The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-05-12

me. The drawing-room shutters wei
closed. This latter circumstance gave m
some satisfaction, since it might signif
that Mr.. Merrington. was dead. but
glance at the gay attire of the servant gil
, who answered my summons cut away thi
) ground of consolation. is Mrs. Il
within ," inquired with tone of indii
ference. AZ
Well-yes, sir-but you can't Sc
her just at present. Mr.. Merrington ha
4 great objection to -
"Contound Mr.. Merrington.." cried
pushing my way in. Il want to see m
wife"
I oh, your wife is ii, sir 2 " replie,
the maid with giggle. Then, @
course, you can 60 up, if you please, al
though it's as much as my place is worth
You will find them in the drawing room
"What there!" exclaimed passion
ately, pointing to the closed windows.
Yes, of course, sir That's the room
they always sit in"
''They always sit in Then this sor
of thing must have been going on fol
years
/ cleared the two little flights of stair
in couple of bounds, and hurled opel
the door like catapult.
| found myself in large apartment.
darkened, indeed, upon one side, but wei
lit by huge window Invisible from th'
front of the house) at It's northern end
In the centre of the room was Il raised
structure, hung with purple, and rather
resemblinga Scafiold decorated for the ex
ecution of royalty, and upon the Seaffold
sat my wife in All uncomfortable attitude
and with an expression of countenanct
that she only wears upon those ccremoni.
Gus occasions which demand what are call,
ed company manners" Between hel
and the window stood gentleman with
moustaches, and in 4 velvet cOat-at an
easel, and evidently painting her portrait.
lie elevated his eyebrows at my peculiar
mode of entering the room. and looked
towards my wife. as if for an explanation
of the phenomenon.
1T is only my husband. Mr. Merring-
ton" returned she 90 John, | am 81
sorry that you found me out, for l had
meant Inv picture TO he pleasant sur
prise TO you upon your birthday next
week This was TO be my last sitting but
one and nobody knows the trouble i
have taken to keep YOU ignorant of my
coming here. That stupid Emily Jane
must have let it ont
no, my dear said |; II discovered
the fact for myself, through the telegraph;
and really II couldn't help coming down
to see how the picture was getting on. 1t
was so very kind oi YOU And. dear me.
MIR. Merrington. what a charming like
ness"
"Well, its not in n very good light.
You see" rejoined he deprecatingly Not
having room with Il >ky-light. | am
Obliged TO block up those windows. and
manage how can. 1t makes the house
dark, and, am afraid caused Won 10
stumble at the drawing room door
"les," said l, ''that WAS just ii livery
nearly came in head first. II only
thought I'd look in on my way 10 the city.
| won't interrupt You another moment
and, indeed. l have myself no time to
lose"
gave the maid five shillings. and
thinking it would be more likely to insure
her >ilence-a chuck under the chin.
Then | wrote TO Peabody from Bunllill
Row (where my place OF business Is >liua-
ted. to tell him that | would not make a
fool of him any longer: but the fact waS.
that, during the last few weeks, | had
been making my wife sit for her picture.
which he was to come and pass his iudg-
ment on is soon rs it was finished there
was 4 question Us TO whether the flower in
her hair was IN Improvement OF not.
But knew that Emily Jane would tel
Anna Maria all about ii. However
nothing was said until my birthday arriv-
ed, and with it the portrait, for which the
dear creature had saved up her pin money,
and put herself TO The greatest inconve,
nience. Ideclare my heart Smote NE fol
my base suspicious when | looked upon
that honest face. which had never worn
paint before. Upon that day, she said
- by the by, John, when that telegraph
arrived for me from MIR. Merrington. il
didn't make you jealous at all. did it ;"
"Oh, dear, no. my darling! Jealou:
of you! Impossible. Not, of course
that you are not beautiful enough to make
all the world fall in love with you; but
never dreamed of such thing"
"That's all right, john" said she. kiss
inc me; but there was wicked twinkle
in her kind eyes as she added dryly: 81
am glad to hear YOU say that, for, do Vol
know, my dear, | almost thought YOU wer
Just a little Jealous ''-MamJer's Journal
Gen. Lee and his Photograph.