The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-02-26
A BE AU TY.
Nay, but you. who do not love her,
Is she not pure gold, my mistress?
In o.

u
a young tyrant from babyhood. 1t
had never been of the slightest use try
ing tokeep her under. Her mother made
conscientious attempts not to have
her in evidence when guests were about.
and her father feebly seconded her eff
forts by trying to keep out of Polly's
way. The undertaking was neyerthe-
less hopeless Polly, standing wistfully
at the nursery window, made prudent
resolutions vanish like chaff. Polly as
Cherry Ripe" going to church was the
enchanting thing of the day When
newcomers first caught glimpses of her
wheeling her doll carriage or playing
with the pup, they were useless for fur
Their purposes of entertainment until
the first novelty of intercourse with
Polly wore off.
Her conversation alone is worth the
price of admission" condescended
cousin of PolIy's, second year at Yale.
When Polly grew, horribly spoiled, of
course, petulant, eXacting. fairly gener-
Gus, warm hearted. openly truthful, she
was so beautiful that everything was
permitted to her. She was clever enough
to keep even men whose appreciation
was worth something devoted to her
The time naturally came when two
out of the crowd of worshipers were
distancing all competitors. Polly knew
her world and foresaw the inevitable
decision she would presently be called
upon to make. She intended to marry
for love, being much too clever to be
willing to mss that happiness. She
was determined to get out of life all
that was in it.
what comfort it is to be prettyr'
she thought contentedly. "Then really
nice men fall in love with one How
dreadful to have to choose from inn
possible creaturas.'
One Of the men was an artist He
loved Polly's beauty. Her soul was of
no moment. But Polly did not know
this. 1t did not occur to her that any
one would dare to separate the two.
The other man loved the inner Polly. |
He reyerenced her beauty, as he did all |
beauty and truth and the other things
worthy men worship. And Polly did |
not know the difference between the
two loves.
There was a tender poetry in the
artists wooing which was very sweet !
to her.
He had way of gently touching her
hair and quoting:
Holds earth aught-speak truth-above |
her?
Above this tress. and this 1 touch.
But cannot praise / love so much!
which went to Pollys heart Yet the |
constant referring to strong. serious
nature, which the other man unques-
tionably attributed to her, kept her in
a rarer atmosphere than, but for the
stimulus of his personality, she could
have breathed in. She felt this all
ways, but naturally more keer,y when
the other man was with her
The futures the two men offered her
were vastly different The artist drew
winning pictures of a beautiful dreamy
old world life, drifting in Venice, driv-
ing through the Wordsworth land, go
ing from German villages to tie bouIe-
ward fetes, from the enchantment of
Swiss lakes to the Land of the Mid
night Sun and everywhere living a
lover existence of love and beauty
and delight
But the other man spoke Of a work
ing day world, of a place where men
and women and pitifuI children needed
help and success. He drew her into the
NE VI IHe worse Hall OF TIE NOEiu ana
showed her its need. He made her hear
the cry Of children wanting bread
made her see girls ike herself ground
into awful fates, and through it all she
felt his love about her protecting com
forting. infinitely tender and believing.
Meantime the summer was passing
The cooling breezes Of early September
brought fresh joys The artist took
Polly canoeing, and the other man, who
was very boyish and enthusiastic,
rowed off his feelings in a single scull.
After all, it was a little thing which
decided Polly. One afternoon Polly
was making tea on the lawn while the
rival contestants were playing tennis
She looked unusually beautiful. and
when the set was over the artist made
several sketches of her One OF them
ne called "Oyer the Teacups'' in play
.ul love for the dear waiter. He after
ward painted it in and in a few days
showed it to Polly
Il don't like il at ALL she objected.
1t is the portrait Of a heartIess girl"
The artist laughed
What does il natter?" he said.
With such holy beauty as yours you
,ould be anything you liked. No one
Expects you to be anything but beauti-
uI"
Miss Polly Pemberton was not slow
great many things came back to her
IS she looked at him for a moment
hen she smiled vaguely.
"One man does,'' she said sweetly
The man | am going TO marry. not
on. you know. He thinks me true and
God, but it does not matter to you,
oes itY'
as it Eerris?'' asked the artist.