The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1901-09-27

A LISON COLEwas wondering wheth-
n cr she might not be able to slip
away without offending her hostess,
when voice said: Miss Cole, may
introduce Mrs. Kynaston to your
and in n moment she was face 10 face
with the one woman in the world she
most desired to avoid. 1t had come
upon her SO suddenly that she almost
lost her presence of mind, and leap
of color dyed her face so richly
that She was painfully aware of it,
The strange futSer of her heart and
the mist in her eyes prevented her
for n second from either seeing or
hearing distinctly the individual who
was smiling and speaking to her--a
tall. plump woman of middle age, we'll
dressed, comely, with soft, shining
eyes and pretty teeth.
II have long wished to know you,
Miss Cole she was saying, "for !
have heard so much about you, and |
love your pictures so we'll"
"You are very kind" Alison muir
INJURED family. So this was the wo-
man! She had met her at last, after
Is years.
Yes; it was Is years since she had
played, with James Kynaston, in the
commonest of all tragedies, where
love is the hero, circumstance the viii
liam, conscience the stalking specter.
II seemed long while-15 years
when she had passed through Heaven
and hell in six months, entering with
wings and coming out a strange chrys-
ais that was still alive and able to
notice vaguely the other curious,
wnglcss things about it. That state
had not lasted either. She had moved,
crawled, walked and learned TO feel
again, looking back on the past as on
previous incarnation, with but a
fairt sense Of identity. Nova great
cloud of time was lifted; the old days
were painted before her in sudden
glare Of light She shrank and trem-
bed
"You can't think what pleasure you
have given me over and over again.
Mrs. Kynaston went on, gazing with
frank admiration at the paling face in
front of her; "those two last pictures
Of yours in the Academy-Thc Way In
and The Way Out-are my favorites Of
all. They are exquisite! The expires.
sion of the woman's eyes in the one
where her lover is seen going away
in the distance haunted me for days
How can you put such pathos and
life into mere paint and canvas? 1t ID
wonderful. But l do not marvel 90
much now that have seen you"
Her eyes begged a question, but
Alison could not ask it. She could
only mutter: 1T is very nice Of you
Mrs. kynaston, smiling sweetly, con
tinued:
Your face tells me plainly that you
know what suffering is, and that YOU
are full of sympathy for those who
suffer. Am l not right?"
lit is q question of art, YOU
know" faltered Miss Cole. trying moi
10 meet the earvsest eyes fixed on her
And heart. But IL is all amazing
| have so often longcd to be clever
"Never do that" Alison exclaimed
impetuously, adding, in a lower key;
Believe me, it is undesirable"
Undesirable! TO be clever! Yot
cannot mean it, Miss Cole. l would
give the world to have your genius
Jour brain. They would have brought
me good deal Of happiness that
have missed. But you will not under
stand--I cant explain"
Alison felt cold. The womani
voice, warm and sweet as it was. hnt
become stabbing pain to her; III
note of sadness wrung her heart
When she spoke again her voice wal
husky.
"You are, I fear, under n dclusion,
she said. "The clever and talented
woman is one Of natures mistakes
freak that had better, perhaps, b
strangled st her birth Too Otter