New-York tribune., 1904-08-11
Miss Lfndsays Cbecd'oeuxre.
BY THOMAS COBB.

the rain. which had been threatening for some
time, began 20 fall in torrent As he quickened
his pace toward the small town a mile and a half
distant. be saw Oh MS lefr desolate cottage the
remnant Of q row us ~!v with griny. disIempered
walls a tbatched roof, and every appearance OF
poverty ard decay
Glad. however. of any port in the storm DUbison
at once dismouuteG rested his bicycle against the
wall. and tapped Jt The door which was opened
by a short spare woman of seventy. Her face
was thin ard fUrroveG. her hair SuOwily white her
cotton dress patched and shabby. nut spotIe=sly
clean
Raising his wet cloth cap as ne asked for shell
ter. DUbisOn was biddea 70 enter In the fireplace
the fames from q Few sticks OF wood hcsed the
sides of kettle on d deal table was "a small much
darued napkin with a cup and s,Iucer, a chipped
plate and crust of bread
Perhaps" suggested DUbtson. YOU Gould let
have some tea?
If SO you could drink it without milk"
swered Mrs. Waghorn, who had only
pinch of tea lett 9f the last ounce
How she continued To support existence even
with the small sum of her weekly outdoor relief.
nobody quite understood, and. indeed. the
Guardians had been insisting that her time had
come 10 enter the workhouse.
While she watched the kettle, Dubison. seated on
a rickety chair. gazed about the poverty stricken
room. hts attention being presently arrested by a
picture which hung above the mautelshelf. hanked
by framed dague erCsotypes and mourn
ing cards
The picture was about two feet iu height by
eighteen inches in width with a broad maple wood
frame; the portrait Of quaint looking girl seven
or eight years OF age. plainly clad. with bare feet.
and long straight Thin black hair Rising from
his chair Mrs. Washorn filled a brown earthen-
ware teapot Dubison began To examine the canvas
more closely
Upon my word" he muttersd 1T looks un-
commonly Ike i David Sortain-"
Quick OF hearing in spite Of her age Mrs Wag-
horn paused wich the teapot in one hand the kettle
in the other.
why she exclaimed. If that isn't the mama OF
the gentleman what painted itt'
1t must have been long time ago." remarked
Dublson. with his hands the manteIsheIf. while
he still gazed at the picture. "Sorrain has been
dead nearly twenty-five years"
All. II was more than forty" was the answer
My dear gal died at twenty-five year We had the
scarlet fever so bad
How did Sortain come 10 paint your daughter
asked Dubson. sceattng the material for an article
as he poured out his tea.
We used TO live further OUT OF town IN those
days. she explained: and We had a bigger cot
taGs IN my husbands tme-pUIled down these MANY
an6enow-iust as you've Come todayaad asss SE5,9
t3r Iodging. Two months he stayed painting
Ike and before he went away he took sarahs por-
Above the lower portion OF Ihe frame Tubizo7
fancied he could distingush the top OF what might
iarty with the Masters work convinced him that
he had discovered specimen OF Sortaln's earlier.
With evident reluctance. Mrs. waghorn. permitted
MN 20 stand on a chair and remove the picture
from the wall. when he found that the canvas was
kept IN the frame only by few long nails After
10 their removal. and the foot Of the now trams-
iess canvas. in the extrens lett hand corner, DG-
elson saw tue Signature VITA the characteristics
flourish beneath IL Having replaced the canvas
sheif; Puoison bestowed half crown on his as
You know ne said. you are the owner Of
1.'Ah' she answered. YOU may well say that! No
Il should think 1t would be worth close upon
thousand pounds" said Dubison: and Mrs. Wag-
after him IS he mounted his bicycle and rode
was quite invaluable 70 her. Mrs Wagnorn could
Re-euJertns the cottage she already began 10 feel
net and shawl with the intention OF spending
portion OF Dublson's halt-crown Sitting. with
ing, her thoughts went back 70 that spring time
IoEy years asG % nSr Ter hgs9ane M @ 70 ss9aa and ne
each day. and smoked his pipe with John every
but who was oectainly poor whoss name she had
not heard since the norning he Istt her cottage.
having dined. sat n corner OF the smoking room
writing a column describing his visit the cottage
with various eInbellishmentsl and the treasure
therein discovered A few days later copy OF
Mr Ruston. the Isadins auctionaer OF the t5vn. ~
Guardian oc the Poor, whose watchword
The ldentacation OF the cottage and ths Old
parted realistic touch TO his story By mentioning
the names OF actual places. and II Mrs. WaghOrn
soTtain the notion Of her sdmittance 70 the work
house was nothing less than pTeposte-Ous. Al
petent 20 recognize such work, he knew Us value
a ~ - AZ. a Le" no IS a1ter
fraud upon the ratepayers he set the cottage
position Of The nails. 10 allow the struggling sig
nature 70 be more distinctly seen. and the clrcuu-
stances seemed 10 prohibit the idea OF an tupCs-
50. understand. you're in Iuck's way7'' he said.
T don't know, I'm sure. sir" vas the rather
Come. come you're the owner o; a MASTERPIECES
IT'S iust my Sarah as gal" said Mrs. wag-
horn ssz,ng Up at the saTvey we ,, WITH sigh sigh .
TO hurt your feelinss-not for moment; but you
can't be allowed to 90 on receiving public money
ne {acs rs SoG must sen tqas picture IT
horn, drawing nearer 70 the mantelshelf as II for
its better protection.
Bless my soul how, can you arord 70 keep it?''
sensible woman
II don't know about sensible" she said. but 7
The bare suggestion seemed to shed I'd des9lsti9n e Ion
joyment during the long days was 70 ST oe9sath
used 10 run in ana out OF the cottage door She
could remember as distinctly as II IT happened yes
den while Mr.. sortain painted. telling his small
sllteF a. i1Ee 1J ?. ~lislCI I5 t o ~ 5rs
about a duckling which had turned out a swan
climbed on to chair as SD Du5ison had done tie
55 8 qs 52 tle kissed the the S6s she carried f It
into the adjoining bedroom. which was Httle more
wrapped IL carefully around the canvas and placed
# bereath the patched straw mattress
and saw no sign OF the David sortain, he began
an urEFnt but not entirely anfynnpa{n-Ile FeI12n Non
Naghoru's reluctance. duty or course. must be
abIe to | end her days in sfuencs and the iea Of
her continuing 70 receive weekly dole at the
strousi Mrs. Waghofn. however. showed The most