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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 12, 1903)
,i s y- 1 $.: --'", n ,, -v.?-- v , . vw pejr; "V. gbe all? flcbrashart B 2fyj Sfca "Ben!" "Yes, Nolllc." Tho rosponso was not as fond as UBiial, and tho girl felt It. She felt tho reason for It. Earlier In the even ing sho had said that tho cherubs in the painting of tho Madonna had Imp ish faces, and had declared that the whole thing was stiff and wooden. When ho had tried to point out where and why she was wrong, she had waxed sarcastic. So that was why ho was leaving so early, and that waB why ho answered almost shortly when sho spoko to him. "Yes?" ho said again, in an in quiring tone. "Oh, well; if yon're going to be cross, It's nothing much anyway, only Ben, do you really want to make a pic ture of me?" In an Instant a light sprang in his eyes, and ho turned to look at her. Want to make a plcturo of her! How many times had ho asked to do it, and had each time been held in expecta tion by her wavering indecision, only at last to bo refused. "Do you moan it?" ho cried, eagerly. "Of course I do," she answered. "I have a perfectly lovely dress, lace over satin, real lace, you understand; it's made with pleats. Oh, it's a per fect dream!" Glancing Into his face sho felt that something in her words had not been to his liking. Tho truth, was that he was shuddering inwardjly at the thought of tho pleated" dress. "It would bo a regular fashion plate," he said to himself. But he did not say It aloud. Both had risen, and as -sho stood with tho light bohlnd her her hair shone llko a halo about her face. It was a fino-foatured face, delicately colored, with big, gray eyes,' and a halo of golden hair. That was all. There is nothing moro to say, except that Bhe was small and slender, and know what was becoming to her. Tho bitter wind of October whirled guBts of leaves and rain about the young artist as he entered the street and walked homeward that night, but It did not annoy him, for he was not thinking of it. "I'll persuade her out of the fashion plate Idea,' ho said to himself. Then he smiled to think of her face as it would look at him from tho canvas, when his brush had placed it there. It had been arranged, Bho was to como onco a week to sit for him until tho picture was finished. She said sho could not spare moro tlmo than that, and tho sittings were to begin at once. He told her of his objections to the satin dross, reasoning with her as best he could, but all to no purpose. "I'm Buro I can't see why you don't llko my dress," sho said, with an in jured air. "It'B tho very latest thing out." "That's just It," he answered hope lessly. "Of course It's a pretty dross, but couldn't you 'wear something sim ple, something without any trimming on it?" She looked at him askance. "Every thing is trimming this B6ason,' she de olared, "and of course I couldn't think of such a thing." Moreover she objected to oil paints. Tho smell of them made her sick, she Bald.' Why couldn't ho do the picture in crayon? She liked crayon best any way, and ho had done some lovely things in that. Besides, sho was sure it wouldbxlngo.iil, Iho laeo work bet tor. "And I want you to introduce a mir ror Into It," sho added. "Then it will show both tho back and tho front of the dress. Isn't that a cuto scheme? Tspont a whole evening thinking about it, and-plnnning it" So, rebelling in spirit, the artist final ly consented and the sittings began, i "I will sketch you. as Vanity,' ho said, smiling at hor rather sadly, and she glailced at him quickly," but con c uded tbut he had not said anything worth quarreling ovpr. Day after day tho picture grow under tho young artist's skillful fingers; apd little by little ho overcame "the dissat isfaction with which he had begun the vorlc Although It was orily ft study in crayon, ho put his h,eart ijito lb bis heart of love. e had sketched her before a mirror in her costnhSe of lace' and satin, and as her face smiled out at him from the mirror, lOegin to' feel that it was better to plcturo her as she wished than not at all. "Let me Beo it," sho coaxed, day af ter day, when tho sittings were over, but ho smiled and shook his head. "We will look nt It together when It Is dono," ho answered, "I want It to bo perfect before you see It." One day Bhe was more Insistent than usual. "I don't see why you are bo obstinate,' sho pouted, "you can't Imag Ino how badly I want to see it." Ho was touched. "Do you really care bo much for my poor work? But I'd rather you wouldn't see till It 1b done." She looked at him, drawing on her gloves, and smoothing them carofully at tho fingertips. "Well I'll tel you why I want to see It," Bho said. "I want to Bee if you've done the pleatB over the shoulders so as to make the right effect at the belt." Thon she put up her handB to readjust her hat, and he noticed that there was a little bird caught and twisted In its velvet folds. He turned abruptly and began to arrango his crayons. At length the last sitting was over. "May I see it now?" she begged. "Come tomorrow afternoon." he an swered, "there are still a few touches to put on. Come early, for even a crayon needs a good light to appear at the best advantage. "I'll come," sho said, "and I know It will be a perfect dear." The appointed hour found him wait ing. The last touches had been given to the picture, and ho knew that It was good. He smiled as he thought of her delight when she should sec It, but aB the hand of the clock on the man tel moved on around theelrcle he be gan to fret at her tardiness. She wa? an hour late already, and the light would be wretched. Half an hour long er ho waited beforo ho heard her step on the Btalr, but at the sound of It annoyance and resontment vanished. Ho sprang to meet her at tho door. "How late you are," he said, but there was no reproach In his voice, and IiIe eyes softened as they looked at her. How well those white furs became her! How gently they caressed her throat and cheek, and the jeweled clasp which held them was not brighter than her eyes. "I'm really very sorry," she said cheerfuly, "but I saw a dream of a hat as I came along. I only went In to ask tho price of It, but there were so many nd I simply couldn't resist the temp tation to try them on. I was so ab sorbed! Realy, I forgot that time wae passing. Don't scold now. I shouldn't, have been bo late, only It took such a long time to decide between tlu green felt with tho velvet and the brown one with plumes. But I finally took the brown, and It's a perfect dream!" Sho paused out of breath. Her face was alight with enthusiasm. His was shadowed with some inward feeling. "Have you forgotten the picture?" He asked. "Don't be a bear," sho answered, and pouted. His hand trembled a little as he drew tho curtain aside. He had put nu heart of love Into the work, and he felt that it was good. How llko life tho eyes smiled out from the mlror as he looked Into them In the light of the falling day. But when he turned to look as his companion's face he was startled at what ho saw there. Her face was bright with anger, and her eyes flashed resentment as they met his own. She struck her foot upon tho carpet. "You are -horrid," she cried, angrily. "You are mean to have made it so. I see the wholo thing now! You drow it that way because you think I am vain, and tho skull means, the skin, could not bellovo his ears. "Tne skull ' was put In to make fun of me." He looked at hor bewildered. He echood blankly. Then his startled eyes sought the , plcturo, and as be gazed at it in tho gray, falling light, It was borno In upon his horrified con sciousness that the rounded mirror, with Its arrangement of light and sha dow, boro a curious resemblance to a human skull. In tracing the picture of tho girl, his unconscious fingers had at the same time been busily shaping the form of Oils horrid thing. He stepped backward and gazed at it with a helpless kind of fascination. As ho looked the Teal substance of the fig ures that composed the picture seemed to grow more and more obscure, and the skul stood out Vlth startling distinctness. CHRISTMAS BOOKS - -. From which Santa Claus is already making heavy purchases. Many of them are gift editinos with special illustrations and attrac tive bindings. Some of them are limited in number so d: your buying early. Tho Forest, by Stewart Ed ward White, beautifully illus trated, $1.50. Cherry, Booth Tarklngton's last story, $1.05. Lady Rose's Daughters, by Mrs. Humphrey Ward. $1.20; special gift edition, $2.50. Eben Holden, by Irving Bach eller, $1.75. A Checkered Love Affair, by Paul Leicester Ford, $1.75. The Mettle of tho Pasture, by JnmeH Lane Allen, $1.20. wtf Jai fa hoi .otters of a Self-made Mor- ant to Ills Eon, by Geo. H. orlmer, $1.20. i The Wings of tho Morning, by Louis Trffpy, $1.20. 1 MILLER 03SS9SS3SS3SS3SS3SS35S S S 38515385 I shall never forgive you," cried the girl, hor voice shrill with anger. 'It Ib an Insult, a mean, cruel Insult, ind I sha.ll never spoak to you again! 3h! You needn't look at mo llko that! I know you think mo vain and silly nd stupid. yes, stupid, but you can't poke fun at mo that way." Her eyes sought the plcturo once more. "A ikull! " she said between her teeth. 'You have made a skull out of my portrait." "Don't!" he cried, and raised his hand as If to warn her of something. She turned on her heel and walked liuckly to the door of the htudlo. He Jld not beg her to stay; he made no notion to detain her; he did not even peak to her. When alio paused on the thresbhold, he was still standing before he portrait, staring at It in a blind, mseclng way. With a little Bob, half )f vexation, half of regret, she turned, ind hesitated. Still ho did not move. 5e he was going to let her go, was he? )h, well, If he wanted It, why sho Aroluld go. The biting air ruBhed into her face is she entered tho street, and stung .o a yet brighter color the flush on hor heeks. Great, bitter tears of anger rose to her eyes, as she hurried along 'he cold, gas-lit pavement. So he was :o let her go, was he! Back In the Btudio the artist was still Handing beforo his picture, thinking, staring at it till tho gray pitying twl Ight gathered Its shadows about him, md hid it from IiIb sight. At last he roused himself, and drew the curtain sefore it, his hand awkward with trembling. "Tho skull has saved me." he Bald to himself, not bitterly, but as one who has reached a conclusion. In tho studio of an artist, now suc cessful, a portrait with Us covering carefully drawn, stands in a corner. No ono ever sees beneath tho curtain. But sometimes tho nrtist, a man with jray streaks In his hald and kindly syes with a touch of humor in thom, "oraes when tho studio is empty, and drawing the curtain aside, looks long and carefully at the plcturo beneath. It is tho portrait of a girl before a nlrror. The face Is fine featured with a halo of hair about It, and a smile hov ers on tho lips, a smile of self-satis faction. But when ono looks long enough, one sees with a start of sur prise that tho lights and shadows in the mirror have blended by some un- conscious trick of tho artist's pencil. Into the form of a human skull. Tho Image of the girl grows obscure and Is forgotten as qno looks at the horrid grinning thing that comes to view.. Darrcl of tho Blessed IbIch, by living Bachcllcr. $1.20. Emmy Lou Her Book and Heart, by George Madden Mar tin, $1.20. Over the Border, by Robert Barr. $1.20. Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come, by John Fox, Jr., $1.20. Tho Call of the Wild, by Jnck London, $1.20. The Way of tho Sea, by New man Duncan, $1.30. The Adventures of Gerard by A Conan Doyle, $1.20. Indian Boyhood, a story of In dian boy life told by an Indian, attractively Illustrated, $1.50. & PAINE Sometimes tho man looks at the plUure v.o long that ho ceases to seo it. Then finally ho lots the curtain drop back Into plnco ngain. LET A HTETTER. Roses. "Never a rose without a thorn," The Pessimist sadly Hold, "And the thorns all stay and sharpen When the roBes are fallen and dead." But the calm-faced Optimist gathered Tho petals that fell :it IiIh feel; And laid them away where they glad ened IJIb life with their fragrance sweet. LIST A STETTEIt. Convocation Next Week. Tuesday Professor Caldwell, "Cuban Reciprocity and tho Extra Session." Wednesday E. Benj. Andrews. Thursday Rev. F. W. EaHon, "Pas sive Resistance to British Educational Bill." Friday Christmas music. OOC)OCOCOCOOCOCOCXXXXX3COOOO toilet artkles fImmbr Our lino of all toilet articles has been largely Increased in view of the approaching holiday season. All tho now thlncs in brushes, hand mirrors, fancy combs, etc., as well as an end less stock of rare perfumes. These goods are ready apd thoso buyers who realizo tho advantage of early choosing can select any time. An especially good tlmo for those to buy who havo need of Items In theso lines for per 1321 O St., Lincoln, Neb. R I G G S CUT PRICE PHARMACY ' 18210 St., Liecoln, Nebr. ,1 4; i s i 3 ,,i . i i ,t 1 A 4 " "Til m m i i - iK ' -i ft .',- yi 4 I- ,' .S.A .-.?., AL EKW Hi iyiii.unil...Wl ,, ,..ii7:........ i ,.. a . ii , , ' ." f"T