The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-09-05

xxx put into her hands on
* commencement day. The
hundred-dollar prize for
the highest average grades during
her college course had come to her as
a complete surprise, though not one
of her classmates expressed astonish-
ment at the result when the award
was made.
''Now you can buy yourself wheel
or take your long anticipated trip to
Chautauqua without asking favors
from anyone said her younger sis
ter, Dorotho, as proud of Virginia's
success as if won by herself.
~ am too stingy to spend it in that
way, now that l have it," answered
Virginia. 81 am going to try for the
two-hundred dollar prize offered by
the board of the county fair for the
best picture by an amateur artist, and
if l am lucky enough to get it, l am
going to Europe"
'You will be sure to win; you al
ways do" insisted Dorotho, with
look of affection.
81 am not so sure of that, returned
Virginia, shaking her head. "But l
shall do my best, and if l fail in get
ting first place, may chance to come
in for the second"
But she had no intention of COM
ing in second best, and set herself
-determinedly to win first place. Early
and late, regardless of the sweltering
weather, she sat before her easel lost
in the beautiful creations of her soul
as they found expression on the can
vas through the medium of her finger
tips. One scorching morning in the
latter part of July, as she sat by her
studio window intent upon the study
before her, a sigh, half-moan was
waited to her ears from the burning
depths below. Instinctively her eyes
turned in the direction from whence
the interruption had come-to rest
upon her mother, weighted down
with heavy basket of vegetables
which she had gathered from the
kitchen garden. Several times as
she toiled on up the grassy walk she
set her basket down, and with her
apron mopped her streaming face.
Virginia watched her pityingly until
she disappeared within the heated
kitchen, and then turning to her
easel, she murmured in sympathiz-
ing voice: "Poor mother What a
hard, accomplishing life she has to
lead. l do wish she could afford to
hire the help she needs, but l know
she can't. When l get to earning
money shall see that she takes times
easier"
With this added incentive to re-
newed endeavor, she took up her
brush determined to let nothing
stand between her and that 5000
prize. But despite her resolution she
could not center her thoughts ON the
subject before her, and after half an
hours unsatisfactory work she awoke
to the knowledge that she had spent
the last thirty minutes in changing
the expression of her madonna to that
of her mother. Instead of the sweet
face that had beamed on her from
the canvas, she was spellbound by
the reproving eyes that seemed to be
set in a thin, faded, tired face.
Mother, MOTHER" she cried, "what
have | done. Is it my fault that you
have grown old and gray before your
time?" and then, as if in a vision,
the past rose up before her. As new
er before she realized what sacrifice
this dear mother had made that her
daughter might enjoy advantages
that had been denied to her. She
understood now how she had toiled
and saved and denied herself that
her eldest born might appear as other
girls-and now, could it be possible
that this precious mother was slip
ping away foreverl
For her sake | must win that
prize" she said in a decided voice.
Imagine all that 5000 would do for
her-and it shall, it shall"
"But what good will it do her after