The evening times., 1895-08-06
One Cent 1ss, sss
No advertisement less than los.
The Prize Picture.
BY A. w. MITCHELL.

Young Lawyer Radcliffe walked ieis-
ureiy down Mayfield street toward the
Episcopal Church. He was tall aud thin
with a narrow white face and Roman
nose. AS usual he wore a.fail silk hat
and q trim black suit
As he came in sight of the church door
a crowd OF children flocked therefroni-
7 This showed him his visit had been cor
rectly timed for his intention was to walk
home with Miss Paula Pryor, the charm
ing teacher of the infant class. As Miss
Pryor had not appeared when he reached
the stone steps, Mr.. Radcliffe entered
into a somewhat Iabored conversation with
the deaf sexton to cover the eniba rras sment
natural to a fastidious lawyer hanging
around a Sunday y-school entrance. 80"
Miss Pryor's class was the first one
next the chmcel Here the Rev. Septimius
Oglethorpe loved To watch her as she fed
the heavenward longings OF her young
charges and sought vainly to curb their
more evident earthly natures.
The Rev. Mr.. Oglethorpe was short and
rather chubby. with round blue eyes and
little white teeth, FIRE quently disclosed
by his genial smile. Since his coming to
Mayfjeld Mr.. Oglethorpe's thoughts had
been all for 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
had thrown u dark shadow into tLis rose
colored pastoral The shadow wa introduce
ed to Mr. Oglethorpe as Roumey Radcliffe,
beginning his legal career In Ma ayfiled 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 Pryor's favor. as Mr.. OgIethorpe
could plainly see. That was natural. for,
of course, the Judge would help him in
his profession. But 1t was wholly uncalled
for that he should extend his attentions TO
the judges daughter.
Now was Mr.. Oglethorpe's soul dis
quieted by the apparition OF tail form
crowned with q tall silk hat, at every
function graced by Miss Pryor. His
cheerful, high-pitched voice would wayer
aud almost break when he glanced up
from his sermon and saw that legal inter
loper sitting behind the stove waiting for
the end OF the service and for the lac v.
Scramble as he would, Mr.. Oglethorpe could
not get off his surplice and be at the church
door in time to head off his rival After
several vain efforts. ne formed plan TO
outwit the lawyer. He asked Miss Paula
10 IlUu tlle ltesDlS IOT HIIll GdCu stIN
ice for the next one. This detained her
in that most convenient spot until the
rector could prepar. to stroll down the
aisle and bow a triumphant greeting to
the forestalied Radcliffe.
This Sunday morning as Mr.. Oglethorre
was closing the school, an involuntary
glance from the window showed him the
hateful black hat coming down the street,
threatening even his last sacred privilege.
Teddy Travers saw it, too.
Say, Miss Paala,' he whispered to
his teacher. The other mans coIniD' after
you"
Paula shook her head at Teddy for
whisper ring but smiled sweetly on Mr..
Oglsthorpe, as she passed him on her way
TO change q book in the library Reas-
sured b. that SMILE Mr.. Oglethorpe waited
patiently at tie head of the class pew,
watching the library door like a purring
pussy cat for 4 mouse. who had agreed
TO come out. Without by tie stone steps
waited, equally patient and equally COM
plaisant, Mr.. Roumey Radcliffe: for, as
he ran out, Teddy Travers, who had
weakness for importance, had said 10 him
in a friendly, confidential way: Teacher
knows were here. mister. an she's comm
right out Never before had such di-
rect recognition of his suit been vouch-
safed and the lawyers hope rose high
He had not expected to set aside his rival
so easily.
Meanwhile. as the minister stood by the
pew and the lawyer by the door, Paula
Pryor had finished her errand in the Ii
brary and stepped out through the narrow
portal, which furnished a rear entrance
to the church. TO the bank of the Wepo-
waug River, flowing near She strolled
calmly and peIceably northward along
this bank. past the village center, until
she came TO the fields where Light grove
fringes the stream and pink and white
flowers nod over IFS ripples- She climbed
lightly over the low stone fence that
bounded the fields and sauntered on into
the woods, enjoying the summer breeze
and sunshine. Her face was as placid
and fair as ever. Only her eyes laughed
silently.
So absortpd was she in her own thoughts
that She almost stepped upon Tom Kane
before she saw him. Tom was young
man at whom all the village authorities
looked askance. With all his advantages.
they said. he had never amounted to any
thing He travelled abroad and studied art,
without so much as crayon portrait to
show for it. He was graduated at Yale.
and wasn't a minister or a doctor or
lawyer. Undisturred by his failures. how
ever. he went his own lazy way withons
effort to cunciliate public opinion. Only
the small boys defended his good name.
strongest arm in the village: that no
catcher could ever get on tn his curves;
that nobody else knew where all the fish
and all the birds and all the squirrels
lived or could tell stories which would
make a fellow forget the toothache. or
draw a picture of Robinson Crusoe so
real that a dog would bark at it. Paula
had been to school with Tom in their
childhood. but of late years they had seldom
met Now he lay stretched out at her
feet carefully drawing pompous old
beetle mapping under a plantain leaf.
while beside him a bamboo fishing rod was
balanced over the stream by stone.
He had not heard Pauia's approach. and
sketched on quietly. She wondered if she
could withdraw without disturbing him.
1t was very bad taste to be around like
this and go fishing on Sunday. Her lips
curved in disapproval. When her eyes,
following the fish lire, reached the hook.
There nibbling dainty was the fattest,
handsomest trout that had ever swan in
the wepowaug. In breathless silence she
laid her hand on Tom Kane's head. Tom
was not nervous, and had many times
onpfrontad the uneynpctpd Therefore he