The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1893-05-19

cess.
Some days pas,el before | had
leisure To develop the plate, bit
ihen found | had indeed a prize,
for il proved the best negative in
every way among my entire col
lection.
Before | went down town the
next morning l hastily printed a
proof, which ! looked al with in.
creasirg rapture several times
during the day.
What a. Perfect pose thai girl
had unconciously taken, and how
very beautiful she was! had on.
ly thought of her before as ''good
subject" but now could not gel
her lovely lace and graceful figure
out of my mind. Who was she,
and did she live in thai quiet town
among The hills, or had sire been a
stranger like myself? How could
| find out. and where could see
her again for 10 see her ! Ielt ]
must.
1t is a strange confession to
make, but before lwentyfour hours
were over | was desperately IN
love with The unknown original OF
my prize. That we should meet
again some day | had not The
slightest doubt. Kismei!
Bu, after all, would it be right
10 send this pictnre-her plc,ure-
into the competition to be cri,i.
ciSed, admired freely, passed from
hand 10 hand, then reproduced and
sent broadcast over the length and
breadth oil he whole country?
Why not, when this might be
the very means Of bringing US to-
geihcrs And then | thought how
| should persuade her that my
wish TO find her out had overcome
all scruples, and that with the
seeming liberty which | had taken
| had shown myself ready to sur
render myself her prisoner and
await her sentence-lor life or
death
| could hardly wait for Saturday
afternoon tn come, and was in Il
lever until lhe few clouds of the
morning had disappeared and lett
me the golden sunshine needed lt
print the prize picture.
/ watched ihe first print will
breaihless attention, lest il shoult
he too dark or shade too light
And when it seemed exactly righl
| removed II carefully and put il
in IA dark place, aud laid another
piece of freshly fumed paper upor
The negative. Then | put the
printing frame out again on my
window sill and began TO fuss
with another negative.
How 1t happened, | never knew
bnt there was a crash-and wheI
| turned to the window the frame
was gone.
picked it up on the sidewalk
fpr'y feet bel0w-wilh my precious
negative shivered into a thousand
pieces.
Ali my hopes now centered OF
the one prlnt which fortunately
had secured. And oh, the agon,
of anxiety that went through il
The loning. mounting and burnish
ing of that one priceless print!
Bul it was safely finished at last
and perfect IN every way-beauli
lul, artistic, beyond question th'
best piece of photographic work
had ever done.
So, in spite of The irreparabl
loss OF The negative, telt almos
happy, for with this | would surel
accomplish my double purpose. |
could not fail 20 win the prize
q small tribute 10 pay TO my IN
known darling's beauty. An(
il would also be the means o
bringing us face 10 lace. For i
must certainly find its way int,
,he hands OF some IF her family o
} friends, and she would hear Of il
see il, be a little indignant, per
haps. But her father or brothe
or guardian would be certain t.
resent the supposed liberty, All,
might even write tn the success
inl amaluer 10 take him to task iO
his presumption; that was IN!
most ardent desire -the very cln
l wanted. Once | knew where t.
find her, aud then could manag
all The rest.
| was radiant with satisfaction
and was now only keeping th'
finished picture until | should hav
a chance to take copy OF IL 70
myself; for | could not make II
my mind TO part with il altogether
until | had found the original.
| was coming up town the mex
: afternoon, my mind full Of th
beauty and wlnsome grace of m
fair unknown, when | ran acros
, my old chum Fred. 1t was ,h
first time had seen him since hi
marriage, aud we each had mnc
tN say.
, III want yon 10 meet my wife
, Tom; know you'll like each otl
, er. She was rs disappointed as
was that your illness kept yo
( from coming TO our wedding. Al
, you all right again nowY Yo
look we'll. Can't you drop in NJ
r on us tonight We are s,oppin
+. at The Buckingham until our hous
Is ready"
"lshall be most happy to-" al
| = 4 y \