The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-03-04

Accordingly, the lOllOWluS ApTll, al
those who were among the guests at
Mrs. Creder's house party received the
coveted cards Mrs. Creder invited
her nieces to stay with her that week.
The evening before the exhibit she
came into their room, her face abeam,
and in her hand the evening paper.
Read" she cried triumphantly,
spreading it out before Edith.
There was a notice of Mr.. Bertram
Reynolds famous annual exhibit of
pictures which was to take place the
next day. Near the close the article
said: The cream of the collection is
said to be an unusual picture called
Sympathy" and the original is ru-
mored to be certain beautiful niece
of a well-known society leader at
whose house Reynold was entertained
last winter
"Of course, Edith, it's that picture
he painted OF you in your mauve SILK
gown as you stood among the ferns.
thought from the first that was the
most artistic pose he secured"
He was SO queer about not want.
ing any one to see his work after 1t
was once started. A genius is always
peculiar | don't know whether
could really care for one or not She
gave a conscious little laugh.
Nevertheless, it was evident to Gail
that Edith was highly flattered to be
the central figure in a famous pic
ture. Many of their friends dropped
in that evening and laughingly allud-
ed to the press notice. Every one was
convinced 1t was as Mrs Creder said,
and Edith received much gOod-natured
banter
Through it all Gail watched in silent
wonder that she should be SO blinded
by the surface honor as to lose sight
of the beauty Of the underlying
thought. And it was Gail who was
least surprised Of the three when q
note came from ReynOld next morn.
ing inviting them to come little ear
lier than the hour set for the exhibi.
ton.
1t is like him to want to spare
Edith any embarrassment she might
otherwise feel in viewing her own por'
trait before the others"
1T is an undeniable honor de.
| clared Aunt Myra. and gave Edith 8
blooming cheek playful pat.
When they arrived at the time ap
pointed, Reynold met them at the door
! of the studio His manner was chiv
| alrously courteous, and he showed
them into the well-lighted studio
where the pictures were hung. There
were portraits Of many noted people
| besides pictures of imagination and
| idealism. The three ladies looked
at all in turn as they went along, but
their interest was at heart superb
cial so eager were they to see the
one OF Edith in the mauve cOloreC
gown.
| THE best is shown last" he de
clared, drawing aside the curtain
which hung before It.
| They stared in amazement. lnstea(
| OF the one of Edith as they supposed
the picture showed Gail dressed II
| gray and crimson against a back
| ground Of rich velvet curtains. Blu
surprising as was this fact, what really
caught and held their attention wal
| the expression OF her face. The darl
| eyes we're luminous with wonderful
look OF sweetness and sympathy. II
was as though veil had been drawn
aside and her real soul for the frs
time revealed.
well, well, this Is surprise, tt
find our little Gail, instead OF Edith
as we were led to suppose" said Mrs
| Creder, recovering her poise. Hell
tone was playful. but Calls sensitive
intuition OWNED that she considered
he had made a poor choice OF sub
| ject. Yet no one could deny the eff
| feet he had attained was beauti
full.
| Reynold laughed and passed off the
| situation in his easy fashion. For {
few minutes they chatted lightly theI
turned to review more carefully the
| other pictures. Just before the ar
rival of the first group OF guests, Gal
slipped back to gain one more glimpse
OF her pictrue alone.
Did look like that, ! woncer'
/ Did ever look like that" she ques
toned naively, as the sweet pictured
eyes met hers.
Like that and much more--to me,
came Reynolds quiet voice. She
turned and saw him there beside her
Looking up in shy surprise. she
read in his eyes, not the surface ad
miration he had given Edith and 9th
ers Of the house party-but some
thing infinitely deeper.
| copyright, 1914. by the Mcclure News
paper SyndicateD