The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1901-05-25
So So So s. s. So So So

So So So s. So So So So
! displaced Il, so thar. however anxious
she might be to screen her bcdcham-
Der from casual observation, the tacks
were 4 supcrtluity.
still 1t was 10 business of mine,
and | should never have given 1t sec
ond thought had | not CHANGED to hear
! two of the girls who took care of the
rooms discussing the blue curtain as
they stood in the hall outside her door
One Of the girls was the regular maid
and the other newcomer, in that part
| of the house Mt least.
"'You mustn't go into the small
room, said the former. She never lets
anybody 20 in there
"'Why not:' asked the other. Amt
, It never swept out|
cit amt been swept out by me-
! was the answer. and I'm telling you
| to keep away from it. Put your hand
on that curtain and she'll take your
! head off. And don't you go peeking
( neither
"'Ain't that funny| said the new
| girl, with her eyes wide open. What
d'yOu s'posc she's got in there?
AT this moment the woman an
swered my knock, and l entered the
studio. 1t was US neat rs Il pin, ana l
couldn't imagine what Il maid could
| find to 10 there. The blue curtain was
in its place, and it seemed to me to be
tackled UP more firmly than usual.
THE woman was not looking we'll
| that day. Her eyes were heavy, and
1 the lines Of the face all dropped rs i.
! with WEAKNESS. We were well enough
) acquainted by that time for me to
speak of her altered looks, and did 50
| sympathctically.
81 can't sleep she said. I lay Oil
! that couch wide awake all night, as
have done many nights before
"'Why didn't YOU 20 to bcl| ask.
ed, with deep simplicity.
"Shc looked surprised.
"'That is my bed she said. y Sleel
there
81 had supposed that the Other
room l began, but she interrupted
me hastily.
"'No, no. she said, with evident en-
barrassmcnt; che other room is not
furnished rs Il BEDROOM
"I should think you'd find it more
convenient
"Don't let us talk of it, she said
What do you think of my roses"
"Shc never painted anything but
flowers; at least | had never seen hcl
! at work upon anything else. They
| We're always correct enough in outline
and coloring, and yet in effect they
We're the flowers that grow on wall pa
per and not those of nature.
Il said that they were very good, fol
1 hadn't the heart to speak otherwise
That was the sort of work by which
she lived. and | did not have mucl
faith in her ever doing anything bet
ter. Yet after | had returned to my
own quarters that day an idea came tt
me that warmed my heart | believed
that had guessed what lay behind tho
curtain - something better than the
roses, something more important thar
Nv 'l'E' ller ic"l WORK Ill the world!
~ q"''e inherent l.iea WAS suggest
gu 70 NE 'lial evening ny lelloN
h''iie" ilIrFiS' Il landscape artiSt VIII
no l'art'cuiar cA'USc ior eAls'eHce' WIG
WIS "lSo lci''ht Ill 'he bancroft IL
tt'"t t'iile' TIC was acquainted VIII
inc woman ana was fancy httl'
sentIl''c'l'a' Iii ms lhou@ht OF her.
ne toil me tIat Il promising youi-
ai.'s', whose Ii'tlile cah remember
hau dled III the bancroft about tW'
years before. 40 the best OF llafrlS
knowledge the Fellow had occupied tht
rooms then heiu by the woman.
| helleVe, SAID he, that she was Il
love with hlln' ana That she makes
that Ilttlc room Il sort OF Shrine. 1t
may be tEat the furnishings which h'
lad are stIIl there and that she doe!
not WISH any one but herself to SO,
them
Here was an explanation Of senti
ment. Ny own had been one of am
bition. believed that the wolnun die