The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1910-01-27
THE ETERNAL
FEMININE.
Ii Did Assert Itself lust as Phil
Had Predicted.
Ely HELENE WOOD.

assert ITSELF
Elizabeth put on her long blue paint
ing apron without replying and began
90 stretch a canvas. She was adorable
so, her gray eyes defiantly averted and
d flush of anger on her cheeks.
'There you go again. If l don't
know my own mind at twenty-six
when will ~
''At twenty seven or eight perhaps
hope sooner. Your ideas are all
wrong. Believe me, the day will come
when you will long for a home of you"
own and some one nearer than a girl
friend or masculine admirer."
He had the last word, fcr the ar
rival of the model a thin, shabby
looking girl, put an end to the discus.
sion.
Tomorrow at ), them"
Elizabeth gave a brisk little nod
She was already sketching in the Ou.-
lines of her study, and Phil was for
gotten before he had closed the door.
The young man was quite accustonl-
ed to such treatment. Admired as lie
was to her most intimate friendship on
an understanding of strict camarade-
rie, he broke over the traces every
year, was invariably refused ana bore
his defeat with easy a1Ount. Some day
she was bound to change her mind.
and he might be the lucky man.
Elizabeth'S own opinion was very
different. She had no time for thought
until her work was laid aside for the
day Then she sank into a nest Of
cushions to think luXuriOusly.
No, Phil was wrong. She would new
er care to leave her studio-above all,
TO marry. Had not the art school girls
who married ceased developing intel
lectually? Shut up in their own four
walls, they became entirely absorbed
in dear Tom or Dick and the children.
Children! Elizabeth shuddered. y
delightful, but the reality-a dirty lit
tie creature always crying or being ill,
She would never leave her work. her
studies, her pleasures. for deadly
stupid family life-never,
a cry of warming The trolley car
stopped with n Iurch. In an instant
the conductor and motorman were
down in the street, followed by most
of the passengers. Elizabeth. impa-
tient at the delay, resolved to walk
the block or two remaining Her model
would be waiting for her at the studio.
When she left the car she found
herself the only woman in a large
group collected about a Sickening black
mass which had SplaShed car wheels
and cObblestoneS with blood. The CON
ductor. good naturcd looking young
iriShman, stood with tears rolling
golden haired baby, a toddler of a
year or two. The mOtOrman. white
and frightened. was telling how the
baby had suddenly run in front of the
car and the mother had thrown the
little one out of the way, only to be
crushed herself.
The child began to cry, and the con
-ductor turned to Elizabeth implOrinG
Iy. you take the baby, mum. The
ambulance is comm. The cops will
be after findiD' its relatives"
Before she could reply he had put
the baby in her unresisting arms.
Some moments later. hardly knowing
how it had all happened. she found
herself walking into her studio build
ing carrying a little child. In her purse
was a bit of paper inscribed 10 Plum
ley alley" IT was the poor womans
address, to which she had promised to
take him. A man she knew who was
passing along the corridor smiled and
Blair Elizabeth flushed as if she had
committed a crime and was relieved to
close the studio door behind her.
Then she put down her burden and
looked at her watch. Ten o'clock! The
model had come and gone. No hope
now She herself would have to take
the child home. A short conference at
the phone told her the wherea bouts Of
Plumley alley, eight blocks south and
just off the til street car line.
When she left the phone she found
the little one standing close by. Eliza
beth studied him with half shut eyes.
Not bad" she thought-'a Donatello
If the forehead were a little higher and
the curls not so fine and tight. How
should like to paint him! Come here
little one. What's your name?'
"Alan Campbell naughty"
care you naughty?"
"'Es. ! want my muvver."
His mother! Elizabeth felt a quick
pang Of horror "COme here. and | will
show you something pretty"
She held out her watch. The silver
and gold ornaments on it's long chain
jingled attractively. Alan Campbell
slowly drew near the shining object
He seized it just as little stray dog
would have done a bit of cake-seized
it and walked away. Then Elizabeth
brought out pictures. 1t was surpris-
ing how quickly they were friends, sit
ting on the floor side by sidn looking
at pussies and doggies.
1t was after II when Alan Camp
BELLS face began to look doleful