The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-06-18

the step below, looked at each sketch
carefully.
won't you criticise unsparingly, DIR.
| Brownc?"
"May I? Well You are good in color,
| but the drawing is bad. You must hur-
ry fearfully. Then you spread out your
idea until it loses character; there is no
center" He laid down the sketches
and looked up with quiet, comprehen-
sivc smile
"Now, isn't it rather like this: Don't
you see a lovely brown field with II bit
of woods beyond and blue hills in the
distance and gray sky over all, and in
the midst of this, if you happen to see
behind you lovely bit OF purple woods
with pale yellow sky and birches re-
flected in bit of the lake, don't you
hurry the first to get to the second be-
fore the yellow fades away?"
"She doesn't" Billy's face was very
red, his hands tightly clasped, and his
little heart full of rage.
"Why, Billy! DIR. Browne knows
ever and ever so much about drawing,
and"
y
from Edith's encircling arm; ''hc nearly
upset the sailboat, yesterday. If were
only man, he could have talked more
to you and l could have managed the
| iib-sheet.'
They both laughed as if his rage was
very amusing, and Billy felt very un-
comfortable. Edith was little cool to
him after that. Somehow the walks
that fall were not as nice as usual. DR..
Browne was generally along and some
how, perhaps because he was six feet
| four, and twenty-eight and Billy only
ten and small of his age, Billy felt very
insignificant.
They were walking over field of
stubble one day, and both the English
man and Edith took very long steps, so
Billy had to run to keep up: and his
checks grew rosy and his forehead
damp from his excrtions. Edith looked
down at him and smiled. then took his
little fist in her own warm hand, and
Billy's little heart gave a great thump
of delight The Englishman looked at
him with twinkle in his merry blue
eyes.
'Do you know what a lucky boy you
are, Billy?''
No Billy was looking hard at
what he called u frog g's-legs-frog" who
just then hoped the other way. He
went after it, and the other two kept
on. He was an enterprising frog de-
termined to make a hard run for life,
and when at last Billy's little brown
hands closed over the slippery spotted
thing they" We're way across the field,
dark silhouettes against the pale even
ing sky.
They were walking very slowly now,
and so busily talking that Billy decided
they didn't want him, and he went
quietly home, giving the frog to the
cook for Miss Edith's breakfast, but"
as an afterthought, not for DR..
Browne"
1t was early spring again when Billy
came tearing into the schoolroom one
day, his hands full of sweet violets.
Edith, drawing at an east window,
looked around brightly.
"Oh. you darling
For you, Miss Edith: and I know
where there are just bushels of cow
slips for your at home tomorrow in
the big punch bowl. Now if we could
take the mare in the old village cart,
you and /"
but l am going to drive this after
noon.''
"Nho with?"
DIR. Browne"
"Oh!" and the child turned away.
Then he saw "a low dish of violets on
the table.
where did you get those?" The
steady gaze of the brown eyes brought
a pretty pink color to her cheeks
From DR.. Browne"
"Oh! but mine are prettier."
'Of course"
Two big tears had come into the
brown eyes.
And Billy, want to tell you some
thing" and Edith drew him down be-
side her in the great wicker chair. Il am
going to marry DR.. Browne in the fall" ="
And go away?" The two tears had
begun 10 roll down Billy's rosy cheeks,
but stopped half way and evaporated in
his astonishment.
"Yes, but will come home every
summer"
Honor bright?"
Honor bright"
"And you like my violets?"
Indeed l do. You were my first
love, Billy boy"
Well, the summer sped by, October
came and the wedding day was at
hand. Billy's mother worked long and
earnestly, and as result piles of lace.
trimmed, beribboned garments were
finished and folded and ready to go
away. These Billy reverently viewed
from afar, but when the presents be-
gan to come he was in his element, for
he united parcels, folded paper and
twine, and said: 'How lovely" when
the present came to view He carried
the piles of notes of thanks to the post
office and smiled at the postmaster who
smiled back at him and asked: "Any
more, Billy?"
''Oh, lots!' was the reply; "for two
parcels and an express bundle are Just
come, and old Mrs. Greene, the rich
one, has sent nothing yet"
On the eventful day the little church
was all trimmed with chrysanthemums.
The chancel was full of them. Pure
white. yellow, brown. red and pink in
artistic confusion. DIR. Browne and
Edith put the very last touches them
selves
At last it was about done. and thew