Charlevoix county herald., 1911-12-30
ES1 - sssssSs s s. XXX geYY
Out After BlackbirdS
(COpyrisht. 1871. by Associated Literary Pres..)
BY JOHN PHILIP ORTIZ

why. the unhung villian!" ex-
claimed the old lady when the tale
had been told. "You say he sneaked
upon you?"
Yes"
"And began right of about the
cow"
"Yes."
Didn't wait to introduce himself?I
mo"
And stammered and blushed with
guilt as he sneaked away?"
Il think 1t was with guilt"
"Of course 1t was. Clara, that man
had poisoned somebody's we'll and
was fleeing from justice. Don't you
pay any attention to what he said.
That painting is going to have 81
frame and hang In the parlor op-'
posite Napoleon Crossing the Alps
But haven't I got the cows eyes
wrong?" asked the artist. SHOULD
one Of them be looking up and the
other DOWN."
They should, dearie. That's what
first made me think you were a born
| artist. I've watched cows a thou
sand times. They always keep one
eye on the grass and roll the othar
up as II thanking heaven for the
| fodder. Don't you worry about he.
eyes"
But what was the young man 60
| ing to criticize IL I hadn't stopped
| him?"
Land only knows! When a per-
SON Is mean enough to son a fami-
ly well you can't tell what he will
say or do next. At first | thought
the cows tail might be too long, but
then l remembered that 1t must be in
fly time she was painted. You just
chirk right up and forget that villain.
If l was you I'd start new picture
| tomorrow"
But Miss Clara didn't. There were
she didn agree with her grand
mother about the young man being
a well-poisoner and an unhung vii
lain. AS she remembered his face
it was attractive and interesting. with
not line of villainy In it. Thus
it was not to sketch, but to think as
she walked. She didn't climb Thorn
apple hill, but skirted 1t, and by and
by she came to brook and turned to
the left to look for crossing
Mr.. Burt Delevan was again look
| H. Co I'D ,fer
with the artist on Thornapple hill the
day before had left him rather hu-
inflated. He therefore strolled an
other way, yet all the time hoping for
another meeting. He had his nerve
with him now and he was sure he
he would be forgiven.
Say! Say! Help! Help!"
Mr.. Delevan threw aside his gun
and plunged through thicket TO find
himself on the bank of a creek.
Standing in the shallow water. which
reached her knees and was bubbling
higher, was the girl artist.
ITS quicksand, you see," she ex-
planned as the young man stood
staring.
Being in the real estate business,
which includes all kinds Of soils. Mr..
Delevan knew just what to do in case
of quicksand, and he did 1t. 1t was
hard tug. but at length muddled
and bedraggled figure stood on the
bank beside him. Not a word had
been spoken during the rescue. None
was spoken now as the girl was as
sisted home and left In the arms OF
her grandmother at the back door
1t was two weeks later before there
was any conversation a stenographer
would have thought worth her pot
hooks. Then Miss Clara asked her
grandmother:
do you think | will ever make an
artist?"
NO. don't" was the prompt an
swer. THAT Mr.. Delevan has called
here seven times since he hauled you
out of the quicksand, and II l know
anything about apple sass 1t won't
be moren seven times more before
both of you will be so head over heels
In love that painting will go to pot!