The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-09-02

was out in the woods with his easel
and sketching block, bent on finishing
a rather powerful study of a tall pine
| tree split through by lightning. He
had been hard at work for more than
an hour before he became aware that
there was a small white bundle lying,
apparently thrown, on the moss at
| some little distance off. He could not
make it out very distinctly, for the
| shadows of the pines were so long and
wide, and presently, moved by curl
osity, he got up and went to see what
] it was. As he approached, 1t resolved
itself into a figure-a slight little fig
ure clad in white with a blue ribbon
round it's waist-and stopping abruptly
in his advance, he caught the smoth-
cred sound of low sobbing.
by Jove!'he muttered-"Mrs. Alling-
haml"
Indescribably panied and uncomfort-
able at this discovery, he was about
to step noiselessly back to his easel
without uttering a word, when the girl
suddenly raised her head, and per-
ceiving him, started up, nervously try
ingsto control herself.
III beg your pardon!' he stam-
mered. IL came out here to make a
sketch"
mot of me, I hope!'' she said. with
a little tremulous smile; then without
the least pretense or affectation, she
dried her eyes with a tiny lace hand
kerchief and began to laugh, though a
trifle forcedly.
II came out here, not to sketch. but
to cry. she confessed. naively. you
know it's very nice to have a little
weep all to oneself sometimes
us it?" and he reddened foolishly.
II should have thought But he
could not devise n fitting end to the
sentences; and she looked at him with a
touch of usefulness in her dewy eyes.
MAY | see your sketch?" she said.
picking up a large pine-cone from the
ground and studying its pretty polished
divisions with intense interest. Il have
often noticed you wandering about with
your easel and paint box. You are Mr..
sFrancis Fame, are you not? And you
are staying at the same hotel as we
are?'
To all this he assented, walking be-
side her dreamily and always thinking
what a child she looked. AS they drew
near the spot where he had left his
easel, he woke up to consciousness of
prosy etiquette, and endeavored to
realize hat his companion was not 2
woodland sylph as she seemed, but a
married lady of position.
I'm afraid my poor sketch is hardly
worth your looking at. Mrs. Alling'
ham?" he began formally. She inter
rupted him by a little gesture.
"Oh. you know / am Mrs. Alling-
ham," she queried, smiling.
"Of course I do!' he answered, some
what amused and surprised at her
tone. Everybody at the Pension
Gutsch knows you by sight"
She unused a little, still intent on the
mathematical partitions of the pine
cone she held. Suddenly she looked up.
'And what do they say of me-" she
asked.
Fame was quite taken aback by the
d%irectness of the question. Meeting her
eyes. however, and noting the inquiring
candor and sweet innocence of their ex-
preston, ne answered, manfully:
''They say you are very young and
very pretty. You could hardly expect
them to say or to think anything else,
could you?"
She smiled and blushed.
ooh, l don't know" she said. you
see, 1 thought they might think me
well-funny!"
He stared.
Funny"
Eyes. Because it does seem funny.
doesn't it, for such a little thing as
am to be a married woman? Some
people must think it curious. Fancy
a married woman! oh, I am quite old
enough-T am 20-but [ don seem 10
be tall enough or big enough!" and she
spread out her pretty hands expressive
1y and with a charming smile. II don't
know quite where l got all my silly
ideas from, but when l was at school
| used to think a married woman
meant somebody fat and important
looking. who always wore q cap at
breakfast, and a bow of velvet on the
exact top of her head by way of full
dress at dinner. / did really!"-and her
eyes sparkled at the sound of Fane's
joyous laughter. "Of course, | know
better now. but then" here she broke
off as she saw the easel just in front OF
her with the unfinished sketch upon it.
She looked at it long and earnestly, and
Fame watched her, feeling somewhat
curious to know what sort of criticism
lllS DdDy-ldCed Cfedture WOulu pass
upon it. She studied it from every
point with close attention, and her eyes
grew soft and serious.
ut is very humani" she said, at last.
THE poo: split tree tells its own his
tory. You Fan see it did not know any
thing-it grew up quite happily, al
ways looking at the sky and believing
that no harm could befall it, till all at
once the lightning struck it to the heart