The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1920-03-05
BELOW ZERO
By OTILLIA F. PFEIFFER

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Copyright, 1920. Western Newspaper Union)
He was dreamer and sentimen-
talist, but genius as well, so the
combination was rational to a degree.
To the little community of Newton he
was known as Jarvin Morton, new
conner, living in a modest cottage
with his mother and reputed to be an
artist. In the live and active world
his newspaper pen and ink sketches
had begun TO make him a name.
= he was standing at the window of
cold and cheerless room, but not
gazing outside, for the frost lay like
blanket across the panes. The mer-
est excuse for fire spluttered In the
CRATE. On an easel was drawing
board with sheet of paper tackled to
it. The outline of a fair girlish face
showed, but only half finished. Too
cold to continue careful work, but the
creative impulse always seeking ex-
preston, he applied the pencil tip to
the frosted pane and began sketching
that same face.
Amid his abstraction he had not
heard knock at the frosted portal nor
footsteps in the hallway. The door of
the room was timidly pressed open.
IF you please, If you are Mr.. Nor
ton," commenced pleasing voice, and
its owner, girlish and attractive,
faltered. Her glance had fallen upon
the limned face on the easel and it's
more finished duplicate on the window
pane. Surprise pleasure, wonder
ment and admiration blended.
Jarvis Morton turned to instantly
recognize the original of his art eff
fort He had seen her across two va
cant lots several times, but had never
spoken to her. He spoke now, with
an encouraging smile, for she had be-
come timid and embarrassed.
81 am Jarvis Norton" he said.
"You are our neighbor, believe, Miss
Illsley?"
Yes, Marian Illsley," hurried on the
girl, fiuttering. eff you please, your
mother sent me over. 1t is so cold and
slippery outside that 1 wished to save
her exposure and discomfort. She
came over to use our telephone to
hurry up the load of coal you ordered
The dealer says they haven't a pound
of fuel in the yard, and mother says
that this coal shortage makes us all
like one family, and the weather man
says the cold snap will last for week,
ana you people are to bring over some
cOmforters and lock up the house, and
Wen do the rest"
"And what beneficent rest 2" re-
joined Jarvin brightly. "This isn't
mere hospitality. It's a real rescue
from freezing to death! I was just
thinking of splitting up couple OF
chairs and muffiing in all the blankets
in the house and alternating until the
zero menace was gone"
His joyousness was manifest, and
she entered into the enlivening zest
of the occasion with demure, but pref
ty graciOusness.
"YOu see, we managed to just Craze
the famine by getting a ton of coal
delivered yesterday" she resumed.
Your mother insists on bringing over
whatever there is cooked in the
house."
Wont you help me rummage the
larder? suggested Jarvis, and they
laughed and chatted like two happy
children as they loaded up a clothes
basket. Then Jarvis went to secure
the blankets. When he returned
Marian stood surveying the easel
sketch.
"HOw nice to be able to draw like
that" she ventured, detected at
studying her own presentment
"And how fortunate was l to catch
your face as a study while you were
cleaning the snow this morning." said
Jarvis. "When the sketch is finished
l shall call it The Snow Queen The
newspaper asked for something win
terry, and that graceful twirl of the
snow shovel and the shimmery flakes
forming an airy veil just filled the
bill"
"Oh! it won't be printed, will it?'
marveled Marian. "Me in the paper
How strange it will seem to me! 1t
must be delightful to be able to make
the world look at whatever you wish
to draw"
BLESS the coal ShOrtage!' uttered
the artist and lover after four days
sojourn in the cozy Illsley home, for
the latter he had unconsciously be-
come, and the fulfillment of a cher