Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1912-02-09

met on the quay an American SeihN
man of his acquaintance-the same
who claimed to own the only copy OF
the "St. John" in the Uffizi gallery In
Florence.
"Mr. Gregory" said Winfield. "are
you sure that you own the only copy
of the st. John hanging in your draw
| ing room in New York?
81 certainly owned the only copy till
within a few years. may not now.
| Why do you ask"
Winfield told him Of Miss SHADES I'M
pressions concerning the picture.
That's curious" remarked Gregory
Where do you go from here?"
"To Florence"
81 am going there myself. Sup
pose we go together"
IL shall be pleased to have your
| company"
A few days later Winfield and his
! friend, man double his age. stood III
the Uffizi gallery looking at the st
John when the former caught sight
of Miss Slade In another part Of the
gallery
"There is the girl told you about.
who saws she has been familiar with
this picture. I'll bring her here and
introduce you"
Winfield approached Miss Slade.
whose face lit up with pleasure at see
ing him again. After a brief chat he
led her to the picture and introduced
Mr.. Gregory. At the mention of the
name she seemed impressed.
Mr.. Winfield tells me that you have
formerly been familiar with this pic
ture or ID copy Of it,"
II have. but it must have been when
I was a very little girl. l know l
have seen 1t, and seen it often, but
where l cannot tell"
Where did you live when you were
child?""
"From the time I have been old
enough to remember things have
Scotia"
Mr.. Gregory regarded the girl thought
fully for moment. then asked:
where did you live before that?'
81 don't know
"Don't know"
"Fifteen years ago the ocean steamer
A. was lost was picked up by a
boats crew while foated in the
water buoyed by life preserver The
boat succeeded in reach hing the Ca
madam shore. fell into the hands OF
a fisherman and his wife. who. being
poor and ignorant made no effort tC
find where or to whom l belonged
After awhile they sent me to an asy
Ium, from which l was taken by a
couple living in Halifax. This cou
Pile, a Mr.. and Mrs. Slade, brought M
up"
: From the moment the girl began this
brief narrative a great change came
over Mr.. Gregory. He listened to ev
cry word with eager attention. anC
when she had finished he raised hi:
eyes and muttered:
"My God. thank thee!
Meanwhile Marcia, who observed his
emotion, had hurried on with her story
and when she heard his words OF
thanks knew something of moment hat
happened.
What is it?" she asked.
"You are sure you have seen this
picture?" he asked instead Of replying
Yes"
"And you were on the steamer A
: when she was Iost?"
Yes"
"Then it must be So"
"What must be 500"
''You are my, daughter"
A few months later. when Marcia
Slade. or. to call her by her real ma me
Evelyn Gregory. entered her fathers
house in New York and looked at his
''St. John" little by little. not on,
the room in which it hung, but other:
Of the house, gradually came back t.
, her memory
Soon after the discovery of the re
lationship between Mr.. Gregory ant
his daughter Winfield. sitting in tn,
celebrated medieval Boboli gardens, re
newed his suit. He found the lady un
decided,
sit seems to me-" said Winfield
that since you have found your fa
Their and know that you are American
born this matter between US appear
in different light"
. "How different?"
"Why. the disposal Of your hand
I not with the SHADES. but with your ia
r ther."
: sit is with neither. 1t is with my
: self"
Il mean that you should aim t
please your natural parent as well a
those who have brought you up"
Those who strive to please ever
one please no one"
Winfield was not making headway
He concluded t.. try another tack.
You will heneeforth live with you
father, take it?"
! II thought you wished me to liv,
with you"
+ We'll, anyway. you will be either
+ Of the United States"
q Il don't see what that has to d,
with my obligations to Mr.. and Mrs
Slade"
"a good deal. Since you are to liv,
: under the stars and stripes Yankee
Is naturally a suitable husband fol-