The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-12-29
AN IDEAL

were standing before a 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.
eyes" he continued, "note the char
acteristics of this picture and their sig
nifcance and you will see why l 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
ribbon around the head. The eyes are
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 unselfshness are in
dictated, but the one characteristic most
prominent brought out its righteousness
in the noblest sense of that often mis-
used word.
at is more than innocence and does
not depend on ignorance. 1t is most
often seen as characteristic of noble
woman, and is retained by them in some
miraculous way in spite of much intel
lectual knowledge of the worlds wicked
ness. Such a woman as is portrayed IN
this picture would naturally be clinging
and dependent, but finding herself with
out a support, or her chosen protector
nv
emergency heroically and stand unfal
tering. Such 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.
''No, that is impossible; a woman
could not look that way without being
all that l have suggested"
"But if you find her you still might
not win her."
eyes 1 would, no matter if she was
engaged to be married and her wedding
day was appointed"
ut is hike you to be so sure, and like
you, too, to fall so desperately in love
with picture"
In this Mrs. Henderson was right;
such determination was characteristic
of George Milman. Though born in this
country, his father was a native German
and his mother of German descent.
This, with practical American train
ing, gave him curious mbination 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 We're American. He had the
Germans ideality, romanttcism 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 a 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 to 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.
u can't exactly say that | have, but
your question reminds me that have
story to tell you. and l suppose l might
just as well begin at the beginning"
please do. 1t is about that picture,
/ know she replied.
We'll, you shall see," was the re-
spouse, and he began:
Il was on the Nashville, Chattanooga
and st. Louis train on my way to Nash
vile. had been travelling twelve hours
and was rather tired. l was reading the
Tale Of Two Cities"-trying to read 1t,
that is, for my mind was stranglye wan
dering in spite of my interest in that re
markable story-the best Dickens ever
wrote. Looking up in one of these fits
of inattention, happened to notice a
party which must have got on at the
last station, and had taken seats diago-
naliy in front of me. 1t consisted OF an
lid lady, young lady and boy about
seventeen, evidently mother, brother and
sister The mother attracted my atten-
ton first. and was Idly admiring her
stiH unusual beauty, subimated, but
not destroyed by age, when the young
lady turned around.
Aunt, she might have been the origi-
nal of yonr picture. so like she was in
every detail. was 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 fear she must have noticed II. "
Il know she did" interrupted Mrs.
Henderson. You must have stared her
out of countenance."
Il suspect 1 did, and all the time
was ende&voring to realize my good for
tune, and thinking how l should manage