Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-12-22

her mothers. She had the
tall and forceful figure of her New
England forbears added to the tender
grace of the southern woman. and with
these she had the beauty OF sweet
brown eyes. waving brown hair and
such n color and complexion that they
might he called fairy gifts; also she
had visions OF career.
She was not left unsought An anx-
ious line of admirers fled through the
wide gates of the old plantation home
and walked up between the box hedges
to the wide veranda, where Mary gen.
orally sat with her maiden aunt. the
latter making wonderful devices In tat
ting. and Mary. With her easel before
her. perfunctorlly making sketches
which she rarely finished, but which
her aunt rcigiously preserved.
The Boutwell, plantation had been
large one before the war, but under
the Inefficient care OF the aunt had
dwndled steadily. Miss Boutwell, had
unlimited power us guardian to buy,
sell, mortgage or borrow and lend.
The first warning of the final calamity
came along late In the fall and was in
the shape of threatened foreclosure
of the mortgage on the last of the once
vast possessions-the big and almost
empty house. Mary had spent money
lavishly in college and gave and lent
as her generous aunt had done in igno
rance of the real state of things. On
the list of January this money must be
paid. The aunt had been notified. but
let the matter drag. as she felt that
something would turn up to save their
home. Mary was trying TO understand
the situation, but in vain.
And the young men came n-woo.ng.
They were all made welcome by the
romantic aunt and all invited to dinner
or supper. with the old open handed lib
crafty, but Mary showed no favor to
any one. But that is not saying that
she did not think often of Bert Allen.
She could appreciate his character
She had just come from college. whore
much stress was laid upon mental at
tainment, and she wondered how
It was that young man only clerk
In lawyers Office could have learned
so much. She knew that he had lived
all his life here, that his parents Ind
died poor after the devastating war,
that he had had bitter struggle. but
she could not understand how he had
learned so much that the other young
men were totally ignorant of-art. for
instance, art from It's first inception
to the present day, in all Its branches
and ramifcations.
What she did not take into account
was that Bert had known her from In.
fancy and that for her sake and to be
able 10 properly appreciate her career
he gave every moment lie could spare
to the study of all that books could
teach him and that when he had bust
ness north he fairly haunted the art
galleries and picture stores and stu
dos. Ills heart sank as the conviction
was forced upon him that 1t would be
many years before Mary could hope
for success. If ever. for somehow lie
came to see that. while she had unde-
niable talent, she was not genius,
and he knew that she had not the pow
err of steady and continuous work,
which sometimes almost equals rehl
genius. And he felt, too, that he could
plan career for Mary that would BIO
far more satisfying to her than the
painting of mediocre pictures, but he
dared not give voice TO his thought
The autumn passed. while Bert tried
In every way his fertile mind could