The Baltimore County union, the Towson news. (Towson, Md.) 1909-1912, 1909-11-20

ing, too, and it always grew longer if
it wanted to: but when it got the
right length it stopped. But it was
always red hair.
Mirabel was watching him keenly
from her glistening covert.
And, "he said abruptly, red hairs
the prettiest hair there is. So that's
all there is of that story. What's
your name ?"
She could answer now, though she
would rather have stopped to think
over the conclusion of the story.
"Mirabel May" she said. My
husbands 8 name is Harrison May"
"Mirabel May. Who gave you
such a pretty name ?"
Mirabel jumped in her chair and her
eyes cleaned out at him. She began
to talk tumultuously. The barriers
were down.
do you think it's pretty name f?
Ny aunt gave it to me. She used to
read story papers, an lay round out
doors, mother said, an she died as
poor as rat, Mother said they all
said she would if she carried on so,
but nothin' would stop her. / thought
maybe twas a funny name. l
thought maybe my hair was funny,
too She ceased, aghast at her own
boldness, and gathered her hair again
under her chin. The stranger was
smiling at her kindly and pausing
with his brush in air.
sit still, - he said, as if he were
gentling horse. "I'll tell you an
other story. This is the story of the
picture they made out of the red hair.
Once upon time there was grown
up girl that had red hair. She looked
just like you. Maybe it was you.
One day an old man came limping
along to her gate He looked just
like me. Maybe he was me. HUI
10 = says he to himself. Here's a
girl with red hair So he sat down
and painted all day long, and the
girl sat still, very still-don't wiggle
round SO. You'll hearthe story if it's
ever finished, and 1 guess it will be.
And he painted all he could that day,
and took the picture away with him,
and painted some more as he remem-
bered it, and he called the picture A
Study in Red And everybody came
to see it, and they all said oh, my i
And all over the city they said oh,
my = for two weeks by the clock, till
the painter had to pack up his UNI
brella and his canyas and his camp
stool and run away because he was so
deafened by hearing them say Oh,
myP"
Mirabeps cheeks were blooming
rose with the wonder Of the hour
She began to talk herself, but she
could think of only two things to say,
though she had said them once al
ready.
II thought maybe my name was
funny . f.
"Mirabel May" he repeated. No /!
no That isn's funny. It's nice.
Mistress Mirabel MayI'
Il thought maybe my hair was
homely, too"
He smiled at her, and shook his
head over his painting.
mo! no he said. mol no !
You sit still and maybe I'll tell you
another story about that. Do you
mind the sun on your head p
mo, oh, no." said Mirabel, in a
vague happiness. II like IT,"
There were soft flying clouds in the
sky. They dappled the grass with
shade. The birds were very busy
that morning, singing and weaving.
The road was quite deserted. No
body went to market and nobody
came to spend the day. More and
more it seemed to Mirabel that she
and the stranger were in a new place
where she had never set foot before
and where she liked to be.
At noon he lay down his brush. He
knew it was twelve o'clock byh hun
ger and she knew it by the shadows
on the grass.
WE'LL" he said, in tone of satis-
faction.
''I'll run in and cook some eggs"
said Mirabel. do you like milk p
He did. His smile told her. At
tho door she naused and looked back
at him timidly. Won't you come
in" she asked "and rest?"
in a minute" said the stranger,
and while she cooked the eggs he
walked about and stretched himself.
smoking a short black pipe. When
the meal was set out, she called him.
The stranger was very hungry, and ne
liked everything; but Mirabel only
ate little bread and milk, perhaps
because she felt 80 solemn. After it
was over and he had gone out to
smoke another pipe, she lefther dishes
standing, and hastily let down her
hair. Like modest handmade, she
appeared before him in the yard.
You want me to sit down again p
she asked, in fervent faithfulness'
He nodded, and they took their
places, and that afternoon he worked
in silence. When the sun was low,
he looked up at her with different
smile, as if they had both been in
the picture together, and now they
had come out of it.
There, child, he said, 'that'll do.
We've done all we can."
Have you finished it?" asked
Mirabel. Her eyes were large and
seeking. She was very pale. At last
she began to feel how stiff she was
Come and look at it," said the
stranger.
She went timidly round to his side
and looked. She gazed at it a long
time, and then she took up strand
of her hair and studied that.
"You think it's pretty ?" she asked