The Portland daily press., 1874-10-03

that the annual exhibition should contain the
collective artistic genius Ct the country, and
not become the showroom for portraits of
the aristocracy, or the emporium of clique!
SWELL" remarked Ned, laying down the
paper, II dare say it's all true, but it won't
help me-"
"Don't be too sure; there is more behind
And so indeed there was. The next morn
| ing there were dozen letters in the Electro
| flyer from indignant correspondents, making
mention of several well known artists whose
| pictures had been rejected; notably amongst
| these Graysbrook's Three days later pam
| phlet appeared, which created great sensa-
| ton, and sold by thousands. This was writ
| ten-no matter by whom; some say by a
| painter turned critic, and constant partaker
| of Sunday dinners at The Cedars-in terse
| and forcble English. proving fundamentally
| that the average time given by the selecting
| committee to the examination of each pic
| tUre, was under three seconds. Graysbrook's
| name was mentioned again in glowing terms,
| and flung in the teeth of the academy. Out
| side the exhibition, and all around Trafalgar
| Square, the pamphlet was sold, price three
pence; reviews of it appeared in the press;
and the Weekly Scalper, true to its friends,
| published a cartoon, in which the Hanging
| Committee was ridiculed, and verses lauding
| Ned.
| Nov was the time for Cyrus Hodges to pro-
| fit by the storm he had contributed to raise.
| He opened gallery in Bond street, exhibited
"Titania'' and three French paintings, adyer-
tised extensively, and drew crowds. Among
his other patrons came the Duchess of st.
MaweS, and the following day his Grace. The
| noble lady took violent fancy to t'iTitania,"
and the consequence was that Cyrus sold the
| picture and pocketed two hundred per cent.
Nor was this all. Neds other paintings
sold Immediately for three times the price he
| himself had received for them, and
| the artist went to dinner at st. Mawes House
This visit was, thanks to Hodges, duly chron7
icled in the Morning Post; and fortnight
later Ned, clothed in a suit of POOLS, appear
| ed at some fashionable entertainment every
night. In short, he was the rage for about four
weeks, when the arrival of a popular author
| from Figi, and two volume book of travels
from his pen, somewhat eclipsed him.
| In the meantime dinners were multiplying
| at The Cedars. Lucy was cultivating her
voice and receiving much attention. One
morning, Capt. Wagstaffe rode from Hamp-
ton Court to Twickenham, found Lucy alone
in the drawing-room, aud made her an offer
| of his hand, his fortune, his mustaches, and
his heart. It was politely and firmly declined.
Ned heard of the repulse from Lewis; his
heart bounded with joy, then sank within
| him.
|
tune," he said to himself; "what chance
should have who possess neither? No;
must bide my time"
That summer in 1866 will long be remem-
| bered by city men. The fall of one great
house dragged hundreds of smaller ones in
its ruin. Panic everywhere. Long, white
faces met every morning on the Stock EX-
change. Men one day the owners of thou
sands, awoke the next beggars. Every trader
| Ua f,,1 lodi xuhO bpc
hand drove many irons, other than his osten-
sible business, in the fire, had suffered with
the rest, but up to a certain time, to no large
amount. The sky was black, but Cyrus wore
sunny smile; to no one did he confide his
troubles, and, of course, not to his wife.
August was near, and Graysbrook made up
his mind at last, not to ask Lucy to be his
wife, but to leave England for time. He
| told his secret to Lewis, who, of course, had
OWNED it months before, and made ready
for trip to Palestine and Egypt Hodges
approved of the plan, promised to look after
| all the pictures he sent home, gave him two
| commissions, and asked him to dine at TWick-
enham to say good bye.
There was no other visitors that evening"
| and the dinner was Gull enough-Hodges 81
| lent and gloomy, his wife queyulous, Lucy
| Hodges swallowed four glasses of wine rapid
| ly, and begged Ned to excuse him for half an
| hour, as he had letters to write. Ned went
| into the drawing-rom; Mrs. Hodges was tend
| ing her youngest child, who was ill; Lucy
| was alone.
| At his request Lucy seated herself at the
| piano. and for time her rich sweet voice
held him enthraled. At last she sang
Kathleen Mavourneen," and when she
reached the lines
| SIT may be for years. and it may be forever,
Tnen why art thou silent, thou voice of heart?n
| Graysbrook, as be bent over her, saw her
bosom heave and tear glide slowly down her
| cheek. Another moment, she broke off from
| her song and burst into tears. The ardent
torrent of his love at last broke forth.
miss ham-Lucy-Lucy-my love-
| my darlingv'
And he clasped her trembling to his 5 heart.
Half an hour later Mrs. Hodges entered
the room and tea was served.
'sBeccles," said she to the servant, stake
this cup to your MASTER"
The man returned presently with a white
| face. ,s ,4a
eff you please ma'am masters unwell-
| tainted, I'm afraid"
| Thoroughly alarmed, all three rushed to
| the library. There lay Hodges across the
| hearth-rug insensible, foam on his lips, let
| ter crushed in his hand.
"Open the window, quick!' cried Ned;
Ned; "unlcose the collar; and you, Beccles,
run to the nearest doctor. I'll galop to Rich
| mond and fetch physician"
And as quick as thought Ned ran to the
stable; the groom was absent so he saddled
one of the carriage horse, jumped on his back,
and tore along the Richmond road.
He had galloped quarter of a mile, when
in the darkness the horse stumbled, and Ned,
never great rider, was thrown head foremost
upon the stony road.
CHAPTER ".
When Edward Graysbrook recovered his
consciousness, he found himself in bed, his
rightAarm in splints, and an odd feeling in
his head. The arm was broken and his head
was shaved.
Six weeks had elapsed since his unlucky
stumble, and during that time he had raved
in the frenzy of brain fever, tended by Tom
Lewis with that loving care which few men
have the patience to bestow, even on their
dearest friend.
Sad was the intelligence which Lewis had
to impart-imprudent speculation, crisis in
the city, bankruptcy, apoplexy, death. When
the patient was sufficiently recovered to bear
the shock, he learned how, after the death of
Cyrus Hodges, the Cedars had been seized by
the creditors, how the widow and family,
after brief sojourn in London, had depart
ed for Germany to find home in some small
provincial town.
One morning when Graysbrook was able
to sit in an armchair at the open window,
looking into Lincoln's Inn-Fields, Lewis gave
him letter which had been awaiting his re-
covery. The writing was in Lucy Graham's
hand; Ned trembled as he opened the en-
velops The letter ran thus:
gully 26, 1861 scarcely know how
to express what want to convey to you. We
are Iboth, my aunt and I, deeply concerned
to hear of your accident, which we hope will
not prove as serious as has been anticipated.
You have, of course, heard that my poor I'M
Gle is no more, and that heavy domestic ca
lamity overwhems my aunt. 1t is with re-
gard TO this that must ask you, dear Ed
ward, to forget all that passed between us on
the last occasion that we met You must
not think me false to you when l ask you to
take this step; am only, I am sure, true to
myself have another duty5to perform,
duty more sacred than that of an affianced
wife. My aunt who has been mother to
me, is now poor and suffering; my cousins
are young and must be educated. I can do