Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-10-26

"Where We're you yesterday ~afternoon?'
she repeated.
AT the d~ressmaker's," confessed poor
Natalie.
cat the dressmakers. and on criticism
day." groaned Miss Pottle. Il shall
waste no more time in talking to you,
Miss Lester. | feel these things too keen
ly. My art is so much to me that | can
not bear the sight of one who, with ev-
erything in her favor-money, health, ey-
erything-gaspilliers her time. Your tai
ent attracted me; your weakness revolts
mel"
Natalie caught her by the hem of her
nile-green apron.
Listen before you blame me-" she i'm
plored. My mother forces me into Il
life foreign to my temperament; Free as
Helpless. Why are you helpless? Are
you not a free agent? If you are really
in earnest -
ooh, | am in earnest" interrupted Ma
talie. Tears stood in her eyes. 'Tell
me. Guide me. You are strong. What
shall l do?''
do? It seems plain enough to me.
Arts claims are before those of society,
before those of family. Leave your
mother and the other ties that are chains
to your soul. Don't wait for tomorrow.
Today is the time. Come and live in the
Quarter. away from all that would keep
AOu gOdA hAohIo l. Jill IL Sou
are really what you would have me be-
lieve! What / do believe!'
Natalie stood upright; a light burned
in her eyes.
81 will not f%alter,' she said in a tense,
ringing voice. Il y, will li CONE"
they fell into each others arms.
HsWhy, my DEAR" said Mrs. Edgar,
"What is the mattery'
'It's Natalie. Read this! Oh, what
shall l do?' walled Mrs. Lester.
Mrs. Edgar glanced through the letter
Mrs. Lester HANDED her. That little wom-
al sat with tears cOursing down her
cheeks.
IT'S useless to go after her; you see
what she says"
YES; that if you bring her back she
has friends who will find means to hide
her where you never can find her." and,
in spite of herself, Mrs. Edgar smiled.
ooh, why did [ ever come to Paris?
Why? Why?" wept Mrs. Lester, rocking
back and forth.
Calm yourself, my DEAR" said Mrs.
Edgar. 1T isn't nearly as bad as it
seems at first sight. Let's see. Natalie
is at the Villa des Danes, she says. That
IS a perfectly quiet, respectable pension.
My cousin Marion is there with her two
little girls. Now, if | were you, I'll let
Natalie stay right there. Put her On a
small allowance, and let her stay just
where she is"
But what will people say?' groaned
Mrs. Lester. 'Who knows what vile girls
she may have fallen among? Who will
chaperon herT'
1.-The girls in the Quarter ale not vile;
they are only idiots said Mrs. Edgar.
And III see cousin Marion at once.
She'll look after Natalie without her
knowing it. Natalie will get tired of the
u-hn1n hI1cIpnss soon nnarnl o-l Ill
come back with a chastened spirit"
Its a dreadful thing to have happen"
mourned Mrs. Lester.
1T is annoying. But consider how
much better to be studying art than boys
at Natalie's age. Girls are much GA sier
to chaperon studying art than any other
way, until they come OUT. Take my word
for it.
Meanwhile, at the school Natalie posed
as a heroine. She thought herself Marie
Bashkirtseff and Amelie Rives all in one,
and under the influence of Miss Pottle.
who from being her mentor had assumed
a reverential attitude, she adopted the
pose of extreme eccentricity. The really
serious element in the school paid no at
tentiOn to her. They had seen many
Natalies come and go.
And Natalie scorned their really good
school work as academic. The Younger
SCNACA IA I'LL III O. Il Jill sud-.
Meanwhile her work continued bad, but
her impetuous name of drawing saved
it from commonplace. Finding herself
u~ntrammeled and free, her most foolish
moods encouraged, Natalie gave herself
I'D to doing freak things. She had moods
night around the cimetiere by the Boule-
ward MOntparnasse.
My dead soul seeks the companionship
Of the dead" she told Miss Pottle in dark
tones. Again she had fits of gaiety and
ran down the Rue Notre Danes des
Champs bareheaded, her painting apron
flying in the breeze.
Altogether she made herself a conspicu-
Gus little figure in the narrow limits of
the English-American Latin quarter, for
the Latin quarter is as gossipy as any
New England town. and every one knows
every one else's business there. Natalie's
tame soon spread to that set of elderly
ladies who correspond to our town Cos
sips. Tier desertion of her mother was
enlarged on, her escapades exaggerated.
1t was rumOred there was a man. Some
OF these stories Travelled over to the fash
omphe, where Mrs. Lester and Mrs. Ed
gar lived. The latter journeyed over to
the Quarter to consult her cousin.
You little Natalie Lester is a fool,
you know. But there's nothing wrong
ABOUT oef dr nef, Hi; Let her 60 her gait. She'll
81 OgO Ills uOuSclIS6 jill Tie sooner
said that sensible lady.
There was one girl in the school who
treated Natalie with a rather contemptu-
Gus frlendliness, of which Natalie stood
somewhat in 1--WE 1t was to her she
turned in her lucid moments.
You know" she said, sometimes I
get tired of Miss Pottie and all her gang.
Sometimes | think I'm acting like an
awful fool"
You certainly are, Natalie" replied
Miss Howard cheerfully.
But such moments of sanity were rare.
She enjoyed having her moods all taken
seriously. Meanwhile the goss1ps Kept
their eyes open. Mrs. Lester had incau-
tiously told the minister's wife of her
at1iction, and Of course all the other
alarming stories concerning Natalie came
to her ears.
My dear" she said to her husband,
1T is time for US to act. We cannot see
that misguided girl go to her destruction
before our very eyes. 1t may ever now
be too late"
The minister was a kindly and unprac-
teal man, whose abiding sense in the
wickedness Of Paris had led him to take
w his oho1n +hAro -, H. - -