The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1910-09-06
TEaE VERDICT.


tainty and indecision. She had turned
the question oyer and over again; she
had looked at it from all possible
sides; she had thought volumes Of
what people might say or think, and
yet she could not make up her mind.
IS. It was most trying position to pc
in, thought Helen for the thousandth
time that day, as she puckered up her
pretty red lips and iudulged In real ca.
good fr'own. And yet it was a dilemma
which most girls would have found
easy of. solution. She had to decide
that very evening (indeed, she was
now completely dressed to go out)
which Of the two pictures she pre-
ferred, one of which was painted By
her Aance, Harold Dauncey.
! It happened in this way. Helen was
member of very select association
of young ladies known as the Culture
Circle. The choice ,coterie Of indepen-
dent young women :. was organized
with several momentous objects In
view, among them being the advance:
ment of art, literature and education.
A cosy little clubroom had been ft-
ted up, the weekly meetings were at
tended by crowd of enthusiastic
members, pink teas and chafing dish
parties followed one another in rapid
order, and everything went on swim
mingly until some one called atten-
ton to the fact that. art, literature,
science, education, ETC., were not being
very much advanced under this course
of treatment.
A. score of pretty faces looked
blank for several minutes, until one
bright-eyed miss arose and gave ut
terance to the following serious and
s Sensible speech: IF we wish to en-
5 Courage art, why not buy painting
Epr. our clubrooms? Or, better, let's
'Bffer a prize to local artists. Say that
we will give s25 for the best water
/. color submitted" ~,
The others thought that it would be
difficult to conceive better plan, for
they all hastened to express their ap-
proval Of this one. So the prize was
! offered, the paintings submitted, and
tonight the club was 10 decide upor
which one it would bestow the reward,
The choice lay between what were
beyond doubt the two best. One OF
these was the one Harold Dauncey,
the other being the work of a young
man named Jack Tremaine.
Harold Dauncey was rich and Jack
Tremaine was, poor. While Jack had
been scraping along at home, eking
out livelihood as best be coAld, liv-
ing for days on bread and water in
true Bohemian style, Harold had been
travelling in Europe.
Helen. Truesdale leaned back In her
carriage as she was whirled swiftly
along in the direction OF the Culture
Circles" rooms and still debated the
question with herself. Harold she
knew was very popular with the girls
of the Circle" and would undouht-
edly carry. off the prize. For Harold's s
sake she was glad. =
Helen herself had studied painting
and knew far more about the subject
than any of the others. And now
deep down. in her troubled heart. she
felt that his painting was vastl!
better piece of work than Harold's,
and that a. prize bestowed in this
manner would be great encourage
ment to the one who needed it most.
Art.
A few moments after Helen arrived
the club was called to order and the
president announced that a secret bal
lot would be taken on the subject of the
pictures, so that no one need hesitate
to ex press her real opinion. Helen
paused few minutes over her slip OF
paper, then quickly jotted down the
lame OF her choice, and the slips were
collected. After the votes had been
counted the president arose and said:
''1'he prize is awarded to Harold Daun
cey, and the vote is-unanimous."
The morning after the prize had
been awarded to his rival. Jack Tre-
maine sat in his room the picture OF
despair. He had counted so much on
winning the reward, not alone for the
sake of the money, which was never
theless very great object. but also
for the prominence it would have
helped him gain. rs there any use
trying 10 keep up now?" he asked
himself. "It will be long time before
have another such chance to dis
tinguish myself. and even then it will
be this case over again. If five-dollar
bill is offered, some millionaire paint
dauber is sure to 60 after 1t, and. OF
course, he will have to get il, even IL
he can't tell a marine from land
scape" Jack spoke bitterly, but it
mus, be remembered that he was well
nigh discouraged, and, indeed, his
prospects were very gloomy.
At this moment there was knock
at his door and he heard his landladJ
say: Here's letter for you, Mr.. Tre
MAINE"
Jack rushed 10 the door and received
a dainty, perirmed note. inscribed in
a clear, feminine hand. He tore it open