Mountain Democrat., 1857-04-25

thought they were purchased for your
"In course he did. could have got
'em for twentieth part Of the money,
but you said he was TO have it all, and so
set my own price. Will you have 'em
hung in the parlOrY"
No; will take care Of them. Not
even Mr.. Rcade must know that have
purchased them. You understand"
There was significant answer in the
mans face as he bowed himself out Of the
room.
Alice's aunt was dying.
Alice, Alice, come nearer to me 7"
said Ithe dying woman, aud she drew
down her nicccs head almost TO her lips
Alice Reades face grew as white as the
death.stricken one beneath it, while the
struggling, disjointcd sentences came over
Mrs. Henley. lips.
That letterl-you rcmcmbCrf Lu-
cius Brante did not write it. He knew
nothing Of it. He was not false to you.
wrote it that you might marry -"
A sudden convulsion left her spOechleSs,
but her dying eyes prayed, "Forgiveme I"
This last year had made Alice Rcade q
better woman, and her white lips answer
ed the question of those dim eyes with
solemn earnestncss-" MAY God, forgive
you, aunt Jane, as freely as l ol" and,
taking that forgiveness with it, the soul
Of Jane Henley went out from that gor-
geous death chamber to its God.
Five years had passed. The Florence
sunset looked serenely into the studio Of
the artist, and the light Florence winds
moved up the valleys, where they had
lain bound all day among the tall grass
and the rich crimson blooms. "It is very
beautiful" said the lady, breaking the
long silence which had followed longer
conversation, Us she turned her deep eyes
from the purple cloudsto her companions
face.
"Yes, Alice, very beautiful. Do you
remember how We used to watch them at
the kitchen window of the old homestead
ten years agoH"
The beautiful eyes filled with tears
There wins another long pause,
" 1t isivcry strange | met you among
the mountains last week, neither knowing
that the other was widowed, neither
deeming that the heart Of each was
true to its first love"
"You will forgive aunt Jane, Luciusp
1t was her ambition that instigated the
falsehood." The lady's tone was earnest
Certainly, Alice. God has reached
out to me SO many rich blessings that
there is only room for gratitude in my
soul. Look there. 1t was just as saw
them when l broke into the chamber
that night, when tho turning point in my
career came, and have walked on to
wealth and fame ever slnce."
-LueiWs Branto drew aside the covering
and the sunset poured all over the paint
ing, like sudden baptism from Heaven.
1t would have brought tears into your
eyes with the first glance. A mother and
her child sat together over heap Of
smouldering ashes. Both were very
beautiful, but there was q mingling ofde-
spondcncy and tenderness in the mother +
face, look of patient waiting in the boy 8
dark eyes, which overrcachcd all descrip-
ton.
"God must have sent his angel to.that
mans heart, or he would never have bot
my pictures. Ialways believed it. Alice. -"
And the artists soul glowed in his proud
face as he turned to his companion.
Their eyes met moment Lucius
Brante had read them many times before.
1t was hardly strange that he now trans
lated the thought which the lip beneath
them would not for worlds have uttered.
Alice, you had something to do with
those pictures"
Her tears answered him. An hour Ia
ter he had drawn all from her-an hour
later he knew She was the earthly savior
Of himself, his wife and his childi It was
one of life's consecrAted hours. I cannot
look into it.
But next week, Newell Brante the
brown-hAired child of the artist bought
many flowers Of the country children who
brought wild roses from the fields about
Florence, saying with his fathers smile,
II shall have a new mother tonight"