The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1862-06-11

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my memory, that must have been stolen from
my parents
Indeed. You interest me, What do you re
member"
Though almost all of the recollections are O
/ gypsy life, feel very confident Of having once
4 lived in another sphere But until NY fifteenth
\ year, excepting a very hasty period Of childhood
/ | was gypsy. AZ this age bachelor gentleman
IN Sussex, taking fancy 70 me, az we were en-
camped near his house, enticed inc from the tril
and put me TO school. Three years afterwards he
was thrown from his horse and killed; and there
being 30 provision left for me, he having made no
will, / was cast upon my fortunes | sought Lon
don, and having had from boyhood, a taste for
rude sketching Iotferedmy services to portrait
painter, who, finding | exhibited some talent,
offered 70 become my ma ter while his insJruc-
tionS ! was to repay, BY doing the drudge work OF
the profession. | remained with him nearly two
years, when, inspired with a desire TO visit the
great school Of art in Italy, / left England with
only u few gmneas in my pocket, and Oh foot
travelled from Calais to Rome, where, in the cal
lery Of the cardinals YOU soon afterwards met mel"
"Whatrecollection haye youof horrid prison
to your gypsy association" asked the earl. after n
few moments reflection.
An impression, Ike the relies Of a pleasant
dream, dwells upon my earliest memory, (but
cannot say that may not readily have dreamed
it al), OF costly furniture anu gorgeous halls,and
servants in Evcrie> Of gold aud blue, among which
my infancy seems to have been passed | cer-
tainlr remember the face OF a lovely and elegant
female, bent close to miHe and to this moment
her image is neyerreyiyed, without bringing with
1t, the impulse to say mother. If my lord,
We're to represent on canvas the ideal Of mother
IA pictorial hieroglyphic OF tile word, should
instnctively paint taat face as a symbol"
DO you recoect it then, so yisibly," Transfer
it to canvas if you have the skill to do it, and it
may lead to the discovery of your birth"
Often have | done it on the bark of the beech
tree, with the walnutjuice, with which the gpsies
dye the skins of those who join them, and with
which my face and hands are stained-the rest Of
my body being fair, proof that | am not Of gypsy
blood, my lord"
"Ah!ltis a strong, nay, convincing proof! You
must paint the picture"
Il will do it, my lord, but have little hopes of
It's being useful to me.
4 few more more unimportant questions were
asked by the earl who then rising, expressed the
interest bis story had awakened and promised his
aid, whenever he should require it, towards ascer-
tanning his parentage, took his leave 2
Left alone, the young painter paced his room
with feyered step. His thoughts run into the
channel the late conversation mad opened for to
bring wildly back to his mind its irstimpressons
If could yet prove my birth-but mo- may
be only a country gentleman son-and this would
not bling me near her! Oh uutoward fate and
fortune, thou hast placed my love so high, that
even hope cannot reach her"
As he walked, memory went upward to his
q II nv zta md hot,
Il scene, which, from IA thousand associations, be
knew must have been the hauntof his early years
He called TO mind an old tower, perched on a.
wooden hill, with a stone bridge arching foam
ing torrent beneath. Beside the bridge was a
yine-cad cottage, and, not far below it, a church
with peculiar spire: still farther beyond were the
roots of 4 village; and towering over all, rose a
noble castle, and in the back ground was Il chain
of blue hills, rising here and there into peak
The whole he seemed to view from the bridge
Every objectin the scene was pointed on the re-
tina Of early memory, with the distinctnes8 of
present unison.
This, my heart tells me, " he said as he paced
the floor, this is my birth-place! l remember it
all. How it all comes back to memory! 1t was in
that cottage lived. l was foster child had
a foster brother, -Irememberit all 50 yividly
In Wonder castle lived my fathers! Oh, memory,
blessed memory, | thank thee! Ircmember it all!
am no outcast.'
For a few seconds he gave wing to the feelings
Of the moment, and then, as if checked bv some
startling reflection, be stood still and groaned
loud
Alas, alas! what avails this light, which, after
'ears of darkness and OF ignorance heaven las
permitted to break in upon me ! know not in
What part Of England, if in England at all, yet
[ is an English scene, it is situated An outcast
md nameless, l still am. Wretched, wretchedn'
He threw himself on a char, and burying his
ace in his hands. remained for long time, silent
nd gloomy. All at once lie sprung from his seat,
placed fresh canvas on the easel-seized his pa
cite and brush, and began to paint with rapdity
md energy, that seemed rs il be feared that he !
mage that he was transferring from his brain
would feet away, ere he could impress it indeli- |
)iy upon the canvas. Like magic lovely land |
cape grew beneath his >killul touches, and ere
Wight vas lost in the darkness Of night, be had
Produced on the canvas picture of the scene |
hat memory had painted on his brain.
CHAPTER VI
"Have YOU seen the mysterious painting" was |
he sautation with which acquaintances greeted |
.ach other, at fashionable party, a few evenings
lter the interview that had taken place between
lie earl Of Linton, and Alfred the Gipsy.
How very odd, isn't it?" said very dressy
ady, tanning herself with Il peacock tail
'Tis said lie takes this method to learn his
= remarked a spare gentleman near
er, who altcrnativey slipped an ice and wiped
With a canbric broidered handkerchief, his bald
orchead.
And docs he really offer five hundred pounds
Q whomsoever will recognise it, and identify it
nth any natural scene" asked brisk little gentle
lan in black, with calculating eve and thin lips.
.Lnleal he Lnas 2 rasnnndnL tie laar nith .hn |