Middletown transcript., 1870-06-11

mine," replied the lady "and wish yo,
10 have it copied with the utmost secrec,
so that Fred will know nothing abou
it. If you will copy it, I will leave til,
miniature with yos, and call again in
few days"
Now all this was very strange, thought
Hugh; secrecy to be observed, and who
was Fred? Of course Hugh consented
to copy the portrait, on the strength o.
her promise to call again. He would
have toiled forever at copying miniatures
if she would only have promised to look
in upon him once in while. Without
saying a word as to terms, or the length
of time the work would require, the lady
bade him soft "good morning" and
glided away down the dusty stairs, and
out into the sunlight of the street, leaving
the artist alone, still holding the ivory
portrait in his hand.
But he had one solace-she had prom
ised to come back again. There was no
more work for Hugh that day. The figure
upon the canvass palled upon his senses,
filled as he was with the presence of the
beautiful being who had come and gone
like dream Had it not been for the
visible token which she had left in his
hand, he would have thought it all a
dream. He hastened to the window to
catch last glimpse of her, but he was too
late. He saw only carriage, drawn by
pair of handsome bays, which rolled
hastily away, and disappeared up the
street.
He took up his palette and brush and
commenced to work. But it was no use :;
even Acadia has no charms for restless
love; and he threw down the brush and
turned away from the easel in disgust
Now the real s secret of Hughs bad hu-
NOR was the miniature, which he still held
in his hand, for it awakened troubled
thoughts in his breast. Already a SER
pent was gliding into his newly-found
Eden. 1t was the serpent of jealousy
not venomous as yet, but trailing itself
over the flowers of love, which he had so
long and faithfully cherished in his heart.
Whose was that face which seemed to
smile half-mockingly upon him as he
gazed upon it?-and who was Fred p
for the lady had spoken of Fred! Could
1t be that Fred was lover, or, perhaps.
husband ? Was her heart already given
to another, and had he only met her at
last, face to face, to learn that she was
forever removed from him, and to drive
the arrow of disappointment deeper into
his heart?
These were the torturing thoughts
which arrayed themselves before his meut
al vision; and, as he laid the miniature
aside, he resolved that he would never
paint that face until he knew to whom it
belonged. If it were the face of her low
or, or of one, perchance, still dearcr, how
could he bear to gaze upon it, hour after
hour, and cause the features which were
his bane, to glow with a new life upon the
canvass No rather would he blot them
out from existence forever. The morrow
came and went, and the next day-and
the third brought the fair stranger again
to the studio.
" Good morning, sir" she said, gaily,
as she entered, her cheeks crimson with
the keen morning air, and her eyes spark
ling like diamonds.
"Good morning." replied the artist,
bowlng, and smiling at her odd salutation
and he would have added, had he dared
: Was ever Aurora so beautiful ?" But
as that would not have been proper, he
remained silent, awaiting her commands.
1t is probable, however, that his ewes
expressed very clearly what his lips dared
not utter; for flush deepened little
upon the lady's face, and she turned to-
wards the picture which hung upon the
easel.
What a lovely scener' she exclaimed.
" What does it represent ?"
Only glimpse of my "Fairy-Land,"
returned Hugh.
" Then your 'Fairy-Land must be a
delightful land to wander in; wonder
that you artists ever condescend to stoop
towards this mundane sphere after your
airy flights to such enchanted lands"
"Nothing but stern necessity compels
It, can assure you," replied Hugh
II believe it," said she, "you poets
and artists dwell in an atmosphere of your
own, and are quite unlike other people.
And | see it now!" she added, claspinp
her little hands with enthusiasm" see
t all now! This atmosphere which sur
'ounds you, and causes you to be misun-
ierstood by the world, because it half
'onceals you, is the atmosphere which still
lings to you when you come back from
7our fairy-land."
Hugh hardly knew what to answer to
his sally; but, charmed by her apprecia-
ion, he pointed out the different points of
beauty in his new picture, "The Dream
# Acadia while she listened and gazed
With evident delight. It was quite plain :
be seen that Miss Leigh was we'll vers-
d in art; moreover. she had been abroad,
nd she spoke enthusiastically of MANY
ne paintings which she had seen both in
Paris and in Rome. G
She seemed quite surprised when she G
accidentally learned from the artist that he i
ad never been in foreign lands. b
" Can it be that you have never visited Il
.Oma 2o sha ayo1a;n,aJ o,ou: