The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1873-01-10
THE SPEAKING PORTRAIT.
BY N. P. DARLING.

It was beautiful evening in the
month OF July. Not cloud was in
the sky. In fact, the sky was jammed
SO full of stars that there wasn't any
room for clouds. o yes, it was a glo-
rious night, and everybody in Fada-
gag said SO. TO be sure it was rather
warm, but one forgot all about that in
listening to the joyous humming OF
the light-hearted httle mosquitoes
Dear little creatures! How fond they
are of us, and how cruelty we repay
them for all their love!
Yes, it was beautiful evening, and
Miss Della Magog was enjoying 1t as
she sat in the parlor of her fathers
house, which Imay as well inform the
reader, is situated on Congress Ave-
nue., in the town above mentioned
1t is brick house, quite handsome,
and fitted up with all the modern i'm
provemen,s, and the owner of it, as
you would naturally suppose, is very
wealthy, and his name is Jefferson
Magog. He is the father of Miss Della
Magog, and he is widower, and still
he is not happy.
Della Magog was moro than ordi-
narily lovely, but still she wasn't re-
ally handsome. You see, she dressed
elegantly, and the old adage is that
fine feathers make fine BIRDS" but
as my wife has often said, when speak
ing Of Della, "Take her fine clothes
off, and she won't look any better
than any other woman" and dare
say she wouldn't. Most people do
look different with their clothes on.
But Della was rather pretty, /
think. She was neither blonde nor
a brunette. Her hair, l believe, was
Bismarck brown, and her eyes
well, she had handsome eyes, but /
don't think | ever noticed what color
they were; and | have seen several
stars that were brighter. Her nose,
| am sorry to say, curled naturally, so
you see she didn't have to do it up in
papers over night. But her form was
perfect. and ybody said so. Even
Hugh McGonagle admitted that.
BY the way, speaking of Hugh Nc
Gongale reminds me of the story that
l was going to write abost him, and
well, l guess ! will write it now.
To begin then, this Hugh McGona-
gle was the son of old McGonagle,
who, you may remember, kept the
NcGongale House in Fadagaz some
fifteen years ago. He vas very fine
man, but he couldn't keep hotel, or
at least, not in a way TO make il
profitable. Consequently, when he
died, his son Hugh was left TO the
tender mercies of the cold world.
Hugh was only ten years of age at
the time, but he knew be should get
over that, if he only waited; but
while he was waiting, he ran off and
went to sea as cabin boy; and as it
didn't take but short time for him
TO see all he wanted TO of that kind of
life, he left the ship at Liverpool
without stopping to kiss the captain,
or even bid him goodbye.
Then he fell in with a travelling
conjurer, certain Signor de Moya-
das, whose fathers name was Smith,
and as the conjurer took fancy to
Hugh, and Hugh took fancy to the
conjurer, they resolved to travel to-
gether. Hugh was to have his board
and clothes, and the conjurer was TO
learn him bis art
How long they travelled together l
have no means of knowing; but do
know that at the age of seventeen our
hero was once more alone, and he was
travelling through the United States,
giving entertainments every evening
under the nme of his old master, Sig
nor de Moyadas; and he was SO sue
cessful, pecuniarly, that when at last
he appeared again in Fadagaz lhaving
thrown off his conjurer's robes) as
Hugh McGonagle, he had several
thousand dollars in his pockets, and
consequently was very well received
by his fatbers old friends.
About the first thing Mr.. McGona.
gle did after returning to his native
town, was to fall desperately in love
with Miss Della Magog; and as he
was dashing young gentleman o.
twenty-five, very handsome, very
agreeable, and very well dressed, why
what could she do but fall in love
with him?
1t was at the lastball given by the
Fadagaz Guards where Mr.. McGona
gle first met Della. He saw her anG
loved her. Captain Bobbin intro
duced him to her, and for the remAin
der of the evening he scarcely left he
side. ~ .stk4 ~
The next day Hugh called upol
her, and she appeared SO pleased u
see him that he called again; and a.
she still seemed pleased, he continued
to call, until the good people of Fad
agaz began to make remarks, and one
more otficious than the rest, asket
Mr.. Jefferson Magog if he was awar
of Mr. McGonagle's attentions to hi
daughter.
"Mr McGonaglel Who the deuc
is McGonagle?" 2" inquired Mr.. Magoe
'sThen you don't know about it
returned John Loyeland.
/. "About what? ?"
"Why, about Hugh McGonagle."t
9And who is Hugh McGonagle."
"Why, don't you remember the oil
gentleman who used to keep the he
tel9 It's his son."
"But he ran sway"
eyes, and he's returned, and, if
mistake not, is making love to you
, daughter; and if / remember, MI
Magog, you promised her to me.D
s "Ha making love to my daughter
!. Is he rich p
John Loveland laughed.
= ksRichI Whu ha hrouo.hf hama