The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1869-11-26
TnE STORY OF A PoRTRAlT.
"It is only an everyday face"
s.Every-day fnces have histories,

portrait they had just drawn out from
amidst the rubbish and confusion of u
unseen chamber.
It was dull, gray afternoon, anC
they had wandered over the large ole
house, to which they had come for |
fortnight's visit, seeking to while away
1.-THE lonesome hours.
How | would like to know some
thing about her p said Fanny the eld
est. 81 wonder if aunt Burgess could
tell me?'
"What is that, Jane ?"
The door opened unheard in THEN
conversation and an elderly lady stood
looking IN on the threshold.
"Oh, Mrs. Burgess, we were looking
at this picture. Fanny is curious to
know its history. l told her, most
likely, the original had been dead and
buried a hundred years.
"Not so long, my dear, said Mrs.
Burgess, shaking her head, q little
sadly. Don't you see her dress is
modern? / knew her myself III my
young days l used to visit her; but
she was Rachel Richards then, a poor
girl, and not Mrs. Rachel Vincent, as
she afterwards became"
"Oh, am sure there is q story about
it" said Fanny, eagerly "do, please
tell us Mrs. Burgess =
"It is hardly a cheerful one, my
dear, but open the window, these
rooms have been shut up SO long, and
I win try and retrace it. .
Jane flung open the window, letting
IN shower of rain drops which had
gathered on the sash, and current of
sweet June air, laden with scents of
apple blossoms and hlacs.
''Mr Vincent, who owned the house,
and these lands, stretching far rs you
see on every side, was nay uncle-my
uncle by eourtesy-he was my aunt's
husband.
When I first saw Rachel Richards,
who smiles so soITowfully upon US
from that portrait was young
lady of twenty, ten whole years my
senior.
She had no father or mother, was
a poor orphan, and had been brought
up by my aunt out of charity, having
very nearly q servants place IN the
fam:ly.
She was very pretty; this picture
here does not do her justice, though it
would have been hard to catch the
light and play Of those fine features !;
it might have been happier for her in
the end, Il she hadn't been so hand
some it looks so bat can't say.
Ny uncle and aunt had only one
child, n so2 how very, very fond they
were of him they made an idol of him,
which we shouldn't do of human be-
ings. Of course he disappointed them.
He was three years older than Rachel,
and brought up with her.
Arthur went away TO finish his ed
ucation, and was gone two years. The
last year was spent III travelling with
his tutor. He came back very accom-
pished gentleman, and his fond pa
rents doated upon him more than ever.
His coming home fell Just in the be-
ginning OF my visit; was here with
an old sister; my aunt had begged of
my mother permission for US to come
and stay throught the whole summer.
After his greeting from his parents
was over, he went out into the serv-
ants hall. Rachel was there she was
too proud to come with the rest to
greet him. I was there, too, having
just ran out. / saw her draw back,
and her face flush, as, after speaking
to the others, he came towards her;
poor thing, she felt her position, she
was very proud; il must have been in
tuitive IN her, brought up as she had
been.
why. Rachel, how you have
he said, holding her hand.
7 shouldn't have known you any
where and his eyes spoke very warm
admiration, tempered with respect.
Inoticed it, child as I was, and
wondered why the color went ont of
her face, and her look fell.
You can guess what comes next.
Arthur was very honorable young
man; he had no thoughts of deceiying
her; he came very soon to the point.
He must have loved her very dearly to
bring such grief to his parents.
think they had rather he would have
died-his mother, at least-tenderly
as she loved him. But the discovery
did not come for a long time. Rachel
had another lover. ] believe IN heart
she loved him best, but he was poor.
lie was a poor clerk at the chief shop
In the village-the village was much
larger than it is now; you don't know
how the place has dwindled since those
days-and his mother was a poor Wild
ow, entirely dependent upon him for
support. IF she had engaged herself
to Robert Leayitt it might have been a
weary waiting; to have married him at
once would have been to step into
poverty"
"But, Mrs. Burgess, interposed
Fanny, "why do you suppose she had
a preference for Mr.. Leayitt? Mr.. Vim
cent was more accomplished and agree
able, wasn't he?"
sI will tell you, my dear, some
thing that saw, a meeting between
them. IT was a June twilight, and ]
had wandered outalone in the garden
/ heard voices, and. came nearly upon
Rachel and Mr.. Leavitt close by the
arior. They were talking together. ]
ought to have run away; I feel asham-
ed to recall 1t. I don't know why ]
didn't. He was reproaching her with
her changed ways towards him, and
she at first made him no answer TheI
he talked of Vincent, and made quick
sighted by his passion, seem to catcI
ah fIra whole tl1lfh RACHEL tried II