Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-08-04
THE PRIZE PICTURE.

'NAhF AattNN Ut ANilttlllt Nulktus ltlN~
urely down Mayheld street toward the
Episcopal Church. He was tall and
thin, with narrow. white face and a
Roman nose. As usual. he wore tall
silk hat and trim. black suit.
As he came In sight OF the church
door crowd OF children focked there
from. This showed him his visit had
been correctly timed. Tor his Intention
was to walk home with Miss Paula
Pryor, the charming teacher OF the In
fant class, As Miss Pryor had not APP
poared when he reached the stone steps.
Mr. Radcliffe entered into a somewhat
lahpred conversation with the deaf sex
ton TO cover the embarrassment nat
ural to fastidlou8 lawyer hanging
around Sunday school entrance.
Miss Plyors tfass waa the nrst one
next the chancei, Here the Rev. Sep
tlmlus oglethorpe loved 10 watch her
as she fed the heavenward longlngs
OF her young charges ami sought valnly
te curb their more evident earthly ma
lures. The Rev. MIR. oglethorpo was
short and rather chubby. with round
blue eyes and little white teeth fire.
qucntly disclosed by his genial smile.
Since his coming to Mayheld MIR. oglc-
thurpo's thoughts had been all Tor Miss
Paula though he had so divided his
attentions as to cause no jealousy
among the ladies' OF his parish For six
months the course OF clerical love had
been as smooth as the clerical hair.
During the later spring. however. Fate
mad thrown a dark shadow into this
rose-colored pastoral. Thu shadow was
introduced TO Mr. oglethorpe as Rou-
mey Radcliffe, beginning his legal
career In Maynold, and as important
IN his own eyes as only that man can
be who Is fresh from college. Radcliffe
was playing his cards for old Judge
Pryors favor as Mir. Oglethorpe could
plainly see, That was natural. for. OF
course. the judge would help him IN his
profession BuJ II was wholly uncallel
Tor that ne should extend his atten-
Tons to the judges daughter.
Now was Mir Oglethorpe'a soul dis.
puletcd by the nppartion of tall form
crowned with q tall silk hat, at every
function gracOd by Miss Pryor. His
cheerful. high-pltched voice would
waver aud almost break when he
glanced UP from his sermon and saw
that legal interloper sitting behind the
stove waiting Tor the end " the service
and Tor the lady, Scramble as he would,
Mr. DglCthorpe could not get on his
surplice and be at the church door In
time to head or his rival. After aev-
eral vain efforts he formed plan Ia
outwit the lawyer lie asked Miss
Paula to md the lessons for him after
each service for the next one. This de-
[ tanned her In that most convenient spot
until the rector could prepare to gtrull
down the aisle and bow triumphant
greeting 10 the foreAtalled Radcliffe
Ia H "A
/ thorpe was closing the school, an III
voluntary glance from the window
showed him the hateful black hat COM
lng down the street, threatening even
his last sacred privilege. Teddy Tray-
ers saw II, too.
say. Miss Paula" he whispered to
his teacher, 'Thn other mans comm
after you"
Paula shook her head ct Teddy for
Whispering, hut smiled Hweetly on Mr.
| oglethorpc Hs she passed him on her
way 10 change book IN the library
Roossured by that smile Mr. Oglc-
thorpe waited patiently ut the head Of
the class pew watching the library
door like Il purring pussy cat for a
| mouse who had agreed 10 come out
Without by the stone steps waited
equally patient and equally complni-
SAINT MIR. Roumcy Radcliffe; for, az he
| ran out, Teddy TrnVerN, who had
weakness for importance. had said TO
him IN a friendly, confidential way
| PREACHER knows ye'ra here. mister
an she's comm right out" Never be-
/ forN had such direct recognition OF
his suit been vouohsnfed and the law
yers hope rose high. lie had not et-
pcctcd TO set aside his rival so easily
Meanwhile, as the minister stood by
the pow and the lawyer by the door
Paula Pryor had finished hcr orrand
IN the library and stepped out through
the narrow portal which furnished
rear entrance to the church, Ia the
bank OF the WopowHug River lowing
near, She Rtrolled calmly and uence-
fully northward along this bank, past
the village centre, until she cRino TO
the fields where Hight grove frlngcs
the stream aud pink and white flowers
nod over itA ripplos. She climbed
lightly over the low atone fence that
bounded the fields and snuntered ON
into the woods enjoying the summer
breeze and sunshine Her face was as
placid and fair as ever. Only her eyes
laughed Rllcutly
So absorbed was she In her own
thoughts that she almost stepped upon
Tom Kane before she saw him. Tom
was a young man at whom all the
village authorities looked nskance.
with all his advantages. they sald, he
had never amounted to anything. He
travelled abroad and studied art, with
out so muCn as a fthNuN portrait 10
show for II. lie was graduated at
Yale. and wasn't a minister or n doe
tor or a lawyer UndiHturbed by his
failures. however. he went his own
lnzy way without effort to concillate
public opinion only the small boys
defended his good rame They knew
that hls was the truest aim ana strong
est arm in the village; that no catcher
could ever get on" to his curves; that
nobody else knew where all the ilah
and all the birds and all the squirrels
lived, or could tell stories which would
make u fellow forget the toothnche, or
draw a picture Of Robinson Cruaoe 10
real that dog would bark at II.
pnuln had been 10 school with Tom
In their childhood. but " late years
they had seldom met. Now we lay
stretched out at her foet, carefully
raying n pompous old beetle mapping
under a plantaln leaf. while beside him
bamboo fshing rod was balanced
over the stream by a stone.
He had not heard Poula's approach,
and sketched on quietly. She won
,iersd n she could withdraw without
disturbing him. IL was very bad taste
10 be around like this and 40 fishing
on Sunday. Her lips curved IN dis
approval. When her eyes. following
me fish-lino. reached the hook. There
nibblinE dainty was the fatteat.
abandonment tout that had ever AVIAN
In thc Wepowaug. In breathlsss silence
she laid her hand on Tom Kane's head.
hrI |