The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-05-29

APPS SuAACN Will BULL LIN q ~ VIVA
mantled in her cheeks.
proper! Society does not rule down
here, Aunt Margaret! Besides it is a
mere matter Of business!"
A twinkle danced in Miss Margaret's
eyes, but vanished, presently.
"Oh," she said, "you mean to make
a profession of your art"
"Oh, dear!" sighed Lena, chow many
times I have told you, Aunt Margaret,
that art will not accept divided hon.
age. I hope soma day to call myself
an artist! Now" and the large brown
eyes grew luminous, the lips smiled as
If some vision of beauty woke a glad
response in Lena's heart, and her little
white hands moved unconsciously to
clasp each other; now l can only hope
and dream, work and pray!"
Then she came suddenly out Of this
little ectasy and said:
II sent an advertisement to the
Granville Gazette yesterday, and it is
published to-day"
She took a folded newspaper from
her pocket, opened it and read:
"'WANTED-A fisherman to stand
as model for an artist. Terms liberal.
Apply at NO. 3 Seaview Terrace, Ocean
Place, Wilton
"By the way, Aunt Margaret, the ut
ter absurdity of that address never
struck me SO forcibly as it does at this
moment. Ocean Place'-a strip of sea
beach half a mile in extent! .Seaview
Terrace -four empty and one occupied
cottage. I suppose all the population
of Wilton will apply for the position"
But nearly a week passed, every day
bringing a repetition of the advertise
ment, and not an answer reached Sea-
view Terrace. Lena worked busily at
her picture, a sea-scape, with a group
of children in the foreground, a wo-
man watching the waves upon q rock
to the right, and a great blank space for
the fisherman, who was to come to
greet her. The subject was not very
new or very original, but Lena was
treating 1t with wonderful! power for a
young artist. She had worked faith
fully under good masters in London,
Paris and Rome for six years, and was
an artist born. Her father had been
proud of her genius, giving it full scope,
while she was yet a mere child, and
when he died he charged his sister to
let Lena have her will, II she wished
to continue her studies. So the girl.
then only seventeen, when her routine
of studies with her masters was over,
took her easel and brushes for rest, for
salve to the hitter heart-pain her faith
er's absence caused, and, with her aunt
fer G. %:oaipanion, went abroad to study.
She had been at home only two months
when she tosx board at Seaview Ter
race, and began her sea picture-her
first large one on canvas. 1t was too
early in the season for seaside visitors,
still April weather, and Wilton was but
a small place, SO she worked outdoors.
her easel facing the wide blue sea she
copied with sometimes fainting. often
e~xultant, heart.
Mortimer Gilroy cs.lled himself weary
Of the world. At thirty-two he had ex-
hausted all the pleasures a liberal for
tune, strong health, u cultivated mind
and plentiful leisure afforded. When I
say exhausted" l merely quote Morti-
mer Gilroy. He had "done" Europe,
Egypt and his native country; had been
petted by society, escaped numerous
cunningly spread matrimonial webs,
and, while he counted his flirtations by
dozens, he was heart whole, as he lay
upon the deck of the Firefly, his own
yacht, reading the "Grantville Gazette"