Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1895-06-27

three of them In the best OF humors
with themselves and with all the rest
of the world.
During dessert Charles DENIM got
up from the table and went across 10
the other end of the restaurant. lie
soon returned, accompanied by taii
handsome man OF about thirty; well
dressed, and bearing the unmistakabie
stamp OF "A gentleman. His dark, deep
set, brown eyes were full of restless
energy, but there was an expression
of earnestness In them which almost
amounted to sadness. This morning,
however, his delicate, oval face was
lighted up with happiness. Fam had
appeared to him; Glory had TOT he'd
him with her wings.
Hector" said Charles, II want TO
Introduce my friend TO you, Jean Stur-
tevant."
The journalist rose quickly, and
shook hands warmly with the young
sculptor.
IL must thank you" he said, "for the
enjoyment l have had this morning.
Your Wreck is a marvellous work or
art, and / certainly think have never
felt so much pleasure i'm seeing
piece of sculpture as In that"
The artist drank in these words from
the critic with delight and, on Hec-
tors invitation, he took a seat at the
little table where the viands were now
giving out their inviting aroma.
During the conversation Hector look
ed hard at Jean, trying to recall where
and when he had seen that refined
face with the intense expression in its
dark eyes.
He thought Of various acquaintance
he had made at clubs, artists studios,
etc.; but, no, he could not recall hav-
Ing met this man before, and still the
look in those eyes haunted him.
FINALLY he decided that ii must sim
ply be a resemblance that he saw to
some one else, and he became SO in
tereSted in the conversation of the
three artists that he forgot il at last,
and ceased to ransack his memory.
Gradually the tables around were de-
serted, and Hector called the waiter
and paid the bill. He left Il coin on
the table ca tip for the waiter, and
seeing that it nad escaped his notice,
he called him back, saying, rs he eX-
tended ON his palm. Here. take this"
Suddenly Jean Sturteyant looked at
it and then at Hector. His pale face
became still paler the expression in
his eyes still more intense. Il shudder
ran through him, and at the same time
the memory Of an utterly Wretched
face seen on November evening by
the light of a street lamp ten years
ago, flashed across Hector They were
all getting up from the table; he
smiled sympathetically ut the young
sculptor. and held out his hand. which
the latter grasped and wrung silently,
but with the gratitude of his whole
soul.
The coin had n peculiar mark on the
head of the Goddess of Liberty. 1t
was thus that Jean had rec gnized it
as the very coin he had snapped from
the table ten years previous. ana had
been forced TO return 10 the journalist
During all that time the journalist
had kept it until this evening. when
he had unintentionally drawn it from
his pocket as tip for the waiter.
Hector and Jean were from this day
forth firm friends, and the sculptor
told the story of the utter misery and
poverty he had been i'm when Hector's
timely sympathetic help had rescued
him from despair and his beautiful
young sister from death. She was now
twenty years old. bright, happy and
gay, the very sunshine of his home.
Hector was frequent visitor Mt the
sculptors studio and he often joined
the brother and sister at their dinner
table. The tinge of melancholy grad
ually disappeared from his face, and
one morning the following announce
ment was seen in the papers:
THE marriage of our gifted critic
Hector Mainwaring. with Miss Helene
Sturtevant, the sister of Jean Sturte-
want, the well known sculptor of THE
Wreck is shortly to take place.
New York Weekly.