Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-04-16
IN GOLDEN-ROD TINE.

ulating tones time ter take the men
folks lunch
Lena, q pale looking girl Of ls,
a sweet, flower like face and ropes of
wavy Titan-tinted hair, came slowly
from the back kitchen where she had
been ironing.
With q sigh she took the heavy
basket, filed to overhowing with cold
baked beans, rye bread, apple pie and
doughnuts, and toiled down the dusty
road to the field where Widow
Smiths hired men were cutting the
aftermath.
Under haycock lounged man so
different in face and garb from the
hay cutters, that he seemed from
another world. His easel and paint
box were at his side folded, while the
hot sun was kept from his fair face
by an immense silk umbrella.
| 'Jovel the girl for my picture. Cant
belong to any of the clodhoppers about
here, though with those feet and that
forehead, Paul bennett muttered as
he saw the cavalier way in which she
treated the laborers' advances.
When she had returned home he
asked some cautious questions about
the nut brown maid who had crossed
his path. He learned that she was a
waif who had been left in the Norris
vile express sixteen years ago, and
Mrs. Smith beln' on the train at the
time had adopted her, KNOWN as
she'd get hired girl for nothln' by
so doin',' Jed Jones said, dryly.
| bennett concluded few days later
that the country hotel fare was doing
him no good, and that real farm life
would suit him down to the ground
MRS. Smith, nothing 10th to make at
accommodate, as she informed him
dozen times day.
By a judicious cajoling of the old
land and neat little sum of gold, the
widow hired small girl to do Lena's 8
work, and Lena was to help the board
er with his picture.
| i spose she mixes up his paint for
lhlm and washes his brushes, she told
her cronies, for Paul bennett had or,
Idered that he should never be dis
turbed at his work.
| If widow Smith could have seen
the interior of the little north room
lwhere bennett worked she would
have been horri6ed.
| For long hours, Lena in her dusky
beauty, would stand against draperies
Iof old mellow silks, dressed in gown
of pale golden crepe, her cleaning
larms and fair breast bare, and in
those shapely arms masses of glorious
Igolden rod.
'Goldie,' he would say when she
Igrew tired, 'read to me, and throw
ing herself at his feet the girl would
read parts of poems and plays in g
mastery way, for the true teacher,
| Nature, had taught this child one way
to express her passionate soul in hel
Iinsolated life.
The picture was finished, and Pau,
bennett was to return to the city; he
held the girl in his arms for the last
Itime
In month you shall come to me
my beautiful Golden rod,' he said.
Shall we be married here or in the
city?' she asked innocently.
Great heavens' he exclaimed, mar.
riedl Why my dear child, have one
wife.
Nature had taught this girl, and
with one bound she tore herself from
his arms and he did not see her again
Before he left the farmhouse she
had gone-no one knew where-anc
for ten long years he did not see bel
face.
The years prospered him, leaving
but few traces on his fair blonde face
And vet shadow followed him ever
the shadow of girl with passionate
dark eyes, the shadow of the CIR
whcm he had so terribly insulted
He had never sold the Golden rod
picture, though critics declared it tt
be his master piece. Still it hung OF
| his studio wall.
Paul has never been the same since
that month he spent in Vermont, hi
wife said He swears, tits but al
ideal face, yet the Golden rod girl ha
come between u.s.
Paul's wife slckened and died. II
the second year of his widowerhooe
he went one night to see famous &C
tress in wonderful play which h
had never seen. 1t was said to b.
Mile Gordle billions last appearance
but as she was a young, beautiful act
ress this was sneered at as clever ad
vertisement.
The curtain rose, the play went Of
as PLAYS do. Paul in the box watch
ed it listlessly until the star appeared
upon the stage.
She was queenly woman, in yel
low crepe, with the national flower
at her breast.
Paul staggered to the green room
I where he was always welcome. Th
a star raised her eyes to his.
i 4 must see you tonight after th
: play he whispered huskily.
!. For answer she held out her card.
A french maid answered his knock
: 'Oui, madamoiselle would see him
8 she said.
He found his lost love in sumptu
Gus tea gown of pl1sh and priceless
lace; diamonds gllttered in her hail
at her throat, and on her arms.
,Y 1