The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-09-13
WHEN MISS INEVITABLE
LOVED.

very baptlsmal font. for the name he
slowed upon her. Mehiiablc Hopkins,
was enough 10 make a spmstcr OF the
loyellest girl ever born when she left
school they bore her on 10 Europe,
WHERE, while her nye years OF travel
gave her an excellent knowledge OF
men In the composite man as an indi-
yldual was entirely unknown % her
Then followed her fathers death aud
her mothers long ycar Of Illness.
when all the daughters thoughts and
energies We're concentrated on the sick
room. Finally. to complete the bands
which all her life had been forged 10
keep her IN single blessedness. She
found herself nj thirty-nye with n very
comfortable fortune and not a slgn Of
n near relative with whom 10 share IT,
So that she hadn't even that question.
able excuse OF becoming married Tot
the sake OF home
II Mehiable had been a poor girl she
might have proved a genius, for she
could paint ~ clcyerly as 10 make her
rivals decidedly uneasy. But now that
she found herself a lonely woman,
with cruelty plain silver lines over her
temples aud no longer any trace Of the
old-tlme dimplcs where the sharp
knuckles now showed. her only re-
source was her palette one thing she
stoutly refused 20 do. however and
that was 10 make n workshop Of the
old family home She ~ last hit upon
the tiny brown cottage IN the next
square. where all the surrounding.
towering residences looked In heartless
dlFdnin On the tumhlc-dOwn frame
house. which the owner. weak-yoiced
little old man. had chung "a desperately
IN spite OF all his fashionable neigh-
bOrs' scOrn aud tie tempting offers ~
frantic real estate dealers. The old
man had been found dead one morning
that summer with the rising suns rays
trying 10 warm his thin. white cheeks
Then al ltLr residents ON the square
sighed IN a relieved way and the
shrewd real estate men began 10 huni
~ the heirs with new proposals FOR
the valuable mt of ground, when ~
and behold, Il was discovered that the
poor. dead owners viii was being com
tested by a prodigal son, aud therefore
the house would have 10 remain where
II was until the question was settled
Again the fashionable square suuirned
and fluttcred, Tor Il was evident that
no one with any self-espect would
want 90 occupy the innocent cause OF
all this trouble while there was the
terrible possibility that some sacri-
leglous laundress might rent the little
brown house aud mar the whole land.
scape with her Outrageous signs and
long lines ~ haunting. shameless
sheets aud peiticoais
Al this point of suspended hostiliiics
Miss Hopkins conceived the brilliant
idea Of transforming the disputed
property into q temporary studio. 10 be-
used until the long legal qulhblc should
end, Whereai the entire nelrhborhuod
was enthusiastically grateful II l.
true that Miss Kettle az which prim
appelation poor Miss Hopkins never
failed 10 writhe. shiyered little 40 The
dus, Ia the CORNERS aud lifted her im.
mRculate skirts gingerly ~ she sur.
Veyed the rickety front steps
bring over enough hammers aud
nails 10 make Il strong aud safe she
commanded the carpenter. whom she
had brought with her on her final visit
Of inspection.
Mind you. safe" she repeated. ~ q
loose board ~ the fo0r creaked omui.
ously beneath her trad
Put on plenty 81 locks, too. aud a"
NJ the smoky walls doomed up before
her In all their bare. grim neglect. for
PHYS sake get h clean"
Whcrcat the man promised profuscly
aud as he went on grinncd nt the
mcmory of the timid little splustcrs
terror ~ anything not scrupuluusly
neat.
AZ last Il was finished and lis TEN.
porary owner held a reception 10 the
residents OF the whole square. They
came. one aud all. aud went away
fairly delighted az the result The low
walls had been done Ia an unhroken
gay green and the tioors laid soft aud
smooth with something a shade darker
The poor. battered woodwork now
shone In dark rich red. while the tiny
window panes formerly 50 plilfully
cheap looking. were now voted quaint
90 a degree. The chinlEcoveuetl
touches were tantallzngly inviting
aud the simple daperies added wonder
fully 10 the artistic whole. Aud
throughout u all there had not been
done one thing 10 mar amy of the old
houses original charm beyond the
necessary nails aud braces To steady
the poor little wreck.
For the hrst time in her life Miss
lletty had tins 10 be- really happy and
the big family house. NJ on the corner
rarely knew her except when she crept
hack there at dusk a. her solitary state
dinner aud the undlsturbcd nights rest
IN the big. quiet chamber on the second
floor. Canvases seemed fairly 10 nv
from beneath her tirclcss fingers, and
pretty soon everybody came 10 rccor
nike her works, because % the newt.
able old man, with thin. pale face.
who always stood out against the
background Of the old. slantlng brown
house. When she one day showed the
last thing she had done the whole
square tlptocd. wct-cyed. out into the
street again, with many penltent
promise never again 10 speak IN Of tho
battered little house aud It's erstwhlle
owner. For Miss llctty's masterpiece
pictured the dead, quiet face. there IN
the early sun, with the shadows of
che morning glory vines across his
aigh, lined forehead and with one
hegs, rosy blossom trailing Ia NJ the
cper easement as though trying 10 lend
some 0f It's beautiful warmth 10 the
wasted. patient cheek beyond.
"Now that ! have M many. think I
shall try 90 sell them, for the orphan
asylum On the next street Ii la sad
need Of money, ! hear Hut I think
IN not paint him any more" she
added. softly. "for mes 0cad now, You
know" Aud poor, fond. foolish little
Miss Heity sohhcd quietly as she laid
her trembling hand tcndcrly ON the be
loved canvas
Il was that same evening that Mrs
Wllmarth brought her brother. Mai.
Doane. 10 see the little collection. Mrs.
Wilmarth lived jus, across the street
frOm the big Hopkins house aud Miss
nI.sass NuA alttar - F.ttttI ,....H A.,