Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-07-02

BY JACK LAYTON

drew Dhck YEARLY beIOrc those doors
II might open.
During his years Of struggle and
need none of these friends, who now
NO eagerly strOve To share his triumph,
had made IN effort to stretch forth a
helping hand. Even the girl whom he
had 50 deeply loved and who had pro-
fessed to return his love had grown
weary waitiH- and had heartlessly
Tilted him for an acknowledged man
ct the business world
Now that the dream Of Jerome Bar
ris was realized he smiled cynically at
this same womnn's prolfered notes Of
/. reconcilation-hls former love had be-
come a widow. hut her charm for him
had vanished before her inslncerity,
and oil this superficial adulntion now
wearied him. He longed to get away
from 1t. to get back to Il certain spot
which had often been his refuge.
To Barrs this small place. with the
sea stretching out before, was home,
his one sure haven.
1t was here that his great picture
was bOrIr-the picture which had won
for him fame and fortune. Years ago,
when his heart was sore with its dis
appointment, he had gone, after read
ing the announcement Of the one girls
marriage, to the seclusion of this little
house. there to shut out from curious
eyes his deep hurt And when at sun
down ne sat upon the tiny porch boat
had come drifting down golden beam
toward him. And in the boat sat very
young girl Unbound, her golden hair
rippled over her shoulders, and her up
raised face was glorited in the light.
Barris called his great picture
Motherhood"
1mpulslvely he had called her as She
drifted by, and had run down to draw
her boat In tn the shore. The girl. who
was perhaps fourteen or fifteen years
OF age, acceded readily to his request
that she pose thus again for Il picture.
TN mike the arrangement with
your people" Rarris suggested.
II have no people" the girl told him,
and as she went on with the strange
story of her own life he knew what
had brought the shadow TO her young
eyes. She had been washed to the
shore in a boat tossing.upon a stormy
sea before she was old enough to re-
member anything about it. A man and
woman found drowned later were
thought to have been her parents. but
she had never known. \ fisherman find
ing the child carried her to his wife
who had befricnded her, until as the
girl grew and the wife became an In
valid the charge was transferred.
They c,lled her Dawn" the cdrl
told him btush,nyIv. bccau. ii had
been at dawn that the fisherman found
her.
And as days passed and Dawn came
to pose for the artist he learned more
and more of the hard incongruity of Il
Young life which longcd for great
things and must be satisfied with com
mon duties. DawA's heart was full
Of music and her mind yearncd for
knowledge.
When upon his return later from the
city Bnrris learned from his old house
keeper that Dawns invalid charge had
'died he sent at once for the girl and
babe her make her home in his house
on the shore, arranging passage for
her to and from a school In the adioin-
ing village and finding her music
teacher there. Then in the absorbing
occupation Of his city studio the artist
forgot about the little girl, who never
ceased to think of him with reverent
alteration.
Barris, long absent from the house
by the sen, sought 1t out again after
one Of his trips abroad and learned
from the old housekeeper that his
protege had secured position as
Teacher in nearby village and left
word that he would hear from her later.
The artist smiled and frowned. "Shc
her education,' he said. Then his
pleased eyes fell upon the inviting fur
nishing of his beloved old room.
/. "You keep the place up WELL" he
scommended his housekeTer.
=. "That's Dawn the woman replied;
"she comes out here and sees that
things is all new an convenient. we
must keep 1t home-for him., she
says
After that came to the artist regu-
larry small checks in the name of the
Village bank, with notes in grlish
hand.
\ 9"Of course ] can never repay what
you have done for me-" wrote Dawn.
''this Is just to- assure myself that l
would If I could"
4 And at length, wearied by labor and
surfeitcd with nattering attentions,
came to Barris longing wish for the
restful house by the shore. And when
he reached 1t ut shutdown, sailing again
across the golden water toward him,
came the girl who had made his great
.picture. Standing on the sands at her
side he told her so.
"You speak Of repayjng your debt
10 me- said Barrs. my dear girl!
do you realize that 1t Is l who am in
debted to you?--for my success, for
the very comfort of home, for Il belief
IN truth and goodness which had nj.