The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-11-02
The Eoenine Story
Watercress.

| lug LO1ut8 otOsD
Watercress.
(By Rose wallace.)
| Winona sat on the edge Of stream
shaking salt over crisp green
branches of watercress the first time
George Madison saw her.
/ He had come there to paint and to
get away from hts sisters many chat
tering 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
he saw her drop into his canvas. az
+ it WERE He was making bits of seem
cry 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
for the time being-perhaps never to
return again for a sitting-was rather
disconcerting to the artist. From his
distance he could not tell whether or
not she were pretty. She seemed mere
ly to be girl who was there for the
purpose of gathering watercress from
| Somehow or other, as young Madi-
son began to sketch In the contour of
the landscape and to work in bits here
and there, the girl seemed necessary
touch, and he let her take her place
on his canvas almost without mean
ing to.
assured himself. .iFn obiiterate ner."
| By the time the light was no
longer desirable and the girl had gone
the artist began to wish he might ex-
pect to find his model there on the
following day.. t,l So. ~
| "A pouring rain presented the artist
from going to paint on 1.-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 ltBr seat on the edge
| of the stream andk began to pick and
eat watercress. ~ George Madison
laughed to himself. 1t was almost
| weird to think th$t she should have
returned, and he WIS sure she had not
seen him. Therefdre he could not ac-
| count for her preeence. He worked
fast and his pictures grew wonder
fully under : his enthusiastic touch.
And, as before, tile girl finished her
apparently SATISFYING meal and betook
herself or by way OF the winding
creek path. Aftert that the artist did
not paint with such enthusiasm.
IF she's there again I'll say she's
nutty," he said fnelegantly to himself
! as he folded his easel.
| But she was there, and she con-
! sumed quantities of swatercress and
hummed and seemed content to be
alive The artist began to be very
! curious about herr II she had been
picking the watertress and carrying
1t home in q basket it would not have
seemed SO odd. hut to come there day
after day and consume such quaint
tiles of 1t was certainly the act Of an
| eccentric person.
He began to wish she would notice
him. and yet he could not move near
er and get the same picture on his
/ canvas. He believed as he looked at
his nearly completed picture that 1t
was the best thing he had done yet
and the girl in her colorful frock and
| fully on the edge of the stream was
not the least of it. He f1attered him.
self that 1t was not unlike a Henner,
though he had been true to the gold
Of the girls own hair instead Of try
ing to get the Titan red Of the ia
nous artists girls tresses.
| There was hardly an excuse left for
the young man to go again to paint
on his canvas-its was finished. But
he could not resist the desire to seek
| his place again and see IL 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. evil
IDENTIFY afraid to sits down. She looked
about her as II for help and her eye
fen on GeorEe, Madison well up on the
hillside beyond.
Az II she had summoned him. he ran
down the bank and picked up stick.
Shall I chase her, away? he asked.
Winona smiled gratefully. OH
wish you would" she aid.
The COW moved on with little per-
suasion and the artist assured Winona
that she was perfectly harmless.
Nevertheless. wouldn't have the
courage to sit down peacefully while
q cow stood mar me-" the girl adj
mitted. "And Unjust have watercrcaB."
Are you-do. you. Hike it % much!"
George asked.
.It's .. cure. the girl said.
"A cure?' the man asked. still more
mystilied. Had he painted the pic
ture Of q, lunatic, he wondered. =
girl who would be slightly demented?
He never had heard Of watercreHs be-
ing . cure for a1ything.
sYee-it II q French cure for bron-
chial or pulmonary weakness. and
was not sure that had not one OF
OF not letting anything get 4 hold on
me. I must have health she declared
/ earnestly.
-You look a. II you enjoyed it-now.s.
the artist could nnf help saying -