Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1897-10-28
NINETTE'S SACRIFICE.

NINETTE'S SACRIFICE.
H1 IN skipped daintily
Gf jAN along the shore,
@L%1n her bright curls
! q ! J: !
m 1mu tossing with the
N~,, YrsEH, breeze, and the
-xlRgH Nh gayly colored ker-
UtNEsGtR chief, which should
4-fs&S ~ have confined them,
i A~A| swinging in her
hand.
NV She was happy as
the birds, and her very heart
sung for Joy, for was she not
on her way to the dear artists
studio, where she spent the happiest
hours of the day? Was she not helping
to make the beautiful picture which he
said was to bring him fame and happi-
ness? And as she thought, her steps
grew slower, and the bright, beautiful
past rose up before her like wonder
full panorama, each view more entranc-
ing than tie preceding one; her memo
ry went back to that early summers
day, when he had come upon her as
she sat mending her fathers nets on
the shore, and had asked her to sit for
him each day, while he had put her
picture on the canvas with a genius
that almost frightened the simple fisher
maiden.
Happy days! in which she had
learned to love him for his gentle
words, his bonny smile and the song
and story with which he had beguiled
the hours in which she strove with all
her soul to embody his meaning, with
an earnestness that pleased while it
surprised him. All! but it was her sig
nor, and he had chosen her from all
the girls on the shore, and the picture
was hers as we'll as his, and she gloried
in its perfection. Half child half wom-
an, as she was, she did not understand
what it was that made the sun so
bright, the sea so joyous, and life so al
together delightful.
To-day she entered the studio with
eyes shining like stars, the soft color
coming and going in her cheeks, the
dewy lips, arched like Cupid's bow,
tremulous with excitement and it was
no wonder that his artist soul reveled
in her beauty.
When the days work was over he
called her to him and showed her the
picture, which was approaching COM
pletion.
1--WE shall soon have it done, my
to the big city. where there will be
none so beautiful as my little fisher
girl; only a few more days and our
work is over"
He drew her close to him and pressed
a kiss on her innocent lips; which to
him was but an expression of thank
fulness to the child who had helped him
to win the fame he felt sure was with
in his grasp; but to her it was the
awakening of soul, and he, cold
blooded northerner as he was, did not
understand how soon womanhood, with
all its joys and sorrows, comes to
maidens under a southern sun.
She silently left the room and
thoughtfully pursued her way to her
home. Her few simple duties over, she
crept to her bed, still with this new Sc
cret warming her heart and opening
out new vista of happiness in her
life
Mother she had none; her father,
rough, uncouth fisherman, was seldom
at home except to sleep off some drunk
en- orgie; it was strange that so lovely
flower could have sprung from such
a parent; but it was said that the moth
er had been of gentle birth, had mar
ried the handsome, rollicking dare
devil, and broken her heart when she
came to realize his utter worthless
ness.
Some time in the night Ninette
awakened from a deep sleep by hear
ing voices outside the hut, and soon
distinguished her fathers and those of
some of his cronies. AS she listened
she grew cold as with sudden chill,
as she heard them plan to waylay and
rob some one, and she held her breath
to catch the name All! heaven, could
it be that she heard Alright! THE pic
ture fellow" they said, "he has plenty
j. n &,