The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1912-12-12
A Birthday
Present
Weekly Short Story.

stopped one evening at an inn. The
landlords daughter, Lucille, served
him at supper and the traveller the
moment he laid his eyes on her was
struck with her appearance. Though
not beautiful, hre face wore a very
spiritual expression.
How old are you, my child?" asked
the stranger.
I'm twenty years old today, mon
sieur"
"Ah, your birthday"
Eyes, monsieur"
Il happen here in good time. I must
think of gift for you"
"That is very kind of you. monsieur,
but since you are stranger | would
not like to accept a Witt from you
you might return it with a gift
How could | do that, monsieur,
since have not a penny in the world?
And since l have nothing l can not
marry Jules, who has nothing, either"
This was said in trembling voice
that told how near the matter was to
the girls heart.
"Well, tomorrow, if you choose, you
shall give me something and later |
will return an equivalent"
The maiden wondered at what she
could do for 50 respectable gentle
man, and when the next morning he
asked her to send for Jules she Won
dered still more Jules came and he
too wondered.
Take off your Shoes said the gen
tleman to the girl.
She obeyed and when he looked at
her shapely feet and round toes he
expressed satisfaction. The three were
in an arbor hung with purple grapes
for it was the autumn. The stranger
placed the girl in corner, where she
leaned back against the vines, punches
of fruit hanging near her. He placed
Jules beside her with an arm around
her and told him to look steadily into
her face. Then, opening a box of
sletching materials, he proceeded to
transfer the figures to a canvas he
set up on an easel When the paint
ing was completed the artist said.
Now am ready to pay you your
fee as models ] leave you to choose
whether 1t shall be franc for each
of you for every sitting or half the
value of the picture"
The lovers consulted and, being sad
ly in want of money in hand, decided
to take the five francs each for the
five sittings.
Very WELL" said the artist, handin"
them ten francs. 'As for the birthday
present, that will come in time
The same day he departed and the
lovers wondered if they should ever
hear from him again
One day a letter came from the ar
fist enclosing two tickets on the rail
way to Paris and inviting Jules am
Lucille to come to Paris and be hi"
guests for Il few days. Then jules
looked foolish and Lucille clapped be-
hands with delight, declaring that st
had believed all the while that the
stranger would send the birthday gift
but she had never dreamed it woul'
be anything so nice as a trip to tn
capital. She wrote, as the donor haf
requested in his letter. the day an'
hour of their arrival and a servan'
met them and drove them to thei'
destinations the strangers studl"
which they found q beautiful place
containing many works Of art. Th
stranger welcomed them with slnil
and sent an attendant to drive Their
about the city and show them tn
sights.
When they had thus passed severa
enjoyable days the artist got into tb
carriage with them and they wer
driven to building in which was
large gallery of pictures. After show
ing them some of the paintings he le
them into room where they say
4 I, in, ayhn
clustering grapes. But the canvas wa
now bordered by a heavy gilt fran
that added much to its beauty. Jules
who, having lived in Brittany, wher
artists often go for subjects, knev
some artists by name and looked in
corner of the picture for that Of TIL
painter Then he looked up into tn
artists face
"Ah, monsieur" he exclaimed, Ca
It be that you are the great Bouguer
eau"
Il am Bouguercau.' was the reply.
Lucille, who had heard artists stop
ping at her fathers inn speak Of thi
wonderful painter who depicted bare
footed young women and little chill
dren with such marvellous flesh tints
looked up at the artist, snlilin
through moist eyes.
oh monsieur she said, what
pleasantly it was in you to offer u
half the value of this picture instea(
of our fee as models! What woul