Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-01-17

looked at me when he had drunk that
cup Of coffee, and he said, Lucy, you
have been a good wife That's present
enough for me. It's all the present I
want the rest Of my life"
But Lucy got the present John
Henry had promised her, and got 1t
within six weeks. 1t came at the be-
ginning Of the exhibition Of John
gallery, where the guest Of honor at
the exhibition was John Henry How
ards widow. Mrs. Driscoll, who had
been forced to concentrate on her own
activities Immediately after John
Henrys funeral had not seen Lucy
for several weeks. But she had made
a rendezvous with her for the private
view of the exhibition, and the two
were to meet in what was already re-
ferred to as the Howard gallery.
Mrs. Driscol was a little late-half
an hour or so; but the Howard gallery
was crowded when she got there.
There was special congestion at one
end of it and for a few moments she
stood near the entrance, waiting for
Lucy. She decided that Lucy had not
yet arrived. She waited patiently,
watching the milling crowd. II was
impossible to see much of the pictures,
but Mrs. Driscoll received the same
odd impression Of light and brilliance
she had experienced in those odd mo-
ments in John Henry's studio,
Mrs. Driscoll, who was not naturally
a patient woman, soon grew tired OF
waiting and decided to join the, gen.
eral gathering. Lucy could find her
when she came. Characteristically
most congested point, a growing as
semblage in the far corner OF the
gallery. 1t had not been easy to get
there. but whatever was there was
plainly the feature of the occasion.
Courteously but firmly she made
her wav through the throng, like
powerful ship through heavy sea
But at the outer ring OF the assem-
blage she found herself checked by
the large and apparently almost mo-
tionless group she had been trying to
reach. Evidently its members. having
reached the cynosure. were unwilling
to move away from it. Mrs. Driscoll,
who was philosophic if not patient.
awaited her opportunity to penetrate
it. As she waited, and on a sudden
impulse. she opened the catalog she
had bought when she entered the gal
lery, and rather casually turned Its
pages. 1t would be interesting to
know what special canvas was at
tracing so much attention. II was
8 or 10 minutes before she reached
an entry that held her attention.
(PORTRAIT OF MY WIFE)
| She stared at the words in surprise;
! Then the sharp young voice OF CIR!
standing next to her spoke to girl
/ companion.
body in the gallery is talking about, 1t.
should think that little widow
would burst with pride. PERHAPS she
4, is bursting. They say there Is certain
! " nothing shy about her. Presenting
the original and the portrait side by
side is in questionable taste, but It's
certainly dramatic"
| It was at this instant that the crowd
| parted. Someone near the canVaSes
was leaving at last. Through the
cleavage the exit was making on the
human mass, Mrs. Driscoll saw a
corner, its back to the wall. As she
stared at it with widening eyes. she
thought she recognized IT, 1t couldn' !
| be Lucy, but 1t was Lucy! A seated
Lucy, facing the crowd, cool. calm
imperturable: Lucy beautifully
dressed In widows weeds Lucy.
the eyes Of MIS-. Driscoll almost
who was the original and the exact
duplicate in costume and pose OF tn!
figure In the superb portrait that
hung beside her.
MIS-. Driscoll drew . quick breath
Then, disregarding the annoyance Of
those she disturbed. she resolutely
pushed her way into the closing line
| Of the other spectators exit ano
| forced herself into Lucy's foreground
| At sight OF her Lucy's little face
flushed into sudden animation.
-Oh, Mrs. Driscoll." she breathed
Il thought you'd never come!"
Their hands met and for long
moment both women forgot the
throne around them. Then Mrs. Dris-
| she looked at the transformed Lucy
. Lucy whose face had almost lost
| its animation and was again taxing
on the look Mrs. Drtscoll was to know
henceforth as its habitual expression
| IA look Of rapt and almost 6eautific