The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-10-31
Our Daily Sport Story

the picture, but he smiled and shook
 his head.
 Tt is not finished, you shall see 1t when I have completed it," he prom ised her.
 That same day. when she went back
 to her room, Florine sat for hours gaE- 1 ing at the wall opposite her; it was
 covered with pastels. one represented a l fiaxen- -haired circus rider, in scanty l pink skirts, who was in the act of flying through hoop in mid air; an- other was of Florine herself, standing brazenly erect, clad in a pair of red tights.
 Florine looked at them, but with un- seeing eyes, the 1glse she saw pictured on the oposite wall had a pale face with a sensitive mouth, and a pair of appealing blue aycs and masses of brown hair, pushed nervously back from n high white brow; sometimes the thin hands were clenched in despair of find ing the righ+ expression, and again working hurriedly as though they could never tire.
 Suddenly a sob arose in her throat; spring ging up. she crossed to her dress CT, and examined h hsrsclf with unflineh- ing, scornful eyes; then slowly shs drew of her rings and dropped them. one by one into her drawer; she took cheap, artificial red rose out of her hair and threw it in the corner; then she slipped off her favorite scarlet dress, and from her closet she took a plain gray gown. All that day she sat | alone by the window, and refused to answer the cheerful calls that came to her through the closed door; all day, and far into the night, she sat with her head bowed on her folded arms. | while the lady of the pink skirt danced | in mockery on the opposite wall. The next morning, when she opened his door. after Ter customary knock. | he was tossing restlessly in his bed, his cheeks were flushed and his eyes | bright with fever.
 T cannot work today" he said weak ! iy. T cannot walk to my easel; and
 the picture was nearly finished" 1 She looked. at him with widening 1 eyes, the bitter truth suddenly rushing | into her heart; then she turned and
 ran, for the4nearst doctor. Tt Is Q plain case of starvation" de- c1aFed that worthy briefly, after a hur- ried exainination;,'i 1.-the only thing to do | is to make him comfortable as possi- | ble; he has not the shadow of a chance 1 then he wrote a few lines on his pre- scription sheet, and hurried down the steps. He had seen many such cases. The fierce rebellious tears stood in | Florine's eyes: her throat ached trying | to keep them back. She stood for a l minute in the narrow hall before going DdCk IO nlIll,
 Dear God" she said, in unaccus-
 toned prayer, please let him live, or else take me, too.'
 She remained with him all that day
 and night, except for occasional sur reptitious trips to the corner restau-
 rant. where she bought all kinds of | extravagant delicacies, which he could
 not eat. He did not question her pres | ence there; most Of the time he lay with his eyes closed, the wasted lines
 of his figure showing pilifully under meath the covering.
 Towards morning. while she was | smo othing his pillow, he opened his eyes and smiled up at her in simple,
 child-like fashion.
 i You are kind to stay with me-" he 1 whispered, The picture, 1t was near
 ly finished; 1t is yours. if you wish D | Her head went down in the bed | cltohes at his side and ne rested his | hand for an instant on her bright hair. | When she looked up again he had | slipped silently and safely out into the great unknown. It was Florine who attended to all | the trying details that follow even so
 insignificant death; she tidied mp the | comfortless little room, and bought a
 bunch of white flow ors for the coffin.
 She could not touch the picture 1t seem | cd, somehow, like a sacred thing to her. When they came to take him away.
 she crouchtd down behind the bed; 1t
 seemed a sacrilege to hear their coarse
 voices and heavy footsteps in the room
 where all had been so beautifully peace | full. She heard them moving about, l then they crossed the room to the cor
 ner where the easel stood, and drew
 aside the hanging. There was an ex-
 clamation of surprise. Tt Is a mas
 terpiece," said. one, ''the face of a | Saint"
 Poor fellow" answered his com
 panion. Tit Is the face of some one he
 loved" and he looked with a new rev.
 erence on the artists pinched face. |
 They all call her "The Gray AngeP' dov n in the poor district where she lives, for she always wears a plain
 gray dress. Her sunny hair Is parted
 and drawn simply back from her face:
 the hands that sootha and heal so
 many suffering people. are tender
 with the perfect sympathy of love, and
 on her face there is a look of Heaven.
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 builds up ihe system. Sold by all
 dealers for 27 years Price 50 cents.