Middletown transcript., 1908-10-24
| WAlF FROM THE SEA
BY W. D. MORRIS

messed her ignominious dismissal
1.-The cynosure now Of quite d
score of admiring childish eyes.
For a full half hour she had stood
motionless as a craven image.
gazing out seaward, look in
the angelic blue eyes as if she
would read its mysteries. Then,
all at once, the far off look gave
place TO a new light.
The pity lady! she cried in hel
babyish treble, she comed-l did
tell you.
Jack Ethan swung hastily
round tn find himself face to face
with a slight girlish figure
l fear I have stolen a quite un.
intentional march upon you, he
said springing to his feet and
raising his cap. That is, OF
course-which l cannot doubt
if you are Baby Barron's "pitty
lady," he added, with a quick
smile, his eyes resting on the
sweet, winsome face before him,
fffra ned in . setting of thick -coiled
bronze hair.
Oh, / did so want her for a
cherub, the girl returned, nod,
ding brightly toward Baby Bar.
ron.
And [ am painting her as ga
Waif From the Sea-" Don't you
think she looks we'll the parti
May | introduce myself? l am
Ethan - Jack Ethan, of the
Glasgow School.
have heard your name, Mr.,
Ethan, she said with a frank
smile. I, too, am a student OF
that school. My name is Leslie
Maynard.
Then we should be friends,
Miss Maynard. What say you
to dividing the spoil-you to take
the head, with full choice OF
hours, and / to retain the waiff
Oh, I couldn't be SO selfish as
to agree to that and SO spoil your
work, she exclaimed hastily. /
am only a beginner, and Baby
Barron would be quite tired out
with two sittings in one day.
Then suppose we paint to-
gether and interchange ideas? he
suggested eagerly. Two heads,
you know
Leslie Maynard hesitated for
some moments.
1t is very generous of you to
put it that way, she said with a
little smile. But if you wish it,
L
The "ayes" have it, Miss May.
nard, he broke in laughingly
And we'll pass now, with your
permission, to the next order of
the day. He turned quickly to
Baby Barron, who had been
watching the scene with gravely
observant eyes.
How would you like a new
frock--a new frock with frills
and lace, Baby Barron, to have
your portrait taken in by your
''pitty lady?"
A sudden light came into the
big blue eyes, bat she said moth
ing.
And socks, he continued eager
ly, brown ones and little brown
shoes?
Still Baby Barron said nothing.
Only she passed her hands slowly
over the frayed brown frock and
glanced down meditatively at the
crinkled, cavernous boots.
And a sash, too-a big blue
sash round your waist, Baby Bar.
ron? he added hastily.
A slow smile overspread her
face. She nodded vigorously as
the smile reached the deep blue
eyes, which shown like twin stars.
You shall have them, tEen-
tomorrow, perhaps. Now, what
do you say?
With aquaintly demure gravity
Baby Barron put her soft little
hand into his, looking up
to him with simple childlike win
someness. Jack Ethan lifted
her up in his arms and left on
her cheek a soft kind of baby
earess.
The friendship thus oddly in.
stituted between the man and
the girl grew and deepened daily.
In Leslie Maynard Jack Ethan
speedily recognized kindred
soul in the art they both loved.
Insensibly on Jack Eltham's
side friendship deepened and
passed into a richer, stronger
feeling. And she-to Leslie MAY.
nard those days were strangely
sweet. Though she hardly dare
acknowledge, even to herself. the