Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1910-10-21
WoodViolets

In far distant corner of the ex-
hibition hall woman stood before a
painting. Her hands hung loosely
clasped. her head was bowed In rev
erie. As she looked at the picture the
color faded from her beautiful. care
worn face.
Wood violetsi- she repeated.
There was little catch 10 her
voice as she whispered the name Of
the artist. the name OF him who ON.
bodied for her all the mystery and
meaning Of lie. Pressing her hand
to her bosom she dropped upon the
seltee with tremulouE sigh. j..
Her mind spanned The years to. The
time when she and lhs paluLer had
been swoethearts She sav the SOD
ing. ferny banki the winding brook.
let; heard It's gentle purl; saw the
dewy violets lifting their faces Il Ihe
twilight She saw SSll, darE-baired
youth picking a bunch Of those tio.
let's; saw him lift them to her eyes
and heard him whisper thar they were
Ike them. And then their lips had
met The ecstasy OF that untorgot-
ten evening comes back In all its
sweetness. He he'd faithfully repro
duced It upon the canvas.
Before long this picture passed
and another took It's place A wed
ding party; the bride, young and fair,
with face az white as her wedding
robes; the groom, not the lover of by.
gone days, but middle-aged, stern
looking man. Her youth and limo
cenoe and purity had captured bis
fancy and she had bartered herself
for gold. She had sacrificed truth
and honor, and, as she soon found,
her happiness as well.
She learned, however, the hardest
lesson in nfe-of concealing an aoh.
ing heart behind a smiling face With
the coming Of her child something
like peace had .crept into her heart.
Then, shortly afterward, her husband
had died and she was free.
She heard nothing Of her young
lover. She knew, however, that he
had left the old home, had first gone
to New York to study art, and then
TO Europe. Now he had returned and
they had met The country youth had
become a famous painter a strong,
virile man replaced the lover Of her
maiden days.
But now the pictures Of the past
had disappeared. Other scenes glid.
ed across the mirror Of her thoughts.
Hope and longing painted them
Presently a tall, fair girl stepped
to the woman's side.
"Are you ready to go now, nam
maj" she asked
For one puzzling moment the WON.
ans poise was shaken, her self-com-
mand overthrown. Then with forced
laugh she rose and Joined her daugh-
ter.
The days and weeks passed quick
y after that morning in the exhibit
ton hall. The painter was an almost
daily visitor at the woman's house,
The winter grew into spring, and
spring heightened into summer. The
city became hot and oppressive aad
thoughts OF the cool, green country
filled their minds. To the woman.
came the desire to visit again the old
home where she had lived her girl
hood days.
In early June she and her daughter
journeyed out to the country. The
painter followed and took up his abode
at a neighboring farmhouse. His
visits to the old homestead we're even
more frequent than his calls had been
while In the city. Not an afternoon
or evening passed but that he wander
cd up the walk, either with brush and
canvas for bit OF work, or for a chat
after night had fallen
One beautiful evening The woman
was standing on a little knoll beside
the house looking fer into the valley. /
The air was soft and cool and nlied'I
win the sweet perfumes OF the aelds.
Vast streamers OF red and gold fam
ed IN the western sky. The woman's
face was aiight With the wonderful
radiance Of love dream.
As she stood there. her daughter
came running up, face flushed. eyes
Shining. At her bosom was 4 bunch
OF violets.
Oh, mammal" she cried nesting
close and laying her head on her
mothers breast; what do you think7
have been down in the glen with
Mr Worthen. He wished TO show me
the scene of his painting. And. oh.
mother, throwing her arms around
the older woman's neck. he loves me
Yes, he loves me, and he wants me TO
be his wife. II am so happy. moth.
er."
silence lasted for many minutss
Then the woman lifted the sweet
girlish face, and. looking into the deep
eyes. pressed her lips TO her daugh-
ter's burning cheek.
Il am glad. my darling. that you
are happy" she said
The golden light OF sunset had died
from the western sky. leaving II pale
and gray and cold. The woman shiv.
cred in the warm summer air. Her
eyes, in which the old WEAKNESS had
returned. looked down at the violeta
wood Yiolets-at her daughters
breast-NARIA HENDERSON
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