The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1910-09-07
A Sketch
By ETHAN ARBUCKLE
Copyright. 1910, by American Press
Association.

came by who surely did not appear
rural. Her dress was ragged, her hat,
q straw, darkened by the weather and
having a tawdry ornament, while over
her shoulders she wore faded shawl
Had l not with the habit Of an
artist, kept an eye open for models
might not have noticed a certain kind
of beauty under these frayed gar
ments. The girl took off her hat and
displayed wealth of hair, with just
enough red In it to make it gold. The
day was hot, and she threw back her
shawl. Then noticed that her bodice
was cut low and revealed superb
neck set on pair of well rounded
shoulders.
"Why do you wear that kind Of dress
at this time Of dayY' asked.
because haven't any other"
"Do you live about here?"
tramping."
Then she cried.
Not a slip in grammer, not an unre-
fined expression, escaped her. She had
evidently seen better days. Indeed, she
might have lived in luxury.
IF you will let me make sketch Of
you," 1 said. II will pay you well for
doing So"
"What will you do with the sketch?
Will everybody see It? l wouldn't
wish them to see 1t at home"
81 will put it in my portfolio. Idon't
think any one who knows you will
ever see it."
She consented, and made the
sketch, putting in the colors exactly as
they were. l gave her good price
for the pose, which she clutched eager
ly. l believe she was hungry. While
l worked was talking to her with a
view to learning something about her.
But she would tell me nothing willing
ly, and l was unable to induce her to
give me any information by artifice.
At last | was obliged to let her go her
way.
But her picture-it was fine repre-
StHlullOU VI II Ioh hlhuthtC W w
erty"-remained with me, gazing out
at me from the sad eyes, and I found
myself constantly taking it out from
among my other sketches and looking
at it. Indeed, found myself unfit for
work, so complete hold had 1t taken
upon me. slept that night at farm
house and woke In the night depressed
by a feeling that the girl was wander
ing about with no home, no money,
nothing to eat and obliged to wear
anything she could get to cover her
What a selfish world Why had | not
taken her into my heart and provided
for her wants?
Then | remembered that there is a
barrier which prevents young men
from assisting young women. AS to
taking her into my heart, that had
done, though did not realize what a
foothold she had gained there.
One thing about her was patent She
was pure. No such beauty as hers
need go in rags except through purity.
1t was this doubtless that prevented
my banishing her from my mind and
drew me toward her.
| have always had habit of read
ing the personals in newspapers. | do
so because l like to have my fancy
started in weaving stories that the few
advertised words indicate. One day
/ read the following
Information wanted of Gladys Seymour,
twenty years old. When last seen she
wore a dark blue dress, cut low neck:
eyes dark brown: hair the same. with a
tinge Of red in 1t.
l saw the subject of my sketch de-
scribed in this personal. I called i'm
mediately on the advertiser and found
lawyer. showed him my sketch.
and he showed me photograph. They
were identical save as to dress. That
Of the photograph was silk, that Of the
sketch rags. He told me that the girl
had been driven from home by the
cruelty Of stepmother. She had gone
vowing never to return. The STEP
mother had died, and the girls father,
who was alone, was anxious to find
his daughter, but had little hope of
doing so.
determined to hunt for Gladys Sey-
mour myself. Taking my sketch with
me, ! went to the place where had
made it, then started in the direction
she had gone when she left me. I
spent day in discovering where she
had slept that night. A farmers wife
had taken her in and given her bed
and supper. Having learned the di-
rection she had taken the next morn
ing, went on and tracked her in
direct line to little town, where l
lost her. But, showing my sketch and
making inquiries, traced her to a
store, where she had been given work
behind the counter. There found
her, though in a better costume than
that in which ] had met her.
/ don't know which was more af-
Tected by the news gave her, az
telling it or she at learning it. She
went at once to her employer to say
that she would like to go to her home,
and he excused her from remaining. /
furnished her with the means to get
fbaro n G oba ritv but 10 q lnop