True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-03-31
gOrever debar him from a closer connec.
tion with Hope RAYMOND.


The portrait Of Hope made but slow
progress towards completion. Ii seemed
as il the artists skin failed to portray the
masters true conception Of a correct
likeness Of the patient model who sat
there, hour after hour, day after day, in
serene, conienled obedience to his desire.
The coloring was meyer quite right; the
ideal upon his canvass seemed less perfect
than the actual; and yet less interested
observer would have thought the fair,
sweet face which looked forth from his
canvass bore no poor comparison 10 that
Ofthe original.
But at length the artist hin self con-
Fessed that be could do no more.
II was the last day Of autumn. The
gale of the preceding nightwa subsiding,
but still the wind rhosned drearily about
the easements, and with every fresh gust
the rain.drops broke heavily upon the
window.panes.
Fierce had been the storm over night /;
but it was nothing in its height to the
tempest ofpassion and despair which had
been driving through the breast Of one
man.
Alone in his chamber, with a letter
crushed in impotent anger before him,
Harry Worthington fought fierce bat
tie with honorable duty and selfish desire.
The very spirit which was tempting
him 10 sin and ruin, and the remnant Of
duty and virtue yet left him, the good
angel of his life, had, 10 his excited fan
cy, stood there embodied in the half
lighted room, and together fought the
combat, the result Of which he was to
abide forever.
The trace Of the conflict was visible in
his haggard cheek and his sunken eyes /;
but they who looked upon him that day
in their innocent guilelessness attributed
his haggard cheek and fevered aspect
alone to physical ailment.
Until late hour in the afternoon Hope
had not seen Harry Worthingtod, when
he sent for her 10 come to his studio
Again he was to paint her portrait; she
was to sit 10 him, but not in the simple
costume which she was wont to wear.
To the caprice of his fancy the girl had
Welded, with her wonted alacrity in CIV
ing pleasure 10 those whom she loved /;
and she did love Harry Worthinglon,
though the deplh of that love she had
never yet sought to fathom. In broca-
ded robe of the quaint make and costly
fabric of a century previous, viii ch had
been treasured from almost time immem.
orial in the Worlhington family; with
leaves of autumn's brilliant dyes braided
into her glislening hair, and flushed with
pleasure by the expectation OF his dellgh
she knocked softly at his closet door.
There was glow such as Hope Ray
mond had never before beheld there or
Harry Worthington's cheek. as she swep
gracefully past him into the little room
the faded but costly train trailing heavily
over the white mating of the floor as::sh'
took her accustomed seat. Those turbu
lent blue eyes bent themselves upon her
as he took the little trembling hand
within his own; and the girls chez
flushed to deep, warm glow, that grew
mellow in the roseate hue Of happiness
as her companion spoke. Only once th'
sweet face grew thoughtful, and that wa'
when he bade her say nothing Of wha
had passed that day to bis aunt; but sh'
did not doubt that be bad good and Co
gent reasons for his request.
sRThe leaves of crimson and gold which
Hope Raymond had Braided into he
hair, she placed that night in the Bible
which lay upon the table in her chamber
for they were henceforh to her, conse
Grated relics Of the gladdest hour Of gay
glad life.
Again and again, in her antique robe
Hope sat 10 her artist lover. And nov
Harry Worlhington no longer fingered
over the features growing with wondrou
loveliness upon his canvass; but as th'
portrait approached its. completion, it wa
was of type very different from that o
the frs, painting. Now, while he paint
ed with conscious and subtle art, wit
the eloquence of adroi. reasoning he wa
seeking to instil something of his ow
scepticism into the guileless heart, whlc
would have rejected at once, with fea
and quick adherence, the bold avow'
ofinfdelity
But gradually, as, half mystifed, sh
listened, he grave sweet eyes took
deeper light. a less passionless expression
the fever Of unrest, which for the FIR
time entered The spirit Of her youth, burr
in a glowing color upon her cheeks.
In the rapid expansion Of her intellec
which daily communion with him deve
oped, the expression Of Hope Raymond
coun,enance assumed different and mo
striking character; but it had lost Il
serenity Of hitherto unruffled exis!enc
When side by side Harry Worthingtc
placed The two likenesses of the gl
then he perceived how great was Il
change in that expressive face ; and
knew that the last painted was the "
Of spirit more closely assimilated
himself, than the first had been.
Standing on the hearth Of the lii
parlor where Aunt Bessie and herself h
breakfasted- Harry was away on
brief visit to the city-Hope Raymo
spread her hands TO the cheerful bla
in the wide open fireplace.
AS she stood there she gazed thong
fully, almost sadly, down upon the qua
and rare device Of a ring OF antique wo
manship, with which her finger had b.
encircled but few days previous. "l
symbol of the lie which made her," Il
-. vT..,L.,..,or Lad toIJ her sthiH OW