Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-11-20
JOHN PORTNAN'S SECRET.

JouN va Az - iSELREl.
II there was onc quality more than an
other in which Mr. John PorImau. soil.
ciicr. of Bytsru's Buildings. Lincoln g
Inn. WAS deficient, il was sentiment Uis
most malignant enemy would not have &C.
cuscd him of this weakness; his dctrac-
tors-hcing IrsIetous man, he had Of
course. prnty-cal.ei him scry cold and
uulcc ling; III. friends modified ,hi. otin-
ion son,ewhai aud sad ihat be Nas .'rrac
tical." There's 40 nonsensc abou; J John
foriman." was the favuriic phrase with
them, AID they meant to be complmen-
tary
A stern. inilrxible man. marking out
his path ia liic with n rigid. unbcnding
barrier Of duty, rirying II" wenkne>s--no
ihiiruity ai p""r humanity. Sucl feel.
i,gs were lurcirn {" tis nature, and he
had Il" sympathy with stcm. To all ont
ward seeming he was man tor whom
love, pity, charity the softer and ten
de:er emotions that. like bright flowers
tenuiiying the rugged pnth OF life-had
nn existence.
II vas considered an cxgrisi;c piece of
drc!lcry ou the part "f the junior clerk in
MIR Por,man's ,fficr. who was also hy
unanimou- consent ~ bis follows elected
.'arc! wag." or head joker" of the cs-
tabIishm"nt. fer that young gentlemen To
whisper Schiud hir haud. as lie passed to
his employers private room with tie morn
ing lcttcrs: Here's some more billet
doux- scented" Also about the epoch
OF st~va'rniiue wsufi cruvuis- his broth
er clerks b. fosory desc' p,ions Of gor-
gcous combination Of paper. lace and aow-
crs that he lad sen in Mr.. P"r'nau's
room. coupled with verses remarkably am
atcry and idio.c.
The humor ot these jr.'s 'Ny. ofconrsc.
in the APPARENT in'rossrhiliiy and incon-
g,uity OF cnnnrctng Mr. J"Ln "ortman
seriously With the 'rcl der passion " H.
was So hard. and Stern. and cold. tha. The
bare idea would have provoked 4 smile
from the gravcst lips Yet the time had
been. and no, 50 very many years since.
either. when Johu PoI,man had loved aud
tended on a woman. Deep in the inner
most recesses "f his Privat. cabinet there
was a secret drawer. the spring Of which
was stiff aud rusty from long disusc. II
held q copy Of a marriage certificate. a [, "
letters tied with tiny blue ribbon. n min
iaturc portrait cf fair young face. with.
dark violet eyes, set in gold brown hair,
aud which, even in the smilsit wore. had
naughty. willful look. and tiny wei
ding ring.
Deep in the innermcst rccesscs Of John
Portman's heart lay the secret Of which
the cabinet held the silent record Wheth-
er its memories we-c - still within his
bosom, none but himself could tell; but
his grave. calm iace no more betrayed it.
self than did the impossible. ipsensible
mood. ....s.
Ten years before. John Portnan had
been. in his grave. quiet way. q happy
man. He had fallen in love with the ori-
eiual of the miniature which lay fsding in
his secret drawer, and after sams little ep-
position. his suit with Elith Gray had
prcspered.
The opposition came not from Mr.. Gray.
but from the young lady herself
There vas some foolish boy and girl
affection" the father explained tn John
Portman. (which had existed between
Edith and profigate cousin of hers; but
Il was OF no consequence; it should be put
. stop TO at once
John Portman had seen the cousin in
question. and had felt iealoasiy uneasy a,
the perfect understanding that secured to
exis. between him and Edith; but as Mr.
Gray had promised. it was soon pa, a stop
10. Henry Lorraine disappeared from the
ncighbcrhocd. and shortly afterward Edith
Gray gave cold. constrained assent t,
John Portnan's proposal.
Az that time he vas thirty years old
tell and well formed. aud even handsome
but for /. stiffness in his motion and colo
imnobility Of feature. which never seemed
to anbend or warm into grace and genial
isy. aT
He was q rich man. too. but how fa
that circumstance had led Mr. Gray, &
persuade or even eocrc~ Edith Into an nc
cepsancc of him. john Pcrtmsn did no
care to inquire. 80, =. -
II the snd they were married. and th
man. otherwise 90 caSs aud impssssve
SEEMED TO change in sle society of hi
beautiful young wife.
He loved her with the quiet, deep IN
tensisy that belongs enly TO such na,ur
--as his. aud .ha- -laxishsa on -hss AL lbs
his wealth could procure or his love coah
niuvens. Is H. J. 70 s'9su 4 Sd} o.
Edith returned his strong devo,ioa ba
eoldly. or ssiher. she received It's esiaene
bat psssively. But he would have son
testsd himself even With this scant recon