The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-12-11
LIE NExT BEsT THINe.
BY Laura AdeIia Kirkman.

Jamesi You jest get them foolish ideas
right out Of your headP'
Lefty dropped her eyes TO h carpet
. bit her LIP. For weeks. months, she
hAd reamed OF going 70 2 Q city to de-
yeicp the talent for art which she wal
gare b possessed. She might have
known that II was useless to h~ope-that
nhc would meet with no sympathy from
her parents who seemed unconsciously
prejudiced against any new order OF
things.
But Letitia James was not the sort Of
gtri 70 waste time mourning over the in
eyitable. She was far too sensible, Real
&tng the futility OF further argument, she
ret about contentinR herself with the next
best thing; quilt making.
II can at least paint with rags" she
said ruefully. II shouldn't wonder ~ i
could take q prize at the county fair this
rear for the best quilt--even IL i can't ever
win q prize In a salon for painting.
Investing the total OF her long-accurnu-
Mtfng butter and eggs money into silks
nd velvets Of every conceivable shade
n tint. she turned her bedroom into
what shs laughingly called a quilt ar
lists studio, and set TO work. Five
weeks remained before the opening OF the
fair. In that time she should be able to
ulSlHs three quilts, she told herself.
TIE first one completed she called her
o Bird OF Paradise quilt. In its center
ytas emblazoned n harmoniously brilliant
bird. surrounded by a russet-green grape
vine. A conventional design OF single
grape leaves formed the border.
'Oh, Il viii surely take q prize!" she
thought deiightedly.
Yet. with the completion Of the next
one. she said the same thing. This one
she called her Garden guilt, its design
being an old-fashioned garden with intrt-
eately winding paths.
''It 10 better than the last h thought
happily. as she laid II away.
With the completion of the third, how
ever, she had no word Of joyous conf
dence. she had only feeling. Silent with
pride. she spread Il u OF the bed and
stood above Il. HE 8HH sarg 81
Al feIled fruit tree formed the main de-
sdgn OF this one. Beside the tree stood a
stump from which slender green shoots
s~prouted. The tender green OF the sprouts
struck the brightest note OF color In the
sntire design. Around its border was en-
broidered q couplet which, Lefty herself
had composed: y.
Fell the free and pick the fruit:
s Bu you cannot kill the root"
1.-THE Quilt of Ambition" she named Il
Softly,, as she folded II way with the rest.
The day OF the fair arrived. Excitedly
nhs climbed into the great farm wagon
with the family and drove TO the Tar dis
tant fair grounds. The three quilts had
been sent there previously. and she was
anre with eagerness to see them on exhi-
hilton. : ag @@
Just AZ she had dreamed, they occupied
the most conspicuous position IN the
handiwork booth.
Look, fatherr' she cried excitedly.
c~lutching the arm beside her. "Seei Ny
Quilt Of Ambition has taken h first
prtEeg"
Receiving no response, she turned dis
approximately Then she gasped. The arm
abe had ciutched was not her fathers,
but q young man'sy
IT beg your pardon" she began In
confusion. .# 49,
But the young man swept away her
embarrassment in q breath.
did you do that Quiltf" he inquired.
"Do you paint"
She stared at him. All ut once she
noticed that his face was refined and
aensitiye, his hands long and artistic, HIS
keen eyes enthusiastically those Of q critic.
'No.' she answered interestedly, quite
obllyious to the fact that she was vioiat-
inK one OF the cardinal avs In her moth
ers code of etiQuet by chatting with
n stranger. mo, I don't paint. / wanted
20 70 away and study, but my people
wouldn't hear OF It: 10 i decided to paint
with rags. tnsteadf"
The young man took . step nearer the
prize quilt. N
Unusual imagination--sensitiye to s1nal
Values he said. Then turning, he smiled
sympathetically into her eyes. TIN an
artist, too,' he introduced himself: ''only
I,m one that had q chance. My names
winthrop. I come from New York. And
II I can fx It up with your folks. by
George. you're going to have q chance,
Lefty gasped. She was blank with sur
prise. All at once her frustrated hopes
n dreams rushed back over her and
transformed themselves into two bright,
unshed tears. She could only look AZ him,
speechless. .
Even when her family suddenly cAEne
mn she was unable to md her tongue.
But the young man hsd full power over
his. ''This In your motherf'' he Raid,
bowling to Mrs. James, politely. May I
make myself acquainted?' he went ON to
the daxed 81 am John winthrop.
Of New York, an artist. / see such un-
usual merit In your daughters quilt de-
signs. that I should like very much to
give her lessons In drawing. The satisfac-
ton Of giving such unmistakable talent a
chance to develop, win amply repay me
for my time and trouble. You live around
here. I supposef"
Yes" gasped the bewtldered woman.
OF his entire speech she had caught lit
lie else but the last Quest>n.
And through the rest Of the afternoon.
she continued to wonder and to gasp. She
could not quite understand how this
stranger got In their party; how he hap
pened to be walking along beside Lefty;
how he managed to be one OF their circle
on the picnic grounds at lunch time.
"Have you ever seen that man before.
Letty7" she asked Buspicioasly at the end
Of the day, when, after saying good-by to
the stranger, they had started on their
way home. 'You two seemed mighty
familiar" ..s :N,
mo-" she answered softly, I've never
Reen him before or any one like him."
Mrs. James sat O moment In silence.
"Do you really think he meant what he
said about giving you lessonsT' b asked
then, "Do you really think you'll ever see
him again, LettyT'
But the girl did not seem 70 be IN q
laxative mood. Steadily she gazed a the
distant gray skyline. .8Ms
Tomorrow night" she said absently.
Areamily. "He--he said he was coming 20
bring my quilts back. mother"
- ....stNs.
El ."