The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-01-08

He was trying to
get his picture in
his vision, and was squirting and 9TH
erwise distorting his face when he
saw her drop into his canvas, as it
were. He was making bits of scenery
to frame for frieze in his study.
Some how or other, as young Mad.
ison began to sketch in the contour
of the landscape and to work in bits
here and there, the girl seemed a
necessary touch, and he let her take
her place on his canvas almost with
out meaning to.
A pouring rain prevented the artist
from going to paint on the next day,
but bright and early on the third
morning he wended 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 It was
almost weird to think that she should
have returned, and he was sure she
had not seen him.
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 sthere, and she con-
sumed quantities of watercress and
hummed and seemed content to be
oil he yc% % v;rI1 che
would notice him, and yet he could not
move nearer and get the same picture
on his canvas. He believed as he
looked at his nearly completed picture
that it was the best thing he had done
yet, and the girl in her colorful frock
and golden masses of hair sitting
gracefully on the edge of the stream
was not the least of it.
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 If 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,
near by, evidently afraid to sit down.
She looked about her as if for help
and her eye fell on George Madison
well up on the hillside beyond.
AS if she had summoned him, he
ran down the bank and picked up a
stick Shall I chase her away?" he
asked
Winona smiled gratefully. oh
wish you would she said.
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
COW stood near me" the girl adj
mitted. And | must have water
cress.',
Are you-do you like it so much?'
George asked.
"Yes-it is a French cure for bron-
chial Or pulmonary weakness, and l
was not sure that / had not one of
them, so / am taking the precaution
of not letting anything get hold on
me. l must have health" she de-
clared earnestly.
You look as if you enjoyed it
now the artist could not help say
ing as his eyes dwelt on the wonder
full fairness of her skin.
'I am perfectly well now, think,
the girl went on, but it is due, am
sure, to the fact that / have dill
gently followed the advice of this old
French physician whom l met in Nor
mandy. / have eaten watercress to
the exclusion of everything else, and
| in order to have it fresh and to be
out of doors as much as possible,
have come here for it every day and
made my meals of 1t. / live only a
mile from the stream, she added.
"And-does it satisfy your" 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 / come
here to have solitary feasts Of this. .
And another reason l 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, nev
| ertheless, that had sent Winona across
his path. And SO it proved to be.