The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-10-23
IA Girl And
n PiCtlIrc...
BY II. n. UOSM Err.

stone house was warmth and cheer
In the luxurious comfort of her favoritC
library corucr woman sat gazing
drcamily into the rcd Cmbcrs of tho
great fire. =,
Marian Reed was one to whom all
the comforts and luXurics of the world
Ind been granted. The golden spoon
had been hers from her birth. AS she
sot looking into the cmbcrs sho saw
not the red Goals at all, but her eye
was filled with a piCtulc which had
stirred her heart that afternoon rs she
had wandered through one Of the art
uallcucs of the great city. Aimlessly
and with the lanyuld air OF one sur.
fei,cd with The beautiful things of the
earth, she had dritcd, as she often
did, through the great corridors filled
with the fruits Of clever brains and
cunning hands-thc art Of the Old
masters and The art of those struggling
TO be masters. There appeared ON the
walls each week new creations OF The
painters brush or the sculptor's chisel ,
winch had won recognition among its
fellows. Such picture she had found
This aftcrnoOn--onc that had caught
and held her attention as it had the
attention of many others who had
passed that way.
1t was but the painted picture Of a
little child of Il child of nature and not
one of fancy 1t was a face beautiful in
the trucst sense of the word-hcautiful
int he straiyht-out,l look from those great
brown eyes, dcnotinga u perfect fearless
ness of surroundings and a perfect con-
iidcnc in self; beautiful III the promise
Of perfect manhood which the childish
face forctold; beautiful in colorlnC and
perfact in contour.
For a long time she had stood before
this 4" Portrait Of Child" and many
thoughts and yearnings had come to
the lonely woman as she stood there
The mother heart was strong within
her; the love of all children passion
with her; and yet, il seemed rs if the
years were speeding past her and her
life so full of all the material things of
the world, was gong to miss the fullest
and rlpcst fuliillmcnt.
AS she sat by the fire this winter
afternoon all of the many things which
that sweet baby face had suggested to
her came rs in a panorama before her,
and things and people of whom she
had not thought for many years came
agaln before her mental vision. AS u
girl, she had held very high ideals of
marriage, and of the home and of the
children resulting thcrctrom. These
uolions,' as they were called 10y her
parents. had been held we'll in check
during their lifetime by the perfect
conventlonaIlty of her mother who
was rigid IN her devotion to society,
and whose only criterion of good or
bad was to what "thry' would say or
think about it. All the maternal per.
suasions, however, had never succeed
ed IN accomplishing that which shc
had so much desired, an "advan-
laycous' marriage for this only daugh-
ter. On this one point the daughter
was ohdurate, though in all other ways
devoted and docile.
No, mother" she would say. C"
Will dress az you wish. will 90
where you will that should, but to
marry just for the sake of marrying
you must not ask it of me-
While yet a ylrl ~ school she had
lulcn III love with one who, in his
struggling, ambitious hfc. and in the
ideals he held, had appcs ed to all that
was noble and romantic in her warm
y'rllsh heart. He was poor, pitilul!y
poor, and struggling, doing manual
ltbor al one OF the hotels for his board
IN order that his small allowance o,
money might be used for his tuition a.
the art school. For above all else thi.
boy loved his art, and no sacrifice wa,
100 great or no work too menial if i
gave him more hope of reaching hi
goal. Ills work in oils had been com
mchdcd more than once by his teach
crs and this gave him hope and con.
lIdcncc. His cheerful sclf-sacrificc
and undaunlcd spirit, finding sunshine
where the rest OF the world saw onlv
SHADOW, and painting it into his DC
lures with natures own colors-thesc
quantities had first commanded the
wholesale respect of this daughter of
wealth. Then came admiration, and
then, even though 1t was unconfesscd I'd
TO herself for long time, she gave him
her heart, though he did not know it
When her parents guessed that she had
even the slightest interest in one who
as they put it, was not " of her class, >
She was hurried to Europe, where ,
TWO years. stay served the purpos,
they had desired.
When they came back there was II,
Stephen Ward at the old academy no
had she ever seen or heard of HIN
since. But often had she thought O
That brave boy whom she had lovet
and wondered how and where he farce
and whittier his dreams and ambition
had led him.
something in those soft brown eye
oi ,he child's portrait had brough
nacE 70 her those wonderful, lustrou
aInniy eyes. The next day she wen
a'n 70 see the picture which had g,
"yh hei heart, and even more thar
@ ns.ole oid the magnetism of the face
ppsa' " her yearning heart. Anxiou
" nee II again and yet ashamed of tn,
sncnan''hent it held over her. sh,
,, weh. agaln the third day. As usual
uIefe were Others in front Of The n;c
,; .ufe--a group Of school girls thi
ume, WIN strapped books and mcrr,
stplnts oYe'howIng at all they saw an;
heard. One Of these nm lao,.;.;