The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1903-10-16

| Wnltc blossoms ulQ not melt softly enough
into the blue and gray Of the
sky; the tender green of the foliage
was not delicate enough so she
would lay aside a nearly finished
canvas and begin again. This unrest
delighted the old painter.
You are coming along finely" he said.
You have caught the divine fine
Ono morning in early autumn she
looked up from the canvas to the old
painter.
1T will do, it will do he said, nodding
his head ITS as beautiful as dream"
And it was, indeed, dream-picture-
the youth and maiden and fine dog under
the grand old apple tree.
Twill it do to exhibit-to send Off"
she asked timidly. A shade passed over
the old mans face.
And you feel the thirst for fame" he
said slowly.
mo, not that" she answered quickly
and earnestly.
- tiSNSSSihl hNNh
And you will sell your birthright?
Well, we will see what it is worth in the
market"
The old painter had once lived in the
world, and still retained knowledge
of the places where such work was sold
So he packed up the painting and sent it,
Ill h,-fo7,, -, !
beauty and country air, away to the
city. The young painter had said to him,
Il can do nothing until 1 see," and he
had looked disappointed, and she grew
thin and nervous while waiting.
She had seen Henry but once Since their
meeting in the orchard, and that was
the evening after the picture was packed.
She met him in the road, and he held out
his hand and said: 81 am going back to
college tomorrow Ruth. My vacation
has not been what hoped it would be
when came home, but two more terms
at college and then hope to get into a
place where l can command your at
tention"
You had best build your air castle
without me, Henry"
You are building yours without me, l
suppose"
"Yes."
And he went away in anger 1t was
heart-breaking to have him go in this
way, but her mother had said, "'The
Carridines are proud people, and you had
better keep away from them" She
thought of this, and it helped her to con-
troll her feelings.
One day the old painter sent for her;
she came to him, white and breathing
hard. He held out roll of bills toward
her. "Oh is it enough, enough for a term
at good art SCHOOL," she gasped.
"And it is an art school, then, you aim
att" he asked, somewhat appeased.
eyes, it is enough We'll make it enough
Then she left the country and went to
city to study art, and her life became a
life of labor, where partial success was
ioAiO"Sd W iellldASs ~
succeed again. She taught awhile, and
studied awhile, and her name was printed
in paragraph of other names of toilers
along the same hard way.
She rarely had time to visit her old
home; time passed, and she realized it
not. But there was a mixture of vanity
and selfshness with all this devotion to
aria desire to write her name above
that of Carridine. With this in view she
triumphed over all natural feelings, and
lost the sweetness that is in work for the
works sake. Her younger brothers and
sisters grew up, married and moved away.
Her father died while she was in Europe
and still she was not famous; still she
had never painted anything as we'll as
she had painted the youth and maiden
under the apple tree.
Sometimes the memory of that early
painting came back to her; sometimes in
the heat and dust, tired and travel
stained, she would be waited away in
vision and be again in the old orchard.
''If only mother had let US alone!' she
would exclaim fretfully.
She had admirers; but having dis
couraged her youthful lover it was easy
to turn away the others.
Henry studied law and rose high in his
profession, He married a lawyers
daughter. Ruth had read the details of
the marriage in the papers. Even that
was long ago now; and in Ruth's hair
there was touch of silver where there
had been CLINT of gold, and the light
was fading from her eyes.
She received a telegram one evening; it
said. Your mother is dying; come to
her." She started for her old home-the
home she had not seen for years. When
she had changed cars for the last time,
and was on the little train that ran into
the old country town; her attention was
attracted toward well-dressed lady and
handsome youth who sat just in front of
her in the car. There was something |
about the boy that was familiar to her;
something that brought again a vision |
of apple blossoms. She watched him |
and noted his fondness for and |
devotion to the lady whom he called |
mother. and as she watched feeling of |
loneliness came over her and desire to |
have him come to her and smile into her
eyes.
A passenger came through the coach |
and stopped to speak to the two.
Mrs. Carridine, i" he exclaimed, 81 am
glad to see you and Master Henry coming
home again"
Thank you; Henry, my husband, al
ways wants us to spend part of every
summer with his aunt. She is very feeble |
now and can't be induced.
Ruth Dartmore looked of the window. |
She arrived in time to see her mother |
buried, and beside the grave she awoke |
and found that she was alone in the |
world.-New Orleans Times-Democrat.
Water For Dumb Animals.
man was driving beautiful horse. |