Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-11-02
Evening Star S
Daily Story
WATERCRESS
ny ROSE WALLACE

Wlnona sat on the edge OF Il stream
shaking salt over crisp green
branches of Watercress the first
time George Madison saw her
He had come there to paint and to
set away from his sisters many
ohattering girl friends, who seemed
always to be occupying porch and
lawn and pergola at home.
He was trying to get his picture in
his vision, and was squirting and
otherwise distorting his face when
lie saw her drop into his canvas, as
ii were. He was making bits OF
scenery to frame for a frieze in his
study, and he would not in the least
have minded having the girl in the
picture if he could be sure she
would come again and again until
he had finished But to have her
settle herself down fSr the time
beiHg-perhaps never to return
again for a sitting-was rather dis
concedfag to the artist From his
distance ne could not tell whether
or not she we're pretty. She seemed
merely to be girl who was there
for the purpose of gathering water
cress from the edge of the stream.
Somehow or other, as young Madl-
son began to sketch in the contour
of the landscape aad to work in DTS
here and there, tho girl seemed
necessary touch, and ne let her take
her place on his canvas almost with
out meaning to.
IF I don't like it tomorrow" he
assured himself, 'I'll obliterate her"
BY the time the light was no longer
desirable and the girl had gone the
artist began to wish he might ex-
meet to find his model there on the
following day.
A pouring rain prevented the artist
from going to paint on the next day,
but bright and early ON the third
morning he wendell his way to the
hilltop with palette and easel and all
necessary paraphernalia.
He had hardly begun to mix his
colors when the same girl in the same
dress and with the same Salt-Shaker
in her hand took her seat on the edge
of the stream and began to pick and
eat watercress. George Madison
laughed to himself. 1t was almost
wierd to think that she should have
returned, and he was sure she had
not seen him Therefore he could not
account for her presence. He worked
fast and his pictures grew wonder
fully under his enthusiastic touch;
and, as before the girl finished her
apparently satisfying meal and be-
took herself off by way of the wind
ing creek path. After that the artist
did not paint with such enthusiasm
IF she's there again I'll say she's
nutty," he said inelegantly to him
self as he folded his easel.
But she was there, and she con-
sumed quantities of watercress and
hummed and seemed content TO pc
alive. The artist began to be very
curious about her. If she had been
picking the watercress and carrying
it home in a basket it would not have
4 4 I.,,F 80
after day and consume such quantl-
ties of it was certainly the act of an
eccentric person.
He began to wish she would notice
him, and yet he could not move
nearer and get the same picture on
his canvas. He believed as he look
ed at his nearly completed picture
that it was the best thing ne had
done yet and the girl in her colorful
frocx and golden masses of hair sit
ting gracefully on the edge of the
stream was not the least of 1t. lie
flattered himself that it was not I'M
like a Henner, though he had been
true to the gold of the girls own
hair instead of trying to get the
Titan red of the famous artists girls
tresses.
There was hardly an excuse left
for the young man to go again TO
paint on his canvas-it was finished.
But he could not resist the desire
to seek his place again and see II
perhaps something might not draw
the girls attention away from the
stream.
When he arrived he looked down
and there complacently munching
the fresh grass at the streams edge,
stood an old COW. The girl stood
nearby, evidently afraid to sit down.
and her eye fell on George Madison
well up on the hillside beyond.
AS if she had summoned him, ne
ran down the bank and picked up
stick Shall l chase her away? he
asked.
Winona smiled gratefully. oh
I wish you would" she said.
The COW moved on with a little per-
suasion, and the artist assured
Winona that she was perfectly harm
( less.
Nevertheless, 1 wouldn't have the
courage to sit down peacefully while
a COW stood near me-" the girl adj
mitted. And L must have water
cress.'
Are you-do you like it so much?"
George asked.
cts cure" the girl said.
"A cure? the man asked, still more
mystified Had he painted the pic
rure of a lunatic, he wondered, girl
who could be slightly demented? He
never had heard of watercress being
a cure for anything.
''Yes-it is o French cure for bron-
chial or pulmonary weakness, and !
was not sure that | had not one of
them. so / am taking the precaution
of not letting anything get hold on
nc / must have health she de-
clared earnestly.
"'You look as if you enjoyed it
now,9 the artist could not help say
ing as his eyes dwelt ON the wonder
full fairness of her skin.
81 am perfectly well now, think
the girl went on, but it is due. l
am sure, to the fact that have dill
igently followed the advice of this
old French physician whom / met in
Normandy. ] have eaten watercress
to the exclusion of everything else,
and in order to have it fresh and
10 be out of doors as much as pos
sible, I have come here for it every
day and made my meals of 1T.
live only q mile from the stream.
she added.
''And does it satisfy you?" George
asked with wonder.
Perfectly, as long as / do not see
the family at home sitting down to
tempting meals of other things
That's another reason why l come
here to have solitary feasts of this
"And another reason | Thinks
fate" the young artist dared to say.
What the girl thought of his re-
mark she did not betray, but George
Madison knew that it was fate,
nevertheless, that had sent Winona
across his path And so it proved
II, he