Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-12-26
PENALTY or HER MISTAKE.

wore black cape over q grey SAL l.
and carried a queer little dog's-eared
volume entitled "Hymnody,' Her eyes
were big and soft She had an Irish
mouth and q Welsh chin, with a dimple
in il.
We met, for the first and last time,
on the towing path between Windsor
and Staines. I noticed her when she
was quite q hundred yards away, and
admired her grace Of movement The
towing path was narrow and ragged
just at that point. so that we touched
elbows as we passed and our eyes met.
Immediately she uttered little cry
and fixed a pair of piace-nez across
her nose.
why, It's Jackt' she cried. How
are you, Jack? Where have you been
an these years? And what have you
been dOing?"
My name is Arthur but her hand was
toe small and soft TO relinquish with
unnecessary sUddenness.
Il knew You at once she affirmed.
] can't say think the mustache an i'm
proyement.'
Mo- i murmured doubtfully.
NO. Tt has taken all the character
out of YOU face.
felt quite sorry for her. She would
be SO confused 1 still held her hand.
"Wau. she said, screWug her eye
broWs. And what have you done
since I saw you last-acquired mod
osty?'
10 would be very awkward.
Mot exactly" / slammered.
She laughed
"iu walk with YOU as far as Wind
s0r, she said. Il suppose YOU are go
ing 20 Windsor? Or win YOU walk
with me 10 the Staines? Just as you
like. I'm living at Staines now, You
known a little room overlooking the
river-1r one round sterling per week
inclusive-OccasiOnal use Of the parlor.
"Oh, look az the sky. she cried sud-
denly, "all those sprawling gray drag
ons in has relief against the blue Isn't
ir wonderful? Yet they say my skies
are impossible. Nothing is impossible,
Jack is it?'
Nothing. except TO contradict You"
"Fven that gas not Impossible in the
cid days
There was another silence. 1t last
ed till we reached Staines. l was
grateful for the pause. We stopped
outside q white. Fat frOnted house fac
ing the river. I held forth my hand.
ooh. nonsense. Jack, she said. you
must come i'm and see the parlor.'
We went into the house. The street
door was not locked. The parlOr was q
small. ugly. comfortable room, with q
big bowl of flowers in the window,
athwart which fell a band OF yellow
sunshine.
ct want to show you some of my poor
little pictures"
We went into her room, a large
apartment, lighted from above, A
modest little bed was in the corner
squeezed away into the mirk as if rest
had but n small part In the life Of its
owner AT the head of the bed was a
small mirror and other toilet accesso-
ries on q white drapcd dressing table;
at its foot stood q deal wash stand. In
the centre of the room sprawled a great
yellow easel bearing a canvass There
we're other oa7-ls and canvases distrib-
uted throughout the room, and plaster
casts and Law figures. all the usual par
apharnalia of the painters craft added.
The little lady snatched down the
large canvas from the great yellow
easel end stood It up with its face TO
the wall.
"Not that" she said that is a study
I'm failures. will show YOU something
more modest" She went to a stack OF
pictures I'm the corner. See here
She said. holding up tiny sketch be-
fore me. Light on the Bar more
modest still. And here, throwing me
ON odd plance. compounded OF coquet-
nv and laughing doubt. "is picture
+he subject of which is not modest.
She nut her hand on my arm and led
me to the centre Of the room. Ihen
She gave the picture into my hands It
was the portrait of a man, strangely
resembling myself, drawn in the style
Of rha Dutch school with the hght con-
contracted ON the eyes and brow.
.Do Won like it?" she asked me.
of is wonderful l whispered.
81 did it just-just after that nlghI
-r was troubled at heart, for there
was q note other than the hooking
note of light comedy in her voice. l
feared the trend of the situation was
toward. perhaps. tragedy.
..rt seems so strange that we should
moot again like this she said, ana
--e+ not strange. For our corner OF the
World is very little place after an.
Vor have grown very old and manly
a15 er9ve lack. am just beginning
ON, 1t, that now: l didn't at 1irst.
Z-o,, mustn't think that l mean TO be
40 +o You. Jack Perhaps l hardly
ougbt TO call YOU Jack.
,5ves" 7 said. eagerly "call me Jack.
s.,r5ont Won. Jack she murmured'
,,,,-,tng 5You are q dear old boy. me
same old Jackl Twas sure you Woulan {
mind-Jack.
eyes" .,.
.Df5-lid ibid I hurt you muc1.
T,o1- that night? You know l hadn {
-f~,,.h- of YOU in that way al all. II
.,-,e nm me so suddenly. And my ar
MN. eo much 10 me; to marry means 10
e;,,a ,t nm Won see. And then, l didn {
M, 7srs+and myself. and YOU were so
fe-os and foolish and wild. / have Won
dsre5 sver since that I had the courage
-o refuse You. J3ck-you were sucA
sp'erl.l tcmpes. Of boy
WAS filled with c0nJri,ion and shame
pray. pray don't speak of IL, l SAID.
ut isa't fair to yourself. l have no r-gh-
10 listen.
81 care not how unfair she be. if only
she he fair to-herself. Eh? And you
have every right 10 Listen, Jack. l give
Won right. full right. Besides, l have 10
-srl- aboDt Il. IL IS so long ago, too, and
v-e are 50 much older Surely. it does
not matter. I- was such tender Jlme'
n .ima Of dancing blood, Jack We
- ...,-.-. I've \ aealn. never more