The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1870-02-24
II H f.
VILLAGE0N THE CLIFF,
BY MISS THACKERAY.
CHAPTER VI.

MY LOVE IN HER ATTIRE DOTH sHo
HER WIT.
The morning room at Lnmbswo
vas gray. melancholy, sunshiny roou
The light shone in through two gre,
open windows on the gray walls an
ancient possessions. A glass dro
chandelier, quaint and old-iashionet
reflect: d it in bright r.isms. A shrout
ed harp stood in ono corner of the room
There was an old pink carpet, with
pattern Of faded wrca:hs; q tall chm
ney-piece, With marble garlands, ycl
lowed by time and fountains an,
graceful ornamentations. A pictur
was hanging over it-a picture of
lady, all blue and green shadows In
clouded world Of paint, with sort 9
white turban or night-cap on. Sh. ha'
the pretty coquettish grace which be
lenged to the women Of her time, VII,
still seem to be smiling archly cut o
their frames at their gaping descend
ants.
Through the window there was ,
sight Of lawn and a great spreading
tree, where figures were busy prepar
ing the tables, and beyond them again
a sweet pastoral valley and misty Morn.
ing hills.
"Ah how pretty p cried Catharine
Butler, stepping out at once throus |,
the window.
Beamish, who had been cross coming
down, and who had fancied she talked
too much to Dicks new friend. Mr..
Holland, followed her to give her a
Seeding; but Catharine met him With
a smile and great red rose she had
just pulled off the trell,s. And so the
two made it up, and stood picking rose
buds for one another, like Dresden
shepherd and shepherdess.
"What time do We dine ?' said Her.
vey. II suppose this is only lunch eop,
Charles 2"
"aumph !" Said Charles, II don't
know what this is-carwigs most likely.
Dick would have it out there"
"Alas ! We are no longer young
enough to go without our dinners, my
dear BROTHER" cried Madame de Tracy.
"Do you remember"
II sec the croquet ground is in very
good ordcr," said George, who had
been standing absorbed before one of
the windows, and who had not been
listening to what they were saying,
while frank Holland Che was a we'll.
known animal painter) walked straight
up to the chimney and looked up at
the picture.
"Isn't this Gainsborough 2" asked
the young man.
''Tbis, ladies and gentlemen" said
Dick, who began to play Snowman, ''is
the celebrated portrait of my great
aunt, Miss Paventry, the heiress. She
brought Lambswold into tho family,
and two very ugly wine-coolcrs, which
shall be exhibited free of any extra
charge. 1'hat"-pointing to a picture
between the windows-"is Richard
Butler, the first martyr Of tho name.
He was burned at the stake at Smith-
field in Queen Mary's reign, surramed
tie"
"What a charming picture !" said
Holland, who had been all this time
looking at the portrait of Miss Paven-
try, while the children stood round,
staring at him in turn.
"Charming!' echoed Dick, suddenly
astride on his hobby-horse II didn't
expect this from you, Holland"
"Ta-ta-ta," said Charles Butler
"What have I done with the cellar key!
I shall only get out my secoud-best
sherry; it is quite good enough
for any Of you" And the hest trotted
off with a candle TO q sacred inner
vault, where nobody hut himself eve,
penetrated-not even Mundy, the de.
voted factotum upon whose head i,
was always found necessary to empty
the walls before any thing could b.
considered as satisfactorily arranged.
Meanwhile Dick was carcering rount
and round at full gollop on his favorit'
stced, although he was lounging bacl
to all appearance on the sofa by Madam'
DC Tracy. II see no charm in a lie,'
he was s,yiog, in his quiet, ]angui'
way "and the picture is lie from be
ginning to end" Holland was begin
ming to interrupt, but Dick went O
pointing as he spoke "Look ut tha
shapeless, impudent substitute for
tree ; do you see the grain of the bark
Is there any uttemtp at drawing in thes
coarse blotches meant, I suppose, fl
ivy leaves? Look at those plants j
tho foreground-do you call that
truthful rendering Of fact? Whc1
is the delicate tracery of Natures lac
work ?"
"In the first place, 1 don't quite u
derstand what you mean by arendcri.
Of fact" said Holland II can't he
thinking YOU have cribbed that pre-
GUS phrase out Of a celebrated art-cr
ic."
ftsrL> >A.>.> :,.,H E...i: l. - ..