Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-09-05

anything but pretext for"
Even so, Aunt Trafford, dear
Mrs. George interrupted in her rea-
sonable tone, don't you think its
just what Uncle Trafford would like?
Haven't you known him time and
| time again turn round on the beaten
and the bitter and the sore and hold
out the helping hand to them? Is
there any one who knows better than
he how to take the sting from hosti-
lily? And isn't it part OF the respon-
sibility Of wealth."
"Oh, you needn't tell met" Mrs.
Trafford gasped, impatiently. She
disliked so much having the higher
way pointed out to her by Mrs.
George that she often hurried in adj
vance to take it. 81 know better thon
example he sets us. If to return good
for evil is the motto of his life, it
may well be that of ours. Paula, my
child she added, with quick change
of front, "if it be your will to help
these people, do it. | withdraw all
objection If you like, I'll pay for
the portrait. believe it would
please your father, though think
we'd better not say anything about
It, Yes l will pay for it. l don't
care what it costs"
Thank you, mother, dear" Paula
said, rising, eager to escape, now
that her point was gained. "I'd rather
pay for it myself"
"All beg Of you" Mrs. .Traffor;l
cried, as Paula left the room. sis
not to bring the young man here"
But where can have my sit
tings?" Paula questioned from the
doorway.
Where you like Have them n
the Louvre or in Notre Dame or
anywhere else you please; but don t
bring the young man here. l should
faint if saw him. Take maid
with you, take two maids, take ten
maids if you will, but don't-bring-
the young-man here"
do you think that's wise?" Traf
ford questioned; but Paula was al
ready out of hearing.
Half an hour later her coupe turn
ed from the Rue Mazarine into the
narrow Passage de la Nativite and
stopped before an ancient fortress
like gate Traces Of Renaissance
sculpture were visible on the batter
ed stone, while in a niche over the
portal stood crowned but time
worn statue Of the Virgin and Child
When the footman Changed the gong
a wrinkled old woman opened small
door cautiously. Paula descended and
asked the way to Mr.. Winship's
studio.
4 A minute afterwards she found her
self in a spacious courtyard, paved
with fiat stone, which time had forced
into various levels, the interstices be
ing filled here and there with tufts
)of grass Low, weather-worn gray
buildings in the Renaissance style sur
rounded the courtyard on three sides
In the centre of the space the stone
basin of long-disused fountain was
gradually crumbling away, throwins
slightly out Of the perpendicular thu
elaborate wrought-iron tracery which
; rose above it, surmounted by cross
The place was evidently an old con
vent, violated probably at the Revolu
ton, and since then become one o
those spots, more common in Pari.
than elsewhere, in which poverty ca:
take refuge and still keep some sens
IOl ulSully. Io dulcl, pAChluS AiV
way across the court towards the en-
, trance the concierge had, pointed out
everything about her seemed Cypress
lively ancient 1t was picturesque
enough; in a mournful way it wal
even stately; but to think OF any on
actually living there made her shud
{. der. The Winships themselves wer
we'll content to have discovered in tn
heart of the city, so charming &c
/ treat, while Paula could think only o
r outcasts seeking shelter among brol
en- empty tombs
l Now that she was here, she ha
j none of the nervousness or f1utterin
) of the heart from which she had ofte
: suffered in thinking the matter ovel
On the contrary, in her velvet an
E sables she felt herself imposing. TIL
e ease with which the conversation a
the luncheon table had passed o.
o gave to the undertaking an air of b.
/ ing a matter of course. Besides, afte
all. there was no tremendous difficult
j to overcome She would have such
|, conversation as she had held at othe
f times with NJ Chartran or NJ Car:
f lus Duran, and would come away. D
the question of price she would, natl
= rally, have to surprise the young a
fist; but such surprises were gen
# rally borne by their recipients wit
d good grace. For everything else sh
y counted on her own dignity, tact an
knowledge of the world.
J, The entry was SO dark and the sill
e perry stairs were SO steep that on til
e landing Paula waited for minute b
il side window to take breath TIL
y view here was less severe than tn;
: below. In the foreground, just beyon
5 the court, there were gardens-suc
t. friendly ancient unexpected garden
Q hidden from the streets, as one fine
s. everywhere il Paris, and nowhel
else in the world. Farther off ros
d the venerable tower of St-Germai
e des- Pres; farther off still, the squal
5 of the Odeon displayed its simp
s. lines, while as culminating-point
II the prospect, the columned dome
y the Pantheon lifted itself into Il
winter air
g. AS Paula gazed outward she r
a hon rsa5 onra moro the first fa