Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-05-12

like 1 was a-hearing a person come
back from heaven and a-telling about
what's over there And Mary Ellen
Dobbs and Mis- Kinney and the rest
feels the same about it, him being
jest as kind about telling and showing
them as can be. Mary Ellen left
Ethel Maud to watch the pot for din
ner the other day while she come
over here to see picture he had
painted Of her back yard and clothes
line l was a-telling her about, and
the child let the bacon and cabbage
burn and then tasted EN-, When
her mother got back she ran screech,
ing something orful with a burnt
tongue. Mr.. Alan put some Of his
own tooth-wash on it to make her
hush; he's such a hand with children
as | never saw often"
AS Miss Selma Lue talked, Miss
Cynthia was looking from one picture
to another, rapt in delight. The
rough sketches Of men and draft
horses and great loaded carts and
straining mule teams were awe-in-
spring, but were relieved by tender
bits of landscape and quick sketches
Of the children in charming character
| istic poses. How strange it seemed
! to find them hanging on the walls i'm
the old Bluff barn! And yet perhaps
no stranger than to find the painter
himself coming and going among the
Bluff people in perfect sympathy and
! friendship. For a moment her heart
was abased before him in admiration
and could it have had a touch o.
longing when Miss Selma Lue pre-
cipitated the old enmity upon hel
again.
And this here picture Of you, Miss
Cynthie, is jest done to turn. When
first seen it | took such a fit over il
that he promised to do real big like
ness of you some day But whatever
made him paint the back of you ]
don't know. It was On the river road,
wasn't it," And Miss Selma Lue
picked. up g smG2l-l slEetch that stood
against a pile Of books on the table.
The recently melted blood IL Miss
Cynthia's veins froze again stiff and
hard as she ga-ed on the picture Il
Miss Selma Lue's hand. 1t was a bit
of the river road with the forked tree
in the distance, and retreating down
the vista was back view O. herself,
| skirts switching, ribbons flying, md
roses on her hat as stiff as possible
Every line in the figure breathed stiff.
ness and snubbery, and it was the
cleverest bit Of work she had ever
| seen. Oh, why had she passed him
stonily there IN the lane, only to give
him such chance2 The wretch,
And under the picture was line that
added injury to the insult-"Wh2t
care I how fair" Her face burned
and an explosion was imminent, bat
was cut off III the fuse by Miss Selma
Lue
Il think the writing under it is sc
sweet and good, and like him; for OF
course he means he likes you jest as
much with your blue eyes and yellow
hair, even II It amt the style he most
! ly admires. Looks don't make no
difference in his liking; though
heap Of men is all for looks, and nice
goodness in women don't interest them
noways. Not that you amt got looks
in plenty Of your own kind. Dearie
me, If I amt left the grocery to mind
itself! I must hurry on down, but you
| come along when you're done looking
He says his friends are always well
come to come up and look and I know
he means you more'n anybody"
Miss Selma Lue paused as she gath
ered her stif1y starched Bingham
skirts about her preparatory to de-
scepding the ladder Honey" she
! said, I've jest got to tell you what
he's a-going to do for me- You know
that little, old, faded tintype I've got
what Is all that's mortal left to me Of
Adonfram Millsaps? Well, he's going
to make me lifesfged likeness of it,
all co1ored according to Mr. Dobbs
who do favor Adoniram some. !
knew you'd love him too for being
SO feeling towards me, on count o.
Adonirafn being snatched SO sudden
like from this world You know bet
ter than any one how he is jest still
one Of the Why's Of me-"
ooh, Miss Selma Lue, u love
love his doing it for you!"
Honey child, knew you would.
Mr.. Alans fine man. He couldn't
paint SIGH pfcturess If he wasn't beau-
tiful inside hisself The wonderful
part Is the thinking ofPem; the paint.
ing 'em Is Jest work"