The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-11-18
cling the sketch to his thread bare coa1
unite hnnprily b; N 36s MI

T. III WAS tempting, out IL q over NOW,E
he observed, with d sigh of satisfaction
from force of habit and gazed at the
"To think I could sell youw. he muir.
INJURED, gazing at it with eyes in which
of tenderness. "You--no, never you!
wonder where you are now, Denie, and
what you are doing, dear, and whether
you ever give me 4 thought p
And with reflections such as these Dick
sat hugging the picture, forgot time and
place, forgot the cravings of hunger
didn't notice the darkness gathering, lost
himself in living over the past again. HI
was thinking of the last evening he had
seen Denie-such us she was when he
painted her from memory. That was oil
course when she refused him.
II.
Several months have flown since then
Dick has left the chemists, and is living
in chambers in LincOln's Inn Fields with
a journalistic gentleman named Furbelow
writer ON any subject, sworn bachelor
serious person, of good, wholesome
granite nature. Dick is now earning q
very tolerable income, and often signs fol
Denie. and wonders where on earth she
can have got to. ttst5<& q"
Presently Mr.. Wilmington had an idea
OF course he had plenty of ideas, or he
wouldn't have got on SO we'll, but this
was particular brand Of idea, and con.
cerned Denie only.
"I'll touch up that portrait of her." he
said, 'call it a Portrait of Lady and
send it to the academy. If they take il
Denie is pretty sure to- see it, as she told
me that she never misses going. It'll re-
mind her of me-" -,
The idea of youngster like that, who
was only just beginning to be known
asking $1,000 for mere daab OF a girls
head! Preposterous! said Dicks breth.
rem of the brush.
A week or two after this the Colored
Weekly asked Dick and Furbelow, q
friend and brother artist of his. to go oui
to Rhodesia for them. and send home let.
ters and sketches. They accepted the
commission and then set off.
While putting in a few days at Cape
Town, purchasing necessaries for thei1
trip up-country, who should Master Whit
tington run across but Miss Denie Ora.
ham.
ooh" said Dick, "who would have
thought of seeing you here?"
cor your" responded Miss Graham
noting the fact that Dick was much
stouter and better-looking than he had
been of yore.
MAY ask what you are doing here?''
inquired Dick, politely.
Certainly replied Denie; 'I'm-I'm
travelling, as a companion to a rich Off.
GERS widow. She's very prim and Sc.
we're, so | have to mind my p's and as
you know, and shall not be able to talk
to You very long
sThen shan't see you again?" in.
quired Dick, dolefully.
"1'm afraid Motive sail tomorrow
p,y% I0,
may call upon me at Mrs. Sargent's
Ashley gardens, Victoria street. She has
fiat there, you know
"When l get back" sighed Master
Wilmington, stealthily observing the de.
lightful curves of Denies chin.
are you doing here?'
Dick told her Then Denies face grew
a little longer. Dick saw his advantage
and !te followed lo' it up.
bitten BY a snake, or speared by the
Matabele, or die of thirst on the veldt
or-or-anything like that, you know
"Oh, l hope notr' cried Denie, which
was the most sympathetic thing she could
say under the circumstances.
Well,' said Dick slowly, cas- Mrs
sargent isn't about, and nobody else
seems to be about just at this moment
ana ana as we shan't see each other for a
long time, perhaps never"-Denie's un-
derlip .quivered the least bit-"could you
would you mind
Not just this once" murmured Denie
And so Dick kissed Denie, and wished
her ''goodby."
"Cheer, ohr' sang out Dick. prancine
up the passage of the chambers in Lin:
coin Inn Fields. "Home again! Not even
snake bite, by George! Heavens! Fur
R Is a a0ok at ~ these letters old limbs
climbs is the most conscientious man
know replied Furbelow.
How can we reward the dear hunk o.
inquired Dick, fervently, reading letter
after letter out of the great pile.
Give him pound of that Boer to.
6acco-" Furbelow was beginning, when
! am sorry to relate, for the second time
IN the course of this narrative, Dick in.
terrupted his friends speech by using
language very nearly as strong as that
same Boer tobacco.
.H2n q, SIP, np?', asked Furbelow.
sseul i'll front of his desk. my picture
mas been sold for one thousand pounds
purchased by somebody's solicitors!'
:. WELL, remarked Furbelow slowly
sentiment is good thing for the young
put IL, l should prefer the thousand pounds
"Of course you would, miserable old
money:grabber! 1 tell you I'd rather have
More young idiot YOU" returned the
practical .Furby, and went out to gel
some lunch.
"Such, indeed, was the fact. The ssPor.
trait Of d Lady," by II. Wilmington, had
been purchased, through firm of solici.
tors, for client whose name the canny
iaWyer-men absolutely declined to disclose
without permission.
,r; Dick went raging away, and poor
limbs, WHEN the two iiiet, received but
poor thanks for the industry he had dis.
played in looking after the partners bust.
ness matters during their absence. OF
course DICK, never imagining that any.
one would pay the price he had entered in
the book, had not troubled to mention the
matter to limbs. And limbs had handed
over the check when the Academy season
ended-Dick and Furbelow did not return
until mid-winter-rejoicing in his young
artist-friend's good fortune.
For day or two Dick ramped about in
a very unpleasant state of mind, and then
it suddenly struck him that, as the pic.
ture was gone, he might as we'll 20 and
see the original of it in Ashley Gardens
SO he put on his frock coat, bought a new
silk. hat in Bond street, had himself
cropped and shaver, and, with some trep.
idation, set off to pay his respects to
Miss Denie Graham, and the very prim
and severe officers widow, to whom she
acted as companion. 49,
When he was shown into the drawing
room-an apartment Of doll-house-like di.
mansions; but you. know what fats are
the first object his eye fell on was his own
picture. While he was gazing on it in
speechless establishment in tripped Denie
looking prettier and fresher Cat least, So
thought Dick; I think she had gone of
myself) than ever.
"How-how came that here?" gasped
Mr.: Wilmington, pointing to the portrait
Denie smiled.
Mrs. Sargent liked it so much that she
bought it," explained Mrs. Sargent's com
panion. "She thought it resembled me &
little. She is very well-to-lo, you know
Dick still gaped ut the picture,
Aren't you going to shake hands with
meY pouted Denie. = ~ "r'' +
n Dick wheeled round and took possession
of both Denies hands. Then he drew he1
toward him and kissed her OH the lips
ever so many times, and she did not resist
very much. % a s r, -. ~ = r r.
you'll marry me now, won't YOU
Dpnic 2S he observed - I've unf- ttnf tho,f