News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1901-10-23


SELF POSSESSION.
any more. And don't be a model. Get
some nice, quiet sort of work and stick
to it."
He opened the door for her, and she
timidly went out. Just then the bell
rang again, and Bradford put his ear to
the tube.
1.-TWO of 'em!" he gasped. "Pd no idea
so many people read the papers. l sup
pose there's nothing to do but have
them up here"
They came, but neither of them was
Miss Preston, yet they answered the
requirements of the advertisement fair
ly well, except that one of them was
careful not to let her shoes peep out
from under her skirt, and the other
would not take her hands out of her
muff.
When they had gone, Mrs. Preston ar
rived, and she remained till l o'clock.
During that interval Bradford received
and dismissed nine girls. Some Of them
had artistic aspirations, and they re-
ceived brief lectures on the utter fulfill
ty of attempting to do anything in that
profession. At the hour named Mrs.
Preston returned to her hotel and Brad
ford went to luncheon. Upon his return
the attendant at the door handed him a
very correct visiting card, upon which
he read, with great surprise, Miss
Preston"
Poor childr' he muttered. 'It will
not be pleasant to dispel her illusions"
He walked slowly up the stairs to the
second floor and stole glance into the
reception room, where the girl was
waiting. Then he lodged back out of
her range of vision and almost collided
with young man in livery.
Don't send her up too quick" he
whispered. "Give me little start"
He did not wait for the elevator, but
went up two fights of stairs, three at a
jump. With a hasty hand he set the
studio in order, then he brushed his
hair and adjusted his tie.
who'd have thought she could be
self dozen times.
She entered the studio with perfect
self possession and seated herself
gracefully in Bradford's best chair.
Then with charming frankness she told
the exact facts about herself and her
errand in the city.
Bradford listened, fascinated, and
when she had finished he examined the
crude little sketches which she had
brought as samples of her work with
an attention such as he might have be-
slowed upon "old masters" 1t seemed
to him that they showed wonderful
ability, and really they weren't alto
gether bad.
your plan," said he, sis a good one
and perfectly feasible. 1t happens that
l have on hand series Of magazine H.
Illustrations, and your assistance will be
invaluable to me. It's a long story
about a country girl who came to the
city and knocked them all off their
pins. She's got to be surprisingly
beautiful and all that sort of thing
Upon my word l didn't know what tC
do about it. Help me out, and III
teach you all the art l know, and as
for-for salary, don't you know
II shall stay for awhile with some
friends" said the girl. 81 shan't need
much money. And will you really
teach me"
Her eyes were blazing with enthusi
asm, and her voice trembled with joy.
II shall esteem it an honor" SAID
Bradford earnestly, and just then the
little bell rang.
"It's your stepmother" whispered
Bradford. what shall we do?"
"Oh, that's all right" said Anita
calmly. II learned that she was ii
town and called upon her this morning
told her that was coming to see you
for I'd called here and found out YOU
name, and she said that If you agreed
to take me as a model and be my teach
err she'd make no objection at all to my
staying in the city. If you didn't, was
to go back. Wasn't it odd? | almos
thought that she knew you by the way
she spoke, and yet of course sht
couldn't"
"She thought she knew me-" sale
Bradford, "and that's why she made
the bargain. But she didn't know me
and didn't know myself. I'll tell you
all about 1t when she's gone"