Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1905-03-01
A Sepia Sketch

the floor, and, bending forward il
her shimmering satin gown, she
kissed the pictured face before her.
1t was a ceremony gone through
every night, as it had been for the
last ten years. In the early days,
with silent tears, in a lavender
scented attic, now electric light
was switched on in the big studio in
Washington, where Harry Lawton's
picture hung in its silver frame to
inspire the pastels and dainty minia-
lures which had brought Isobel
Eastwick fame.
Ten years ago young Lawton had
sailed for South America, vowing
as soon as he had a home to offer
her to return and claim Isobel's
promise to wait for him.
Miss Eastwick was nothing if not
constant-nothing if not fanciful,
her friends said, though they did not
guess at the romance of her life, and
she had cherished Ike memory of
those promises and the hope that
one day her lover would return.
Paul Maitland was one of the few
people who knew the whole story,
and in spite of that he had asked
her to marry him. - "
The question: had grleyed Miss
Nastwick's soul, II seemed to be
reflection on her constancy, and she
was not a little afraid that this un-
expected development might end
their friendship.
But he had spoken strongly, a
great deal too strongly, on the sub
ject of wasted affections, pink and
white boys, ete.-he who was really
impossibly ugly; And Yet ''''
'-Ag though to convince herself Of
bis impossibility Miss Eastwick
picked UP q sepia sketch of a mans
head=-it was an ugly face, with the
determined jaw and deep set eyes
and laid it for a moment beside the
water color in its dainty silver.
frame. She laughed. The contrast
was too funnyl
Miss Eastwick stood painting in
her studio before an easel, making
the most Of the early spring sun:
shine. The many successful por=
traits at last years exhibitions had
brought her more work than she
could do, and she rose early and la.
bored hard for love of her art.
Paul Maitland had sometimes
brought his fiddle and played to her
in the afternoons when her visitors
had departed, but today he had not
come, and she missed his dark, ugly
face, his deep, refined voice express
ing her own half formed, wholly in
expressible thoughts. 49, "
All! There was = knock. 1t must
be hal He would not stay away
simply because she could not marry
him. A faint, becoming blush rose
to her cheek, Yes, it was a mans
tread coming upstairs, but not Matt
lands SURELY This was heavier,
and this red faced, red bearded man,
with meaningless light eyes! Who
could he be? Who? And then in a
moment she knew.
Harry
"My graciousl What elegant
quarters! Belle, you are a peach P'"'
A twang that might haye been cut
nth q knife!
Miss Eastwick was speeches.,
She glanced from the uncompro-
missing figure on the hearth rug to
5he water color on the wall, and
,nly sichcning dread that he had
come to claim her promise kept her
rom bursting into uncomfortable
aughter at the SCATTERING of her
dol.
'I've times and times seen your
name in the illustrated papers we've
lad in Lima" he was saying, paint
hg daughters and wives Of million
lires, duchesses and lords and even
/ royal princess. Haven't the boys
tared when I've told them how you
md l were going to be married
When my ship came imp
"You spoke of me like thatp
Hiss Eastwick thought. @l.And it |
vas for you that I sent away Paul
ihd r thought it mattered what q
nan lacked liker"
"You're an elegant little woman
nough," Mr.. Lawton continued
ondescendingly. "Eliza, now, is a
lifferent build of a woman. Would
make three Of you~
Who could4Eliza be?
"She was bit jealous Of you, l
an say. I've often laid it on how
'retty and dainty you were to rile
Ter, but I'd always bring her around
y telling how, if. I'd married you,
lsd have been sitting on apinale !