St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1865-05-18

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months summer landscape, 50 some fa-
ces, I think, become more interesting
in middle life than in the fullest bloom
Of youth. There was sometimes 4 sweet
sad! smile on Mrs. Wyllford's features.
which told Of patient suffering and un-
wearyinglove through many year Of
trial. I did not know her history then
but had heard that she had married as
4 schoolgirl and that the union had
been an unhappy one. Mary never
mentioned her fathers name to me,
and l took care to avoid . subject which
I knew. would be painful to her. She
had grown. up fine, fair -baired,. rosy
checked girl of seventeen, and, after
the renewal Of our acquaintance, l con-
fess that the boyish affection which I
felt for her at school, soon ripened into
a stronger passion. In short, l fell in
love with her, and, in The language Of
dif6dent suitors of the last century, had
reason to hope that I was not altogeth-
er despised. But how could I, a young
tyro, just entering on my profession,
without prospect Of an inheritance for
years to come, how could I venture to
make known my case without the pos
sibility OF Offering her = home? As
the little pinafored dependent on the
doctors bounty, she was an object Of
compassion ), but IS the heiress Of five
hundred pounds year, she might mar
~ > man in some position-nay, would
probably now have many such lovers at
her feet I was determined, at al
events, to defer saying 4 word, to bel
on the subject until there was some
prospect Of my professional success. ]
was engaged on picture which it was
my wish to send to the ensuing Royal
Academy. Exhibition. If It were &C.
cepted, l thonght I might venture t.
look tor further commissions j; and the
bright hope Of Mary's love stimulated
me to increased industry.
The subject l had chosen for illus
tration was the statue scene in the
"Wintef's Tale," at the moment when
Leontes stands transfxed before Her
mione, hardly daring to recognize he'
as his living wife. I had had great
difficulty in procuring = model for lie
ontes; but at last succeeded in enga
ging one through, the assistance Of q
bro,her:artist, who sent him to me ono
morning, with letter OF recommends.
ton. He was a tall, well-made man
whose age perhaps was under forty
rather too young in fact, for the char
acter he was to personate, if: his hair
which was turning prematurely gray,
had not supplied the deficiency.
gathered from my friends letter that ht
had seen better days-and, indeed, tht
moment he entered my studio was
struck BY his appearance. His feature.
bore all the evidence of gentle birth
aud yet there were marks Of want and
ca,e upon them which seemed incom
patible with their refinement. Hi.
manner was particularly quiet aad sub
dued, aud, unlike most models whom
had engaged. he seldom spoke, ever
during: the short interval in which ht
was allowed to rest from what is tech
nically called the ''pose."
After few sittings he seemed to gair
confidence, and, finding I was interest
ed in him, gave me, one dark Novem
Der morning, while dense black fog
obsoured the light and rendered paint
ing impossible, the following account o.
his lite.
"You are right, sir" said he, ''iu
supposing that I was born in . better
station of life. than this. I've been tot
proud-perhaps too ,foolish'y proud
to own it to those who have employed
me in. this way before; but there i.
something about you which leads m.
to trust you with my secret-or, a
least, that part Of it which | dare t
speak Of" .-...> ...r.
|: I assured him that I would not be
tray his confidence, and he went on, hi
voice trembling IS he spoke ,.,....
81, Was the only son of AZ officer ii
the Indian army, Who had married lat,
in life, and At the time Of my birth Va
living on h.lf.p.y in the vest of Eng
land. Ny mother died when I Va
ton years old !; an1 my father, who in
dulged me in every way . : child
dreading what he conceived to be th,
bad influence Of . public school, deter
mined, to educate me himself At home
The motives which induced him +