The Mena weekly star., 1909-07-22

tohe Inc spedkci "as o'Aii eNuNyAnb Nho face on the canvas.
 It was not an uncommon picture, ono would have said at the first glance. On ly a woman, with fair sweet facc. Beautiful certainly, but not more so than hundreds of others who look down from tho walls of art galleries every day. A second and closer look awoke desire to study the face and fin so doing its charm grew upon you.
 A tall perfectly moulded form stood with round tapering arms upliftcd, and twined about fluted column. A child woman, lowering on the border-land The child shrinking back from tho grave faco of Care, dimly seen in the shadowy realm of womanhood. The head, about which black lace scarf was wound | Spanish fashion, had dropped upon tho arms, like child tired of play Through the laees could be seen the gleam of gol den hair. Soft rings fell over the white brow. The thin red lips seemed to be combating a smile that threatened to shame the newly acquired dignity of wo- manhood. But the charm lay In the eyes. Great wide, questioning brown eyes, sad, mischievous, defiant, pleading. Changing, one could easily imagine, with every emo tion. Such eyes,, perhaps, as looked down from the famous Lorelei Heights and wrought such ruin.
 With long drawn breath, almost a sigh, the young man drew the paper cov- ering over the picture and turned away, feeling that he had done all that he could, to assist the unfortunate owner. He felt inclined to ask who the original might be, but something about the old time negro ropulsed any thing like imper- tinence, and such question, the stranger thought, would closely approximate that for 1t certainly was mono of his business.
 Slowly he paced back and forth, his hands in his pockets, his thoughts with the picture.
 "Hang it all, v he muttered, half i'm patiently, "what is the 'old negro and his trouble to mel I wish l could quit thinking of him
 Was the young man trying to deceive himself, or was he conscious of tho fact that it was the face on the canvas and not tho unfortunate old negro, and his trouble that haunted him so consistently.
 With a quick, impatient motion he dropped into seat and directed his at tention to the shifting scenery on the dis tant banks of tho river. Dark dense for ests of Southern pine, draped with ban ners of long gray moss, that swung dis mally in the breeze.
 "How many hot blooded southerners have in days past drawn their swords in these forests, for some fair false wo- mani Are all women falsef No. In that face is DO guile. In those eyes shines a light seen only in tho eyes of babes, and women as innocent"
 Involuntarily ho glanced in tho direc- lion of the portrait The old negro sat with his elbow on his knee, his head bowed on the palm of his hand. His eyes were fixed In hopeless sts-o upon the picture by his sidc. No one except the young man took any notice of him or his trouble. If the few on deck thought strange of the negro's presence there, they made no comment With . nasty, half guilty glance about him, the stranger again crossed the vessel to whore the negro sat
 | "Not grievins over spilled milk, hope Uncle.''
 "How kin l hep greabin' marster when 1t s all de milk had, an no prom us uv no mo.
 The evident pain in the dark old fnce raised quickly at sound of his voice touched the stranger. He said kindly.
 "It's great pity, for it certainly ii beautiful picture Was 1t for saleP'
 "It was sah but it done ruint now Lawd, Lawd, but 1t do pear lak whin CT train uv bad luck stawt ober UT pus- son, 1t ain t gwinter stop tell do last wheel done cresh 'em. Sho Gawd done put UT cuss on we uns "
 "Is it the picture of living woman, or an ideals"
 
 Gently, us though lifting the shroud from the dead face of one beloved, the wrapper was turned back from the pict- urc and the young man looked again into tho dark elfish eyes
 "It's de pictur uv our Miss Elba, :" was the reply, ''but spec me an Deb by done mek UT idol uv Ter. We sho do lub dat chile. You d be boun ter lub Ter of you knowed 'cr."
 "Not doubt of it. But why do 1 you wish to sell the picturef'
 "Dats one uv our fambly secruts, sah'' The old man drew his bent form up with dignity as touching as it was amusing. It cost his listener an effort to prevent the barely perceptible lifting of his tawny mustache developing into broad smile.
 The foolish Southern pride inherited by the children, imbibed by the servants In the negro s transparent manner could be read the story he would fain con. ceal. A story of pride battling with | -..-.. e Ala ,unIf trimming at fha