The Harlowton news., 1911-01-13

and l have but 20 for the purpose"
But as Photographic plate long ez
posed will produce an image the IN
aided eye cannot see, so looking upol
the statuette produced a determine
ton to follow the senora's suggestion
At last he told her to join the part
and send the statuette. Then he wen
out, and, his better judgment reassert
ing itself, he returned and counter
manded the order. But the sight O
the exquisite figure Of the child stand
ing where he had left it was too muct
for him, and he told the shopkeeper Il
do as he had said. She was to send
the marble on Christmas morning and
would have fortnight in which to dc
the work.
Meanwhile Seymour painted and
dreamed Of the pleasure he would de-
rive from visit on Christmas morn.
ing to Beatrice. The statuette was to
be there the day before. He would
call at II. He remembered how
much more attractive and beautiful
things appear when seen by them
selves alone and pictured the dear
child as he would see her on mantel
or table, Beatrice looking at her in
admiration. But his dreams were in.
terrupted by painful forebodings Sup
posing the restorer failed to perfectly
conceal the lines where the parts
Joined. Supposing in transmission the
parts should become detached. The
bare supposition of either of these
caused the hot blood to mount to his
cheek. his heart to beat. and he would
get up from before his easel and pace
the floor.
And at such times great mis-.
trust Of his judgment would come to
him. and he would wonder If he was
not about to do something dreadful.
There was not dishonest hair In his
head. He had gone over the matter
carefully. and his conscience was
clear. The statuette was thing of
beauty; that beauty would not be
marred If the pieces were perfectly
Joined together so that no one could
tell the marble from a perfect one.
Beatrice was like him in this respect.
Her reverence for works Of art was in
their actual beauty irrespective Of any
other value
1t seemed a long period Of waiting.
made up Of flashes of anticipated
pleasure and dread lest his wish to
give happiness to one he loved should
be turned to bitter result-a result
that might cost him his Beatrice He
knew that If the secret came out.
could she know the feelings that
prompted the deception she would for
give him. but would not the bare fact
alone that he had sought to impose on
her be evident?
Christmas morning was rung in by
bells on cathedrals that had an
nounced the anniversary Of the birth
of Jesus for hundreds of years. It
was bright morning, and the tenn
per of the people was in keeping with
the sunshine. Seymour could scarce
mined that he would visit Beatrice.
Indeed, he did not wait. for half an
hour before the clock struck II he
before her home. She opened
the door for him herself, throwing her
arms about him and exclaiming:
"Oh. Winslow-it Is beautifulv'
II knew you would like it."
Like 1t! love it, and love you
for sending it to me. You have tried |
in the loveliness of your nature to give |
me happiness. and you have succeeded
far better than you could have ex-
pected. And think how it will be a
pleasure to me long after this Christ
mas and other Christmases have pass
ed away!"
She led him into her boudoir and
there on pedestal from which she
had removed bust stood the statu.
cite. 1t was certainly very beautiful.
Seymour went close to 1t and looked
FOR the lines where the parts had been
|oined. Not the finest hair mark could
ne detect.
Then his simple heart was full Of
happiness. But happier than he was
he girl who had received his gift.
Before Seymour had visited her she
lad gone to the church for confession.
And this was what she confessed:
"Father, l have been very wicked.
satan has come into me and caused me
o commit a great deception. Yester-
lay gift came from my lover. 1t
vas statuette and had been broken
n three parts. Each part was care
ully wrapped in soft paper and the
Whole packed in excelsior l could not
Understand 1t. l had seen the statu-
tie in shop. l went there and asked
he woman who kept the place for an
thought she would
woon through modification. She ad-
rtted that she had given my lover
he broken statuette, promising to
aend it. In the Christmas hurry her
IAN had pocked 1t and sent it to the
ddress written on it's base without
onsulting her.
Father, got from her the address
the sculptor. | went to his studio
nd found another copy of the original
la Ster that had hoon Du< in orhlo 4