The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1873-12-04


great sigh, the meaning of which
} Tony instantly demanded.
"Tm like spoilt child, my boy,
that's all, replied the painter dts
time to 60 back to school, and I'm
fractions that my holiday is over"
"Holiday indeed!" repeated Tony.
"And what do you want to leave us
for? Hasn't Granny been good to
you?"
"Only too good" he replied.
"And haven't II" "And hasn't
Aunt Lucy? say she has, although
you wouldn't give her the portrait,
you know"
Involuntarily the two looked at
each other. Mr.. Caperne had fin
ished his picture, and meant to keep
it; but when Lucy begged for a copy
of the bunch of violets, what could
he do but put his heart and soul into
each tiny blossom as it rose to life
under his hand?
II tell you it isn't everybody that
she cuts the choice flowers for" con-
tinued the boy. 'Dont you like us,
Mr.. Caperne7"
eyes, Tony" he replied.
''Then what's the good of going
away?" said Tony. "It's a curious
thing now, isn't it?" continued the
young philosopher, catching Lucy's
dress. ''Why does one like people7"
She only laughed and said it was
question for the chemists, but
Noel Caperne raised his head quickly
at that.
"You wouldn put the wine of life
into an alembic, would you?" said he.
ave don't want that analyzed, I
think"
He saw the faint color pass over
her cheek, and leave it pale again, but
she did not answer.
'To be sure" proceeded Tony, re-
turning to the subject, perhaps you
do find it bit dull with Granny and
Aunt Lucy, but there's me! And I
can show you lots of jolly places
where womankind would be afraid
to venture. You don't know what
towards they are. You havn't any
belonging to you?"
The painters face grew dark. ''No,
laddie," he replied, II had a sister
once"
"Had you" said Tony. "Was she
like you? Were you fond of herr"
Mr.. Caperne saw Lucy touch the
boys lips with her finger, and he bent
forward in q sudden tumult of graft
tude
"Shall I tell you about herr" he
asked.
eff you WILL" said Tony.
"You are very quiet here" said Mr..
Caperne gently. "Your life seems so
calm and untroubled that it has oc-
Cured to me more than once to won
der what you would think of my past
if you knew it. What would you
say if told You 1 was once mur-
derer at heart?'
Lucy looked up at him, but she did
not speak, and Tony drew nearer
with a gesture of profound apprecia-
ton. Mr.. Caperne put his hand on
the boys head, but it was still to
Lucy that he spoke.
"You don't seem half so shocked
as you ought" he said. perhaps
in these sensation days the announce
ment is not very startling. It is
true, nevertheless. / will tell you
about it.
"My little sister was not strong,
and we used to spend the hot
months by the seaside. Well, in
one of those months I found out that
a chance acquaintance had become
more to her than ever I could be or
) had been You will understand that
it seemed a little hard at first. She
was all I had to care for in the world.
: The stranger was poor, but spoke
largely of his hopes for the future;
he was a barrister. / did what
I could I stipulated for a
years grace in which to test that
large language ofhis, and they parted.
There was little old church stand.
ing on the top of the hill, which my
) sister had always preferred to the
fashionable and crowded town
f churches below. 1t was there ]
found her that evening when he was
s gone; her two hands resting on the
q churchyard wall, and her face looking
, out seaward towards the sunset; but
e when she turned at my footsteps ]
I knew that the light that shone there
was not for me any more.
!, "My story is not new one. There
t came letters, often, at first, ther
!, more seldom; at last they ceased
y Twelve months after parting in the
y churchyard I read of that mans mar
), riage. He had sold himself fol
r money. You will think, perhaps
t that I should consider this giving me
e back my sister, and be glad; bu
there is little more to tell. She
! was very patient and good; his name
b was never mentioned between us
v but I knew what those solitary walk:
= meant. 1 could read the istless, far
away eyes, that needed many words
:, from me before they could be called
back to any present interest.
II Il thought 1 would work hard fol
e short time, and then take my sistel
abroad amongst new scenes, but
= never did it. One day I heard m,