The Portland daily press., 1874-10-03
tFrom London Society Magazine.l
Given E)nsought.
CHAPTER |.

three IN the afternoon, young gentleman
hiled short black pipe with tobacco, and
vigorously smoked. Before the smoker stood
an easel, and against the easel stood half
finished oil-painting; for the moker was a
painter, and his name was Edward Grays-
brook.
The studio was picturesque; numberless
oil sketches covered the walls, A suit of
imitation armor on one side frowned defiance
to a statue of the Medici Venus On the other,
who seemed in her turn to smile a challenge
to the world to produce beauty equal to hers !:
three or four lay figures attred in various
costumes, stood in attitudes more or less in,
posing, dais covered with red cloth lay in
one corner, book-stand in another. For
the rest, the room presented the usual artistic
negligence aud disregard of order.
Reclining upon a couple of chairs, cigar
between his lips, there meditated.a shrewd,
intelligent-lOoking man, with decided legal
cut of whiskers and forensic double eye-glass
"a man of eight and twenty, or tEereabouts,
who, when he spoke, enunciated his opinions
with that tone of authority and don't-try-to
burly-me-sir kind Of air for which the junior
Bar of England is remarkable, and OCCASION
ally ridiculous.
get Tho sseoI want. what on earth am to
do for Titania ?' quoth he of the brush
{ Leave her alone for few days. You
overwork yourself, dear boy. Drop your
brush, wash your palette. turn your picture
to the wall, and away with me-"
- i"Away with you, indeed; yes-avaunt,
quit my sight! get thee behind me, tempter,'
answered the painter, laying down his brush
and maulstick nevertheless, and throwing
himself into an easy chair.
NOW, as l shall not interrupt your genius,
! Will explain my visit" exclaimed Thomas
Lewis, B. A., OF the Outer Temple, Esq.,,
barrister-at-law. "Know by these presents
and drew out two blocks of lockwood from
his brief-bag-''that you behold the most in
1lueIt,al contributor to the new paper. The
weekly Scalper. Here are the weapons to
make your fortune as a caricaturist."
rYou are very good, Tom; always looking
after my interest"
''Quite so; am as good as a father to you.
But tonight intend to play the mother also,
and to take you to dance.
"a dance!' s
''Exactly-at the house Of Cyrus Hodges,
TIE great picture dealer. An ACQUAINTANCE
with whom would do you no harm-probably
much good. l know them we'll enough to
introduce you. You'll come? They live at
Twickham. We can sleep at Richmond, and
take a pull on the river in the morning.
which is precisely what you want"
The artist objected He had forgotten his
dancing, had not worn evening clothes for
nearly year; besides he must o. with
at ten o'clock the same evening he entered
the dancing-room at the Cedars with his
friend Lewis.
''By Jove, there she is p he exclaimed sud.
denly, after being introduced 10 his host and
hostess.
who? Why what on earth do YOU
mean ?" exclaimed Lewis, alarmed.
"a face for my Titania. Who is the lady
in light green? If you know her, please IN
troduce me.'
Certainly, directly they have finished the
lancers.''
Five minutes afterward, Ned was blushing
and stammerng before a tall, stately girl of
some nineteen or twenty years-a girl of slim
aud graceful figure, black waving hair, and
eyes of liquid fire. ta4
How he now regretted his want of sauoir
tdre! Had he copied the movements of the
guided youth around, Edward Graysbrook
would have loled upon sofa, stared the lady
out OF countenance, or talked of the boat
race or the academy, which he had never
visited, with the self-complacent jauntiness
affected in Mabille. However, for his peace
OF mind, Ned was rarely thrown into the
society, OF young and lovely women, with the
exception Of some half dozen models; conse-
quently, when he most needed it, he lost his
tongue, knew that he looked awkward, and
wished himself at-St. Johns Wood.
The lady firted her fan for few seconds,
then with glance at Ned, exclaimed, 81
know your name very well from Mr.. Lewis,
and your paintings from my own eyes, Mr..
Graysbrook; and since. you exhibited that
sketch at the Dudley, we have much wished
TO make the acquaintance of the artist"
And Miss Graham flashed another rocket
from her eyes, and Ned's heart futtered like
butterfly. 80 q sA-
He was about to attempt complimentary
reJoinder, when dapper little gentleman,
with twisted moustache, approached the
tar one and claimed her hand for the ''Ma-
pile Waltz" With pretty smile to Ned,
Miss Graham took her partners arm, and
was presently lost in the maze of muslin.
He never had another opportunity of
speaking to her that night; he thought all
women frivolous, and dancing demorazing.
who is Miss Graham?' said he to his
TREND az they. were strolling back to Rich
mond. Hers is face l should like to
paint. Thanks-I'll take cigar''
''She is Mrs. Hodges niece. Lucy Baker
and Mrs. Cyrus were sisters, 1 understand,
and the former ran away from boarding
school with Jack Graham, of the -th Foot
He was as good fellow as ever lived, with
little money and less brains, over head and
ears in debt and in love with his wife, A
year OF SO after his first child was born the
regiment was ordered TO the Crimea. Lucy
vowed she would go with her husband. and
journey, was left to Mrs. Hodges care Poor
Jack was shot through the lungs at mixer
mann, and his wife died of fever caught
while nursing the wounded at Scutari,
These are the facts as related by Mrs.
Cyrus.'' e
"A sad story, indeed. And who is the
small man with the waxed moustache ?" .N
"A certain captain Wagstaffe. His regi-
ment, the til Hussars, is now quar- tered at
hampton Court. He is, l fancy. smitten
with the lovely Lucy, fact to which Mrs.
Cyrus does not seem to object She is-Mrs.
Hodges mean--as you have perceived. by
no means brilliant, and prefers the heavy
dragon moustaches and small talk to the
mutton-chop whiskers and intellect. Give
me a vesuvian, Ned.''
What a fate for poor Lucy Grahamr'
"Ah, ha! the green-eyed monster already
You must take care, dear boy, or those eyes
VIII De too many for you. /, iron-clad as |
am, have felt their influence. Take care.
dear boy, take care.''
AS he tossed on bis pillow the same night.
Neds mind REQUIRED to the lines:
Prometheus-lixe, from heaven she stole
The fire that meath those silken Iashes ti r-~
In darkest moments seem TO roll
from eyes that cannot hide their flashes.
And then-no, fair reader, he did not
spring from bis bed, pace the room, and
clench bis hands, beat the air with passion
ately jealous frenzy, but did what all sensible
men under similar circumstances do, if they
can.iell fast asleep.
Oars back, get forward, row OH ALL" cried
the steerer. Two short strokes and then a
long one, and then the eight-oared cutter shot
away from the landng-place at Kingston,
through the railway bridge, down with the
stream toward Tedding Lock,
Inc BOAT was Sater's, the crew the L. R.
G. eight, out for a long falf.holiday spin.
Once through the lock, the steerer gave the
word, and the boat, gaining impetus at every
stroke, shot through the water al racing
speed. 1t was already dusk, and stroke was
rowing good thirty-six to the minute.
Eel-pie House was reached and passed
Now, then, all-smartly round the bend"
cried the sleerer, when suddenly something
dark doomed ahead.
EASY all! stop her hard.' shrieksd the
coXswain.
Twas too late-the sharp bow of the cut
ter rashed into the bow of the ferry-boat,
which, almost cut in half, sank Immediately
The ferrymaE. an old fellow of sixty wars