Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-08-03


Why not. when this might b he vsry
means II bringing us toseth6rs Ard
then tfeugat how 1 should persuade
her that my wish 10 TAD Der cut had
oyerconss al ssxupsez, and thai with the
seeming liberty winch hSi taken mad
shown myself ready 90 surrender uyseif
her prisoner and await ker sentcnoe-
for HE or death!
! could hardly wait for Saturday aftsr-
noon % CINE, and Wa IN = fever anti
the few clouds Of the morning Lad dis
appeared and LIFT me the golden sun
shine neesied to print the prize picture.
watched the Iirst print with breath
Iass attention, lest iE should 10 too dark
or aailz.ie to light. And when il seemed
exactly rigat / removed il carefully and
pr il IA dark place. sai laid another
pisce OF freshly fuInei paper upon the
negative. Then put the printing frame
out again On my window sill and began
u fuss with another negative.
How il happened | never knew. bat
there was Grassland when / turned
u the window TIE printing frame was
gone.
packed it M on the sidewalk-forty
feet below-wlth rny preelo1s negative
saIverod into a thousand pieces.
All nay hopes now conferred on the one
print which fortunately had secured
And on, the agony of anxiety that went
through in the toning. mounting and
Furnishing of chat one priceless print!
But il was safely finished at last and
l 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, l felt almost happy, for
with this would surely accomplish my
double purpose. 1t could not fail to win
the prize-a small tribute TO pay to my
unknown darhng's beauty. And it
would also BE the means of bringing US
T face 10 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 ii, see it, be a little irdig-
nant perhaps. But her father or brother
I or guardian would be certain to resent
the supposed liberty. and might even
write 10 the successful amateur 10 take
him to task for his presumption; that
was my most ardent desire-the very
clew I wanted Once / knew where To
I find her, and then could manage all the
rest.
l was radiant with satisfaction, and
was now ouly keeping the finished pic:-
ure until should have a chance To take
copy of it for myself; for / could not
make up my mind 10 part with it alto
gether until had found the original.
was coming up town the next after
noon. my mind full of the beauty and
winsone grace of my fair unknown,
when l ran across my old chum Fred.
Ii was the first time l had seen him
much To say.
Il want you 10 meet my wife, Tom;
know you'll like each other. She was
rs disappointed as l was that your i'll
ness kept you from coming TO our wed
ding. Are you all right again nowi
You look well. Can't you drop in upon
US tonight? We are stopping at the
Buckingham until our house is ready"
Il shall be most happy to-" i answer
ed. And accordingly presented myself
that evening at the door Of their private
parlor.
Fred welcomed me cordially, and his
young wife dropped the roses she was
arranging AZ / entered. turned and came
forward smiling and with outstretched
hand.
staggered backward-I believe
should have fallen if Fred had no,
caught me by the ar1n-for the beauti-
ful unknown in my prize picture with
whom had fallen SO desperately in
love was no other than Fred's wifel
what is the matter? You are M" she
cried. while she LASTLY brought me q
glass Of wine.
at is nothing-nothing. stammered
II believe I'm not yet quite strong.
beg your pardon for being such fool"
The wine restored me somewhat, and
l 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
looked at my picture eagerly. The same
beyond the shadow Of doubt. And
then began to realize the fun extent OF
my double loss. Impossi bic to continue
my alteration of the fair unknown
since now | knew her to be the wife OF
my friend. and impossible to send the
stolen picture Of another mans wife into
a public competition.
| turned the picture to the wall, and
sat for long time lost in thought. Their
/ seized pen aud wrote:
DxsR FRxp- Truth Is stranger than nctson wkl
this send you the photograph Of a fair stranger
who deliberately and ufsciosssiy walked int
my picture vAsn ~ss of a photographic
tip two ~eess ago. This viii also expiain m,
pecslisr collapse this evening IL takes a smaller
tang than sach queer coincidence to upset a Eel
low when be n still below par. know you vii
prize the picture. fer it is the only in exist
enct. ard the negative unfortunately - broken
With respectful renemssances 20 your wife, you
ED friend Ton
AS I sealed my note the word ks
met" cleaned niockingly up from the
dark wax. ] tied mp the photograph and
sent it of by a messenger before had
tine TO reconsider my decision.
Good by to my dreams-and 10 my
prize picture" said sadly, AZ tho mes
senger pursued his way down the dark
and silent street.
1t was gou-s. and already reprinted oil
my haste. Then. "a sudden thought
struck me. exclaimed:
by Jove. II can find il I'll tone the
,roof.- I-eslie's Weekly.
An Awkward Interruption