El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-10-04
The Herald's
Daily ShOrt Story
MASCHEDRUC

his pocket, as happy as a dutirul nus
band who brings home his wages 10 ms
wife. And stranger still, he had haq d
shave and haircut In spite OF ms
heavy Jaw. his air was bland and child
like because Of his gentle pIue eyes
He placed his candle in front OF ne
partrait and a vague memory came "
him of affairs he had seen through open
church doors. Something Impossible
fairy like had come into MS Dlack $50 80
tence. He felt a strange desire 70 Ae01
his own voice, and said;
so you are still looking at me.
crossed to the right Of the painting
whose eyes followed him
Il think I must be getting nutty' Ne
muttered, and rested his heao III MS
This night he slept in front. Of the
picture and looked at it tenderly untIl
/ the candle burned down, ana as tLe
flame died away he saw, winter imam
ever the snowy bosom Of the unknown
virgin, her slender hands-her Ups
Strange though 1T SOUNDS, MdScL-s
druc's life had been chaste- ooi i-
times he had spoken to women Wu -
II rsined during the long nights on the
exterior boUlevards The darkness NJ, ~
their common uglines and misery me
rain enveloped them In paJerlIlilL -.lt -,
tie and they said: ZOO o oS %, u
How different was the portrait from
these women!
He addressed it tenderly.
'TOu have tied your hair with III III
bon. darling, and put on your mosI
beautiful waist. You are quite sure
think YOU look sweet In II! nope
Won like ii here2 You know the room
is yours and yours alOne|
He sold his papers regularly; ny
like the camelOts, who were saIlsIleu
when they had made 90 cenllLness
enough to buy glass OF wine, d nun
Of bread, the right to sleep hans 4ns ~
NIX D. In n
energy which surprised himself he
had become ambitious, ne wanted nice
room for his sweetheart Inat 4oDOuS
should discover his treasure ne cLedll0u
and put his room in order nlmselL
Then the misfortune came Mascne-
druc was run down, his leg was badly
hurt and he could not work any more
his savings gave out the landlord puI
him out and one morning he Iound nm
self in the street with the palAllAs u---
der his arm.
Where viii I put it now?" he
thought 4 cannot take such a beauti-
ful girl with me into a night asylum.
where 1 have TO bunk with lot Of
toughs"
He. felt genuinely sorry for his
sweetheart No, she was not to share
his misery, when she had been used to
"a splendid gilt frame and beautiful
hall with shining parQuet floor. He
went back to the museum, into the empty
gallery and hung the painting in its
old place, which was still empty.
Goodbye, darling" he whispered
He did not cry. One must have been
happy TO know how to cry, but he
knew the distress Of loneliness. He did
not know where to go and his leg hurt,
but ne could not stay there, one does
not stay in a cemetery. It was very
simple: he was in love and he loves
twice who loves a dead person. He
must have just one more look at her.
until she no longer smiled until the
shadow of regret dimmed those cruel
eyes.
Move along there" said a guard,
move along. this is not the season for
your kind. 1t Is all right outside Yes,
I know you are looking at the pic
lures, but what do you know about pic
tures2'