The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-01-16

the porch. and when they reached 1t
the lady at once took position before
the picture Meredith had been sketch
ing and looked from 1t to its subject
with a critical eye.
"very good" she said. but this Is
not the best view here to treat effec-
lively on canvas That vista between
the trees over there would make a far
more attractive picture"
What did this mean? A woman had
come into his premises. had given
away the fruit. had scoIded him for
not taking better care Of the property.
and now she was finding fault with
him for not choosing the best subject
for his picture! He stood gazing at
her with renewed establishment. then
fixed his eyes on the vista she had
referred to and var 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 favor
to put it in for me-" said Meredith in
an icy tone.
do you really wish itT
II do"
Seating herself before the easel. she
took up palette. brush and maulstick
o,,I r-S<b ., Paw IoShno ~ %hD hr,,,h
converted a clumsy piece of work into
q distant house blending with the
mountain mist.
"Where did you learn to paint?" ask
ed the astOuiShed Meredith.
Il have been recently studying in
Munich and other European cities"
lis there anything else you can
teach me how to do?"
The girl looked at him. and a smile
struggled to obtain the mastery on her
lips. but it faded. seeing by her qQes-
toner's expression that he was not in
the best of humor with her.
81 an not aware.' h said. that |
can do anything better than you."
You can certainly guard the fruit
trees of this place better than H..
You neal that We're | in your place
| might he more attentive to them. |
see now why you have seemed neglect
ful. 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 L."
Il may have had more instruction.
more practire.'
Are You us proficient in music as
you are in arty"
why do you askY" -,
Because | iatter myself that l Am
a fairly good pianist, and III warrant
you can prove yourself a far better
one."
Then you are doubtless my supe-
rior. l pretend to play only accom-
paniments. Let us go inside and de
termine this question"
"How did you know that l have il
piano."
III you play the instrument it is to
be presumed that you have one"
He followed her in as she e
straight to the piano. Looking over
some music, she selected Il sonata,
asked him to play. He asked her to
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 Il
feeling that he had never heard eX-
pressed befOre. yet it was very sad.
Il have it," he exclaimed when she
had finished.
"Have what?"
1.-The riddle is solved"
"You talk in riddles
your singing tina ballad SO d.
vinely is only to be accounted for in
the fact that this is your home. You
are my landiady. Miss Cavity"
why do you think so?"
Every condition fits. BY the terms
of my lease the fruit on the place is
yours. You are familiar. doubtless
from childhood, with the landscapes
surrounding the place. You knew there
was a 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 trembled.
II am the last of my family. Father.
mother. sisters, brothers. are all gone.
When the last one left me | shut up
this our homestead and went to live
in a city. From there | sailed for En-
rope to stud. music and painting. leav-
ing orders that the place be rented
"And l. coming by on a sketching