Everything there was still and perfect, unaffected by the turmoil of history. A magic window through time, past the tiny cracks, around the filigree of Gothic arches framing the virgin, over the folds of red velvet beneath the little book in her hand, through the busy landscape to the hills that disappeared in a blue mist that deepened towards the top to pure cobalt Space. The artist was thought to be Memling for centuries, but now this has been disputed, so she is deemed almost worthless, but that makes her more mysterious this way, no?” 'I didn't think this was copy,' she said and walked up close. In the end it is unimportant, as the message transcends all temporal manifestation.

The cult of Mary, that grew from the area of Chartres, not far from here, absorbed the ancient beliefs of the pre-Christian goddess in her various forms, but I dunno if the artist knew about any of this. 'Late fourteen hundreds to early fifteen hundreds, perhaps. So, um, when was this painted?' He turned back to the painting. You know, pure living, community and practicing Agape. All these so-called heretics set up alternative communities in remote mountains. So you must think of her as um, like, beyond Time and Space? I remember some my mom's books on stuff like the Rosicrucians, Cathars and the Manichaeans. 'Agape, you know this?' 'Agape, sure, I know Agape. He put his left paw before his right, and Crash! Boom! Naughty little Sfmny had fallen over thicliff! ■ Mother Bear heard the noise and camerunning as fast as her clumsy old legs wouldlet her.'Pascal, the skeptic, says that he would rather believe in God and be wrong than not believe and then find out that God did exist after all.' He leaned towards her. Slowly he crept up, a little farther, justa little farther, and just a little farther, un-til he had reached almost 10 the tip end ofa pointed rock which stuck out from thecliff.

She wasnt thereto say yes or no, so, he thought, it wouldnot make a bit of difference. Post-eraro, accountant, Pittsburgh Terminal Station Ahimnia Bear was over by the pit wherethe garbage man tlirew all tlie fruit skinsand things to eat that the hotel peopledidnt want.So, Master Sonny thoughtthat while she was not looking he wouldcreep to the edge of the cliff where Mammanever allowed him to go. Drawn by Harriet, 9 year old daughter of S. Elsie Russell, file clerk, Transportation Department Ballniiore and Ohio Magazine, October, igzz 37. SONNY BEAR KEPT CLOSE TO HIS MAMMA lUiislrulioH by M. This image could have imperfections as it’s either historical or reportage.

In Over Her Head by Elsie Russell