Read Online Hannah's Dream by A.L. Jambor, Lenore Butler - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: A.L. Jambor, Lenore Butler
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marriage to the son of her father's business partner. Luckily, he had proven to be a wonderful match, but the sting of being unlovely had left its mark on her.
If the painting had been mediocre, Margaret would have felt sorry for the girl and carried on, but this painting was marvelous. Margaret tried to focus on the rest of the entries, but she already knew that Louise had won the day. She looked at Pierre. She knew he favored the Dawes girl's sculpture. He had spoken of nothing else since the announcement of the contest. She looked at him. He was standing by the gymnasium door and when Margaret walked by, he smiled at her.
She passed each display as she walked to the podium. She would have to announce her choice. Margaret stood behind the podium and straightened her back.
"I must say we have a talented group of young people here today," she said. "I am impressed with all the entries. It is clear you all did your very best."
Margaret paused while the parents patted their children's backs.
"But one entry stood out above the others and today I am awarding first prize to Louise Weise."
The room grew quiet.
"Who's Louise Weise?" someone said. Louise blushed.
"Come, Louise," Margaret said. She didn't look at Pierre.
Louise walked to the podium. She felt every step. She hated being the center of attention.
Margaret came around the podium with the blue ribbon in her hand. She smiled as Louise approached her and put her hands on the girl's shoulders.
"You did a wonderful job, dear," Margaret said. She pinned the ribbon on Louise's dress and stood beside her.
The applause started slowly. Louise's cheeks were so red it looked as though she'd been sunburned. She was trembling. Margaret took her hand.
"Don't let them know how you feel," she said. "They want you to feel bad. Don't give them the satisfaction."
Louise looked up at Margaret. Margaret winked at her. Louise was grateful.
"Thank you, ma'am," she said.
"If you need paint or canvas, you come to me. I want to help you."
Louise smiled again.
"Now, go back to your painting," Margaret said.
Louise walked faster and was smiling. She saw Hannah's face and felt bad, but Hannah was smiling and clapping.
"Congratulations, Louise," she said when Louise drew near.
She sounded as though she meant it, and Louise almost cried.
Chapter 12
Winter, 1896
Every week, Hannah would receive a letter from John Liberty, and she would write a letter in return. John was studying medicine. His father, Malcolm, the druggist, had dreamed of John becoming a doctor. Surprisingly, John found he had an aptitude for medicine. He was receiving high grades in all his courses and would boast about it to Hannah in each letter. She was proud of John, and missed him terribly.
Malcolm wouldn't let John return to New Beach during the summer months. He wanted John to work during the summer so he could contribute to his tuition, and opportunities for employment were greater in New Brunswick than in New Beach. John was working in a butcher shop on weekends and during the summer and couldn't even come home for Christmas.
On one of their shopping trips to Red Bank, Hannah had stopped at a photographer's studio and had her photograph taken. When she sent it to John, she asked him to have his taken, too, so she could see what he looked like after being apart for so long. John complied, and the picture showed a handsome young man with a neatly trimmed mustache, wearing a stiff, buttoned collar, a bow tie, and a stern expression. His eyes, however, were soft, as were his lips. Hannah traced her finger over the photograph, imagining John's soft lips on hers. She blushed, and put the photo back on the mantle in a frame she'd purchased from Straus Company in Red Bank. The sign said it was silver, but Marian strongly suspected it was painted brass.
"You can't buy a silver frame for fifteen cents, Hannah," she said.
But Hannah
If the painting had been mediocre, Margaret would have felt sorry for the girl and carried on, but this painting was marvelous. Margaret tried to focus on the rest of the entries, but she already knew that Louise had won the day. She looked at Pierre. She knew he favored the Dawes girl's sculpture. He had spoken of nothing else since the announcement of the contest. She looked at him. He was standing by the gymnasium door and when Margaret walked by, he smiled at her.
She passed each display as she walked to the podium. She would have to announce her choice. Margaret stood behind the podium and straightened her back.
"I must say we have a talented group of young people here today," she said. "I am impressed with all the entries. It is clear you all did your very best."
Margaret paused while the parents patted their children's backs.
"But one entry stood out above the others and today I am awarding first prize to Louise Weise."
The room grew quiet.
"Who's Louise Weise?" someone said. Louise blushed.
"Come, Louise," Margaret said. She didn't look at Pierre.
Louise walked to the podium. She felt every step. She hated being the center of attention.
Margaret came around the podium with the blue ribbon in her hand. She smiled as Louise approached her and put her hands on the girl's shoulders.
"You did a wonderful job, dear," Margaret said. She pinned the ribbon on Louise's dress and stood beside her.
The applause started slowly. Louise's cheeks were so red it looked as though she'd been sunburned. She was trembling. Margaret took her hand.
"Don't let them know how you feel," she said. "They want you to feel bad. Don't give them the satisfaction."
Louise looked up at Margaret. Margaret winked at her. Louise was grateful.
"Thank you, ma'am," she said.
"If you need paint or canvas, you come to me. I want to help you."
Louise smiled again.
"Now, go back to your painting," Margaret said.
Louise walked faster and was smiling. She saw Hannah's face and felt bad, but Hannah was smiling and clapping.
"Congratulations, Louise," she said when Louise drew near.
She sounded as though she meant it, and Louise almost cried.
Chapter 12
Winter, 1896
Every week, Hannah would receive a letter from John Liberty, and she would write a letter in return. John was studying medicine. His father, Malcolm, the druggist, had dreamed of John becoming a doctor. Surprisingly, John found he had an aptitude for medicine. He was receiving high grades in all his courses and would boast about it to Hannah in each letter. She was proud of John, and missed him terribly.
Malcolm wouldn't let John return to New Beach during the summer months. He wanted John to work during the summer so he could contribute to his tuition, and opportunities for employment were greater in New Brunswick than in New Beach. John was working in a butcher shop on weekends and during the summer and couldn't even come home for Christmas.
On one of their shopping trips to Red Bank, Hannah had stopped at a photographer's studio and had her photograph taken. When she sent it to John, she asked him to have his taken, too, so she could see what he looked like after being apart for so long. John complied, and the picture showed a handsome young man with a neatly trimmed mustache, wearing a stiff, buttoned collar, a bow tie, and a stern expression. His eyes, however, were soft, as were his lips. Hannah traced her finger over the photograph, imagining John's soft lips on hers. She blushed, and put the photo back on the mantle in a frame she'd purchased from Straus Company in Red Bank. The sign said it was silver, but Marian strongly suspected it was painted brass.
"You can't buy a silver frame for fifteen cents, Hannah," she said.
But Hannah
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