this picture would naturally be cinging
and dependent, but finding herself with
ont support, or her chosen protector
proving unworthy, would meet the
emergency heroically and stand urfal-
tering. Such a woman | most admire,
and such woman, if | have the good
fortune to find her, | shall certainly
marry"
but she might be the original of this
picture, and yet not have the character
you describe" said Mrs. Henderson.
mo, that is impossible; a woman
could not look that way without being
all that have suggested"
But if you find her you still might
not win her"
Eyes | would, no matter if she was
engaged to be married and her wedding
day was appointed.
ut is like you to be so sure, and like
you, too, to fall so desperately in love
with picture"
In this Mrs. Henderson was right;
u,,cb n ,.-aa ~ CT 10
of George Milman. Though born in this
country, his father was native German
and his mother of German descent
This, with a practical American train
ing, gave him curious combination of
German and American characteristics.
His peculiarly intellectual head, SO large
that all his hats were made to order;
some of his features, especially his brown
and rather dreamy eyes, and OCCASION
ally his manners and conversation, were
German, while his figure and usually his
manner were American. He had the
Germans ideality, romanticism and love
of deep thought philosophic and specu
lative, with the Americans keen OBJ
servation, eye for the machine and prac-
teal attention to details.
His dual nature was shown in his bust
ness. He was drummer for large
mandatory, selling to jobbing houses,
and so had to take long trips from city
to city. When actually at work he was
all attention to business and put his
whole soul into it-with distinguished
success. On the intervening trips he
yielded to the speculative side OF his ma
ture, spending his time in reading the
best novels, histories and philosophical
works from Carlyle to Henry George.
He would sometimes feel and express the
deepest disgust for his work, but he al
ways remembered that it brought him
handsome income and held on ~ his posi-
ton.
Some three months after the above
conversation George again called to see
his aunt, who asked him if he had yet
found the object of his alteration.
81 can't exactly say that | have, but
your question reminds me that have u
story to tell you, and l suppose might
Just as well begin at the beginning
please do. 1t is about that picture,
| know" she replied.
well, you shall see, was the re-
spouse, and he began:
81 was on the Nashville, Chattanooga
and st. Louis train on my way 10 Nash
vile. | had been travelling twelve hours
and was rather tired. was reading the
Tale of Two Cties"-trying to read it,
that is, for my mind was stranglye wan
ldering in spite of my interest in that re-
hnarkable story-the best Dickens ever
wrote Looking up in one Of these fits
of inattention, l happened to notice
party which must have got on at the
last station, and had taken seats diago-
nally in front of me- 1t consisted of an
old lady, young lady and boy about
seventeen, evidently mother, brother and
sister. The mother attracted my atten-
ton first, and was idly admiring her
still unusual beauty, sublimated, but
not destroyed by age, when the young
lady turned around.
aunt, she might have been the origi-
nal of your picture, so like she was in
every detail. Twas astonished and could
hardly believe my eyes. watched her
quietly and studied her features until
there was no doubt about it. There was
the broad brow, the dark brown hair
loosely confined, the dark gray eye, the
sweet. firm mouth, and above all the ex-
preston Of intellectually, unselfshness
and righteousness. l forgot the story,
and l could not take my eyes off her one
minute-I fear she must have noticed it."
II know she did," interrupted Mrs.
Henderson. "You must have stared her
out of countenance"
81 suspect did, and all the time ]
was endeavoring to realize my good for
tune, and thinking how should manage
to find out the young lady's name and
how could make her acquaintance.
AFTER an hours ride in this way
went into the smoking car for my cigar
case, which had left there. was de-
tanned by q friend whom met there and
left the car just as the train was starting
again after having stopped at small
station. CHANGING to look to one side.
saw my new found ideal and her party
just getting into carriage, which had
apparently been waiting for them. Aunt.
just one thought filled my mind that l
could not Afford thus to loose my ideal 80
soon, and thst unless followed her she