The Lakeland evening telegram., 1920-12-23

tlile' connie said to her old yellow
cat. Who ever heard of Christmas
without the Merry? So cheer up,
rrowler. and let's join in the game"
AT the little "Shoppe" just around
the corner she stood longest of all.
Ano all at once into Comics bright
eyes came a speculative light. The
"indow was full of small framed pic
lures, most of them with the Christ
mas spirit. There were the usual
nlght'clad children looking up broad
chllnneys, there were landscapes of
snowy fields with distant windows
ahght-Connie studied them all: she
was seeing In vision the winding hill
road OF the place where she had spent
her last summer vacation; the church
with Its swaying bell in the steeple
the queer little bridge over the deep
and beautiful stream-a bridge with
seats along its sides where countless
lovers had sat and courted. The old
lady who had been Comics volunteer
hostess told her, with the pink coming
ana going in her withered cheeks
about the lovers. For 1t was there
that her own husband had asked, and
mad been anSwered-his question. The
way that Connie had CHANGED to visit
this beautiful country place and to
meet there the dear old lady was quite
remarkable chance too. She had
started out on the trolley car for one
resful day in the country and had
chosen this station at random. And
when she had stopped to admire the
wonderful roses in the old lady's gar
demand they had spent some agree.
able time t0gether-thc old lady, Mrs.
Martha Snow by name, had said:
my dear Why don't you come on
and visit me for a week or two? aPm
lonely for young sweet face"
And Connie had gone, that was all,
Half her later water cOlors had been
glorified memories of that delightful,
visit. Now Connie had a new inspira-
tion, She would paint the queer little
bridge over an icy stream and its
seats should be covered with snow,
She could fancy just how the trees
would look waving naked branches.
And she'd paint the church in the hol
low with lights in the windows gleam
ing over the snow and the bell in the
tower a-swaying for Christmas.
Oh. Connie was very happy as she
hurried home to her attic, but there,
in the temperamental way artists
have. she began to draw instead.
working in fever Of enthusiasm
the sitting room Of the old house
where she had been guest, with
Martha Snow herself seated in the
freight, just half of her peaceful pro
file showing beneath its halo of white
hair.
There was holly above the old fire.
place and a boys stocking hanging
there. Connie never stopped until she
had completed the picture, then ran
with 1t breathlessly to th0 "Shoppe"
around the corner.
"Yes, we will display it." a smiling
old man agreed.
The picture sold. OF course you
were prepared for that; but the
strange part was that before 1t was
sold Connie had added her other views
to the "Shoppe" window, and her dis.
cerning purchaser had bought them
every one. While the other Christ
mas studies pleased him not at all /;
Connie could not count the number OF
times that she passed that window.
first closing her eyes childishly in the
hone THAT her picture would not be
there when she opened them. And II
was the day hut one before Christmas
that the "Shoppe" manager seeing her
peeking about beckoned her inside.
"You have pleased one of our best
customers" said the manager. land
when we mentioned your peculiar con,
5ition of sale he suggested talking the
matter over with you that you might
hoth come to a satisfactory bargain
onr customer thinks that you possess
wonderful artistic ability. We have
given him your address"
"1s he" asked Connie falteringly
"a philanthropistT"
Some way she did not want her pur
chaser TO be just philanthropist anc
snoil all future ambitious hope.
"Nfr. Armstrong is a man who usual
10 drives a pretty shrewd bargain,
the "Shoppe" manager said.
so though IT was early afternoon
Connie hurried home TO turn on a gas
blaze and don her most presentablt
dross 81 that she might make favor
able impression as a successful young
w,older Of the brush, The purchaser
n,igbt arrive any minute. But 1t wa'
.bo nevt afternoon when be came ane
Connie was wearing a bungalow
apron. - "a +or
good looking. and the golden ca