Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-21

nxed his eyes on the vista she had
referred to and was the more chagrin.
ed at perceiving that she was right.
He wondered why he had not chosen
this scene rather than the one he was
sketching
Your drawing OF the little house on
the side of the mountain said the
girl. lis defective You can do better
than that. Try again
Perhaps you will do me the favos
to put it in for me-" said Meredith is
an icy tone
do you really wish it:'
az do"
Seating herself before the easel. she
took up palette. brush and maulstick
and with few dashes OF the brush
converted clumsy piece OF work into
a distant house blending with the
mountain mist.
where did you learn to paint?" ask.
ed the astonished Meredith.
Il have been recently studying in
Munich and other European cities
is there anything else you can
teach me how to do?"
The girl looked at him, and a smile
struggled TO obtain the mastery on heI
lips, but it faded. seeing by her ques-
toners expression that he was not liz
the best of humor with her.
II am not aware" she said. that l
can do anything better than you
You can certainly guard the fruit
trees of this place better than l."
You mean that were in your place
/ might be more attentive to them.
WI N
full The demands Of art do not admit
of the artist chasing boys out of apple
trees"
BE that as it may, you can paint
better than T.
Il may have had more instruction
more practice"
Are you as proficient in music rs
you are in art?'
"Why do you ask?"
Because / fatter myself that I am
a fairly good pianist, and I'll warrant
you can prove yourself a far better
one
Then you are doubtless my supe-
rior. 1 pretend to play only accom-.
paniments. Let us so inside and de.
termine this question"
How did you know that 1 have a
piano?"
''If you play the instrument it is to
be presumed that you have one"
He followed her in as she went
straight to the piano. Looking over
some music, she selected a sonata,
spread the sheets on the rack and
asked him to play. He asked her 10
precede him, but she declined, so he
played for her with remarkable ex-
preston and touch.
you have beaten me. / can't vie
with you on the piano, but will sing
for you"
She took his place at the piano and
sang Home, Sweet Home" with a
feeling that he had never heard eX-
pressed before, yet ii was very sad.
II have it!' he exclaimed when she
had finished.
Have what?"
THE riddle is solved"
you talk in riddles"
''Your singing that ballad so d.
the fact that this is your home. You
are my Iandlady, Miss Cavity"
why do you think sof"
Of my lease the fruit on the place is
yours. You are familiar, doubtless
from childhood, with the landscapes
the place. You knew there
was piano here and on entering the
house went straight to it. Now. tell
me why there was that melancholy in
your voice when you sang Home,
Sweet Home"
A moisture came into her eyes. She
made no reply to what he had said
for some time, and when she did her
voice trembed.
II am the last of my family. Father.
mother, sisters, brothers, are ell gone
When the last one left me l shut up
this our homestead and went 10 live
IN a city. From there ! sailed for Eu.
-ope to study music and painting. leav-
ing orders that the place be rented"
And /, coming by on sketcmng
our and taking a fancy TO the placs
md the scenery about II, rented it,
A door opened, and the houSekeeper
announced luncheon. Meredith pre-
allied upon the lady to lunch with him,
md while they were at table she men
toned many things about the place
hat he had not noticed, entertaining
lin with "reminiscences, at some OF
which she laughed and at others wept.
All this happened years agone. Mere
18th I'm time married his landlady and
ever reverts TO his first meeting with
is wife without wondering why this
encontre with the girl he was to
marry should have been so unpro-
itious TO love affair. His wife tells
lin that he was very stupid not to
ave seen at once that she was fooiing
i'm.
The Merediths do not live on the
lace where they first met. 1t was too
Ill of sad memories for Mrs. Meredith.
ne would never sell 1t, but she would
ever live "a 1t.