Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 211, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 September 1915 — MARTHA’S MINIATURE [ARTICLE]

MARTHA’S MINIATURE

Alan Fought for His Own Happiness—And Won. By CATHERINE COOPE. (Copyright, 1915, by the McClure Newspaper Syndicate.) Alan Doble sighed heavily as he hung up the telephone. He had rung up his fiancee’s studio, only to find out from the maid that Martha was out and would not return until dinner time. “Which means,” Alan told himself half bitterly, “that my sweetheart is at the matinee worshiping at the shrine of her Idol.” For many weeks Alan had been aware of the fact that Martha had been drifting away from him. She did not love him in the deep, true sense of the word or she could not have fallen a victim to the undoubted charm of John Ward, the fascinating actor of the day. Alan’s love for Martha was as undying as the day Itself, and It hurt him to realize that the girl whom he had expected to call his wife and for whom all his future had been planned was finding her happiness elsewhere than in his love. Martha had flirted from time to time during their brief engagement, but never before did Alan feel that his position in her affections had been jeopardized. Now, however, it seemed that Martha had really been lost to him. So completely absorbed was Martha in the worship of John Ward that she had painted a most beautiful miniature of the actor from a magazine photograph and wore it almost every hour of the day. The exquisite little locket lay against her heart, a constant source of pain to Alan Doble. Martha did not know that Alan had stolen a glance into the locket during a chance moment, nor that he wished with 7 all his heart that she could meet the actor. Perhaps the disillusionment would follow, and if not then certainly his fate would be sealed in regard to Martha’fc affections. But a meeting did not come about even in the atmosphere of the studio. Martha worshiped in secret and in secret Alan grieved. He felt, as time wore on and there seemed no lessening of the interest his sweetheart was showing regarding the actor, that he must do something to precipitate an outcome to the situation. Alan had never from the beginning taken the position of adviser to Martha, nor had he felt called upon to dictate her actions. Perhaps had he been more strict, in a sense, Martha’s affections would have been secure. She might have feared to arouse jealousy in the bosom of her easy-going Alan. As It was she went her way flirting where she chose and only feeling a certain sense of security about Alan and her future. She did not trouble especially to weigh her emotions nor to speculate as to what another day might bring forth. Through genuine talent Martha had made for herself an enviable position among miniature painters. Had she been a mere nobody in the intellectual wbrld Alan would have considered himself capable of guiding her, but she had won success entirely unaided and he felt it unnecessary to advise her, much as he thought she needed it. Alan realized, with a sinking of the heart, that Martha’s interest in John Ward was developing rather than waning. A crisis was surely at hand. Alan was not the man to marry a girl who only half loved him. He must either break with Martha or win her entire self. It was during one of Martha’s popular Sunday afternoon teas that she first discovered the loss of her prized locket with the miniature of John Ward in it. Her heart pounded against her side when she discovered that it was gone, and in imagination she saw herself taunted by her secret admiration for an actor. All of her friends would learn of her infatuation, for no one could fail to know that the miniature was her own. Her famous touch was not to be denied. For once in her life Martha shrank from the fame that was hers and the disclosures following in the wake of the finding of her locket. Instinctively she realized that Alan Doble would not want to take up his life path with a girl who wore another mail’s picture. She shrank, too, from his scorn and for a second blamed John Ward for the entirely unconscious part he was playing in her life maneuvers. Martha refrained from making inquiry about her locket, but after her guests had departed made minute search in every remote corner of the studio. The locket, however, was lost and with it had gone Martha's peace of mind. The fear gripped her that it might fall into the hands of John Ward and Martha’s shame would know no end. Naturally, one finding it and recognizing the well-known actor, the first impulse would be to dispatch it to him. It was with no little misgiving that Martha waited the turn of events. Of course, she could, if John Ward received the locket and in turn brought it to her, having recognized her touch, disclaim any knowledge of tt. At the thought of her idol making himself known to her, Martha quite reconciled herself to the loss of the miniature, and her heart lost a beat a* she anticipated the prospect <4 being in th* same room with him and

perhaps shaking his hand. For the time being Alan was forgotten. She thought only of the joy of meeting John Ward and perhaps— But Martha did not let her thoughts go further than the meeting. • <- It was a week before the half expected happened. The great matinee idol did receive the locket, and he did make his way to Martha Holder's studio.

The conceit with which many actors make their way in the world was not lacking In John Ward. An allconsuming curiosity as to the personality of the girl whose name and address he had found in the locket which had been sent anonymously to him led the actor to make his way leisurely toward that address. He had donned his most becoming habiliments and his most entrancing manner. Surely a girl who had so lost her heart to him was worthy at least a call of inspection. She would be quite overcome upon seeing him. Of that Ward was certain. He thought, deep in his heart, that perhaps the girl herself, wishing to know him, had sent the locket in the hope that he would present himself at her studio door.

Martha, being guiltless either of the flattery or the indiscretion of seeking an Introduction to her idol, controlled the wild beating of her heart when his card was presented to her, and went in to meet him. When he . had introduced himself, which was quite unnecessary, and had held Martha’s hand an unnecessary length of time —the while he smiled softly into her eyes—John Ward drew forth the locket “I am flattered that one of our greatest miniature painters should have chosen so unworthy a subject for the expression of her art" he said, and smiled that peculiarly fascinating smile. “This locket containing my likeness was sent to me anonymously, and, finding an address engraved within, I took the liberty—” “Address! What address?" exclaimed Martha, while a spot of red flamed in either cheek. The actor drew unpardonably near to her and showed her the line engraving within the locket Martha’s name and address had been deliberately carved therein. She drew a swift breath and her steady eyes held off the flowery speech that was on John Ward’s lips.

“I have no idea how my address came to be engraved there. I have painted miniatures of all our wellknown actors for a friend of mine who is an inveterate collector,” Martha lied glibly. She knew that the situation required drastic measures if she were to extricate herself gracefully. “I will have to take that ivory out of the locket now.” She looked quickly at John Ward and laughed softly as if at a good joke. “How very funny,” she added. “It almost looks as if some person was trying to make trouble between my fiance and myself as well as putting you to a great deal of trouble to return the locket." John Ward bowed himself not ungracefully out of Martha’s studio. He felt, and not without reason, that he had made a great mistake in thinking the girl capable of a hopeless passion for himself. Martha had played her part well. When the elevator had descended with her caller Martha dropped into the nearest chair and pondered with all her might. Who had taken her locket from her studio with the deliberate intention of bringing John Ward and her together? Someone who desired to see her engagement to Alan Dobie broken. Of that Martha was certain. She never quite knew what prompted her to go immediately to the telephone and call up Alan. “Do you happen to know anything about my miniature of John Ward?” she asked with the frankness that had first endeared her to Alan.

“I am like George Washington,” Alan’s voice laughed back at her. "Did he turn up? I was anxious to to hear how my little scheme worked out. I have known all along, Martha, that you wanted to meet him. You are not angry, are you?” Alan had controlled his voice so that Martha felt only that he was desirous of her happiness and not that he was fighting for his own. “Do you want to —to get—to break our engagement—so badly?” In spite of herself Martha shrank from what Alan’s loved voice might say. She gripped the receiver with hands grown suddenly weak. After all there was no one like Alan in the whole world, and all the actors on Broadway were not worth one hair of Alan’s head. If Alan, big, generous Alan, who had flung his happiness to the wind and striven for her own, did not love her enough to come straight up and teH her so, then —Martha ceased to think rationally and found that she was putting her thoughts into words over the telephone and that Alan would be with her as soon as a taxi could bring him.