Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1903-12-31
THE ETERNAL
FEMININE
BY Helene Wood
Copyright, 1905. bp T. C. Mcclure


assert itself"
Elizabeth put on her long blue paint
ing apron without replying and began
to stretch o canvas. She was adorable
so, her gray eyes defiantly averted and
flush of anger on her cheeks.
'There you 20 again. II | don't
know my own mind at twenty-six
when will ~
AT twenty seven or eight perhaps.
hope sooner. Your ideas are all wrong.
Believe me- the day will come when
you will long for home Of your own
and some one nearer than girl friend
or masculine admirer"
He had the last word, for the ar
rival of the model, thin, shabby look
Ing girl put an end to the discussion.
Tomorrow at 5, them
Elizabeth gave brisk little nod.
She was already sketching in the out
lines Of her study. and Phil was for
gotten before he had closed the door.
ed to such treatment. Admitted as he
was to her most intimate friendship on
an understanding of strict camarade-
rie. he broke over the traces every year,
was invariably refused and bore his
defeat with easy afiount. Some day
she was bound to change her mind,
and he might be the lucky man.
Elizabeth's own opinion was very
different She had no time for thought
until her work was laid aside for the
day Then she sank into a nest Of
cushions to think luyuriously.
No, Phil was wrong. She would new
er care to leave her studio-aboye all.
to marry Had not the art school girls
who married ceased developing Intel
lectually? Shut up In their own four
walls they became entirely absorbed
in dear Tom or Dick and the children.
Children. Elizabeth shuddered.
child in a book or picture was very
delightful. but the reality. a dirty lit
tie creature always crying or being i'll!
She would never leave her work, her
studies, her pleasures, for deadly
stupid family life. Never.
A cry of warning. The trolley car
stopped with Il lurch. In an instant
the conductor and motorman were
down in the street, followed by most
of the passengers. Elizabeth, impa-
tient at the delay, resolved to walk
tun m mod
ell would be waiting for her at the
studio.
When she left the car she found her.
self the only woman in a large group
collected about a sickening black mass
which had splashed car wheels and
cobblestones with blood. The con
ductor good natured looking young
freshman, stood with tears rolling down
his face He was holding golden hair
ed baby, toddler of year or two.
The motorman. white and frightened.
was telling how the baby had sudden
ly run i'll front of the car and the moth
er had thrown the little one out of the
way, only to be crushed herself.
The child began to cry, and the con-
ductor turned to Elizabeth imploring
ly. You take the baby, mum. The
ambulance is comm. The cops will be
after findin' its relatives"
Before she could reply he had put
the baby in her unresisting arms.
Some moments later. hardly know
ing how it had all happened, she found
herself walking into her studio build
ing carrying little child. In her purse
was a bit of paper inscribed 10 Plum
ley alley 1t was the poor womans
address, to which she had promised to
take him. A man she knew, who was
passing along the corridor, smiled and
remarked. Rather small model, Miss
Blair" Elizabeth flushed rs if she had
committed a crime and was relieved to
close the studio door behind her.
Then she put down her burden and
looked at her watch Ten O'Clock,
Ihe model had come ana gone. No
hope now. She herself would have to
take the child home A short confer
ence at the phone told Der the where
abouts of Plumley alley, eight squares
south and just off the -th street car
line.
When she left the phone she found
the little one standing close by. Eliza
beth studied him with half shut eyes.
Not bad" she thought-"a Dona-
tello, If the forehead were little high
er and the curls not so fine and tight.
How | should like to paint him, Come
here. little one. What's your name?"
ALAN Campbell naughty"
Are you naughty?"
rs. | want my muvyer"
His motherl Elizabeth felt a quick
pans of horror Come here. and |
will show you something pretty"
She held out her watch The silver
and gold ornaments on its long chain
Jingled attractiyely. Alan Campbell
slowly drew near the shining object.
He seized it just as a little stray dog
would have done n bit Of cake seized
i aud walked away Then Elizabeth
brought ont pictures. 1t was surprls-