The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-12-20

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Ss much, although Alice noticed
SSzgSS that she was more quiet than
ever and avoided that subject.
! "I'm ready an willin' to so if yoll
think best" she said, "an' I'll do my
best as long as 1 can. I hain't got
long to stay, an If see you two hap
py I'm content"
Two weeks before Christmas came a
cordial letter from Blanch reminding
Alice Of her promise to visit her dur
ing the holidays and insisting that she
do so now. With 1t was inclosed an
equally cordial but brief note Of invita-
ton from Mrs. Mason Alice replied to
! both in due form and with profuse
thanks, also stating that she had prom
:, ised her brother she would visit him
during her vacation, and hoped to have
one or two evenings with them at that
time.
| Alice inclosed both notes to her broth.
er and told him he had best inform
| the Nasons Of her intended visit In
matter Of fact way. But. she added,
'do not let on that you know they
! have invited me to visit them. We
will do Just as we talked-go there and
spend one or two evenings, or perhaps
I may meet them at theater, which
would be much better"
By return mail came his assurance
Of obedience and stable check, use
it all, my dear SIS" be wrote, "and for
your own needs, too. do not want
you to feel ashamed Of your gowns
when you come to Boston"
"Bless his dear heart" said Alice
when she read the letter, what a prize
that island girl will get in hfm!''
When Christmas came and she
kissed Aunt Susan goodby, she was
near giving up the trip altogether. 1t
may have been the sad face Of her
aunt that brought the irresolution, cr
feeling that meeting Frank would
reawaken the little heartache She had
for five months been trying to conquer.
When she reached Boston she was met
by her brother.
81 have not told Frank" Albert eI-
claimed, land shall not let them know
you are here until we call. want you
to myself for q few days, because after
frank knows you are here am sure
to be one too many most Of the time"
''Not on his account, you'll not be, J"
replied Alice with snap.
What @ gallant escort that brother
was, and what change from the dull
monotony Of her home life those days
were to Alice.
They visited art galleries mornings,
and devoted the afternoons and even
tngs to theaters; then usually q tete-
a-tete supper at coy place where the
best was to be had, and little chat in
his or her room before retiring. It
was during one Of these brief visits
that she noticed some Of the pictures
that hung in his room.
"Who painted that shipwreck
scene:' she asked, looking at one. ''It
Is a-gem, and those poor sailors cling
ing to the ice covered rigging are
enough to make one shiver. And those
awful waves, too, are simply terr1fy-
ing. And what pretty scene is this
wild tangle Of rocks with gir! leaning
on one and looking out on the ocean
where the sun is setting or rising"
she continued as she viewed the next
one. Then as she examined it q little
closer she added, "Who Is, E. T.?"
Albert made no answer, and she passed
to third one showing little rippled
cove with the ocean beyond and girl
seated in the shade Of small spruce
tree.
"Why, this is by E. T. too," she ex-
claimed And turning to her brother
she repeated, "Who is 2. T."
"Wen," be answered, II will take
you down to the island some time and
Introduce you to her. She will be glad
10 meet my sister, YOU may be GER
tain"
Then the brief history Of this girl,
as her brother had told it. came to her.
80 that was the wreck she doated
ashore from, was 1t, Bert? And can
she paint like that? Why, 1 am as
tonished. And who is the girl leaning
on the rock? What an exqulsitely
nodded figure and what c pretty pose!
Who is she?'
That IS your possible sister-in-law,"
answered Albert, with touch OF
pride, "and the pictures were done by
her from sketches first made myself.