Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-07-21
WuItIHB 10 PiVteCt tHe
lists in the studio above.


Sue found Behrman smelling strong
| ly Of juniper berries In his dimly light
| ed den below. In one corner was a
| blank canvas on an easel that had been
waiting there for twenty-five years to
receive the first line of the master
piece She told him Of Johnsy's fancy
and how she feared she would indeed
light and fragile as leaf herself. float
away when her slight hold upon the
world grew weaker.
Old Behrman, with his red eyes plain.
ly streaming, shouted his contemptand
derlsion for such idiotic imaglnings.
"Vassw he cried. as dere people in
de world NIT der foolishness to die be-
cause leafs dey drop of from a con-
founded vinel hat not heard Of such
a thing No, will not bose as model
for your fool hermit dunderhead. w
do you allow dot silly business to come
In der prain Of her? Ach, dot poor
lettle Miss Johnsyp
"She is very III and weak" said Sue,
"and the fever has left her mind NOR.
bid and full of strange fancles. Very
we'll, Mr.. Behrman, II you do not care
to pose for me, you needn't But
think you are a horrid old-old fiibber-
| tigibbet."
"You are Just like woman" yelled
Behrman. "Who said will not bose?
Go on. come NIT you. For half an
hour I haf peen trying to say dot am
| ready to bose. Gott. dis Is not any
blace in which one 80 goot as Miss
Johnsy shall lie sick. Some day I will
balnt masterpiece, and We shall all 90
away. Gott, yes"
Johnsy was sleeping when they
went upstairs. Sue pulled the shade
down to the window sill and motioned
Behrman into the other room. In there
they peered out Of the window fear
fully at the Ivy vine. Then they looked
at each other for q moment without
speaking. A persistent cold rain was
falling, mingled with snow. Behrman.
In his old blue shirt took his seat as
the hermit miner on an upturned ket'
tie for rock.
When Sue awoke from an hours
sleep the next morning she found
Johnsy with dull, wide open eyes star
Ing at the drawn green shade.
"PuIl it up; want to see." she or.
dered in whisper
Wearlly Sue obeyed.
But. 10, after the beating rain and
fierce gusts Of wind that had endured
through the livelong night there yet
stood out against the brick wall one ivy
leaf. 1t was the last on the vine. Still!
dark green near its stem. but with its
serrated edges tinted with the yellow
Of dissolution and decay. 1t hung brave.
ly from branch some twenty feet
above the ground.
ut IS the last one" said Johnsy. 81
thought 1t would surely fall during the
night I heard the wind 1t will fall
today. and shall die at the same
time"
"Dear, dear" said Sue. leaning her
worn face down to the pillow. think
Of me II you won't think Of yourself!
What would'I do?"
But Johnsy did not answer. The
loncsomest thing In all the world is
soul when it Is making ready to go on
Its mysterious far journey. The fancy
seemed to possess her more strongly
as one by one the ties that bound her
to friendship and TO earth were loosed
The day wore away. and even
through the twilight they could see
the lone ivy leaf clinging to its stem
against the wall. And then with the
coming of the night the north wind
was again loosed. while the rain still
beat against the windows and pattered
down from the low Dutch caves.
When it was light enough Johnsy.
the merciless. commanded that the
shade be raised.
The Ivy leaf was still there.
Johnsy lay for long time looking
at 1t. And then she called to Sue. who
was stirring her chicken broth over
the gas stove.
"Ive been a bad girl. SudIe." said
Johnsy. something has made that
last leaf stay there to show me how
| wicked ! was. 1t Is sin to want to
die. You may bring me little broth
now and some milk with little port
in 1t, and-no, bring me hand mirror
first. and then pack some pillows about
me, and l will sit up and watch you
cook"