The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-03-17
THE BENNINGTON BANNER FRIDAY, MARCH IL, 1898.

little cooler. They had paid no atten
ton to the dull boom of the sea.
THAT is Marie Jean Craigan." Perley
carelessly replied, partly turning his
head to give the girl nod. "She mus
have just returned. The Marie comes
from Der French mother, who, they
claim, is direct descendant from one OF
the famous exiled Acadians The resi-
of her name comes from her Scottish
father The mixture of the two nature;
gives her a sorry time of it. The stern
Scotch is ever hampering and dampen,
ing the Southern fire."
"Whyl" Winnie exclaimed after mo,
ment, 'She is the original of the paint.
ing now in your studio. l thought it a
fancy SKETCH"
eyes. Artists gather as much as pos.
sible of the beauty that CLEANS in theil
path" he replied with a sly ROBUSTNESS.
''Some of it beauties canvas, some the
heart"
'But, Winnie persisted, taking long
time to fasten. her glove that she might
study the subject under consideration.
usually faultless in that line you have
failed to catch the correct expression. :"
''Why so?'
"Your picture is all brightness. 1t
speaks only of happiness before the soul
has been stirred to its DEPTHS; lack of
soul'o one might say"
81 prefer to Gull the bright side of
everything. Possibly my theory colored
my work. 1t is the language of the soul
you remember. Yours spoke through
those marvellous strains awhile ago." he
added, with tender information in his
voice; 81 read the love they expressed
and rejoiced thereat."
Nevertheless" Winnie continued, as
they turned and passed on, "as a por-
trait of Marie your picture is failure
The character now shining and struggling
in every line of her face is lacking Life
is reality to her Do you not see itP
AS an embodiment of beauty, of child
like soul not yet awakened to conflict, it
is perfect"
yet that is exactly as Marie looked
when made the sketch"
"How long ago?"
Last summer"
sit is not Marie now," Winnie conf
IDENTITY maintained. ''Has the change
been so gradual as to escape your notice?
Study her when we return and confirm
my criticism" She laughed.
Perley had seen the change in the one
quick glaL ce he had given Marie. The
danger of self-accusation was thrust
aside, but it left a wound. Bent on
turning the conversation he covered it
with smile as he looked at Winnie, his
face aglow with light, his eyes trimming
with love.
"Why not gather the honey from all the
flowers of life?" he said.
zone reason is, the honey from every
flower does not belong to one. In slipping
it, he could, from mere selfishness, easily
turn all the sweets of others into gall"
Don't spin platitudes at me to-day,
darling. know am graceless wretch
at best. l do love the brilliant sunshine,
the flower-strewn fields, to sip the delic-
ious nectar from all that is beautiful to
look at and enjoy. An artists preroga-
tive, you see. And yet, have won you
dear, which fact speaks volumes for my
innate goodness"
There were tears just ready to spin
from eyelashes rather than platitudes
from lips, as Winnie returned the smile.
"You are not as heartless as you seem,"
she breathed, halflaughing, half sobbing.
"And-I love you"
"And you have not found the gall with
the honey? not yet" he ended with a
mischievous look into her eyes, and a
warm pressure of the hand.
81 had a taste of it,
"When?"
"When thought 1 had lost you. 1
fancy looked as Marie looks now.- Has
she lover?"
Possibly"
"Who is she9 1 mean what is her sta
ton in life?'
''Her father is one of the better class
of fishermen; gentleman fisherman, you
might say. His daughter is very en-
tertaining companion, as you will find.
She can manage boat equal to the best
expert, and devotes her leisure to study.
She is learning music. A little unsophist-
icated as yet, but age will correct that.
She is too young for prim young lady
hood just yet"
The conversation drifted to other
things. 1t was Winnie's first visit to the
Minas Basin-the home of Evangeline.