The Penn's Grove record., 1916-05-26
DONNA NATHALIE
BY IzoLA FORESTER.

belligerently. Down on her knees, she
was diligently wedding out the sweet
pea rows. Her hands were soiled and
unseemly looking, her face was
flushed and freckled, and altogether
she looked absolutely unpresentable,
as her mother would have said.
at isn't everyone who has such a
lovely mother. Can't you appreciate
that?" asked S~antangelo, amusedly.
He leaned ver the fence from his
side of the garden, a large flexible
Panama shading his dark, strongly
lined face. How old are you, Babette
-fourteen?"
mo, I'm sixteen, going on seven
teen. And I'll never have the ghost of
a chance, Sanity. She takes every last
fellow away from me that comes to
this house."
you mean your youthful compan-
ions admire your mother more than
your own self" Santangelo's eyes were
trimming with enjoyment of her in
dignation. "You know the remedy for
that-narry her off,"
Then a gray and silver car slipped
into the curving drive around the
house and Babette jumped up.
There she is now. And Doctor
Romley with her. He's an explorer,
Sanity, with medals all over him and
scads of money"
He watched the slim figure in the
linen skirt and MILDLY speed away to
the a His eyes glowed, watching
her alight, the lady mother, as Babette
loved to call her. She was hardly old
tiful as an artist mind counts beauty.
Santangelo had painted her portrait
twice and yet he felt unsatisfied. He
had never caught the infinite, tender
charm of her after all. 1t eluded him
even as she herself always had in the
years of her long widowhood.
And now her child Pabette was
growing into womanhood. And the
time was drawing near the limit that
he had imposed upon himself when he
would ask her mother again for her
love.
The shadows were beginning to fall
along the far horizon line of the sea
when he heard Nathalie call him at
the little opening between the two
gardens.
Are you very busy?"
Never, never too busy!" he called
back cheerily.
you know I am almost tired to-
night" Nathalie said.
He glanced at her quickly.
Once long ago she had told him half
in jest, half in earnest, that if she
ever accepted him it would be when
she was very tired. Why? Because
he rested her and gave her a sense
of peace and w~ell-being.
LET us walk down through the gar
den to the beach" he said taking her
lightly by her wrist. And he knew
suddenly that she wanted to break
some news to him.
do you like Doctor Romley?"
Every much" he said heartily. HE
is a splendid chap"
He is t~wenty-six," she h~esitated,
"but he has really accomplished so
much one never thinks of his age. He
is a leader now in all lines of scien-
tif1c research"
Undoubtedly agreed Santangelo.
And he is well liked and prosperous
and very good looking. What else,
Donna Nathalie?"
II wonder if he will make a good
husband, Santangelo,' she said softly.
He drew in a deep full breath of the
keen air and smiled at her.
"And l was just considering how I
could warn you IN the tenderest man
ner that I should ask you but once
more, and, 10, comes the conqueror
and bears you right out from my sight,
ah, my Nathalie
"You mean the doctor seeks me?
Oh, Santangelo, now funny; yes, how
droll. That I should even think of
such a boy-oh, my dear" She held
out her hands to him laughingly. "He
has asked me for Babette, and 1 can't
say yes. She is SO young"
~Santangelo looked down at her, hold
ing both her hands in his, his dark
eyes full of whimsical reproach.
"And I have been betrayed" he
cried. II have asked you again, or
at least, I have once more showed you
how patient I am and how l dare al
ways to hope"
Always" she repeated, smiling.
DO you remember when l first met
you in Rome years ago, and you want.
ed to paint my portrait? Those days
on the coast at the quaint little old
villa? And afterward. four years aft.
er that, when you came here, and
painted me again. and you liked the
location, you said, and the island air
so you built your studio only mex
door"
"Babette begged me to help hel
with her gardening"
"And I begged you to help with
everything-the flowers, the rearine