Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1874-11-27

Helen discovered she had married the
eldest son Of a baronct, and the heir to
fifteen thousand year.
1t was not without so~c inward misgiv-
ings that Harry wrote to his father, tell
ing him of his marriage, which we're more
than realized by the result, as we have
seen by the letter from Sir Philip MRS.
ten, which awaited him at bis club on
bis return to England with his bride.
But, full Of confidence in disability to
maintain himself aud his young wife by
his own exertions, Harry troubled him
self very little about his lost inheritance
aud though their new home--consistin
Of three small, poorly-furnished rooms,
in o back street very different from
the grand old mansion to which he had
hoped to take his bride, he set to work
cheerruly at his favorite art, and tried
hard to earn living by painting pictures
and portraits.
But he soon found that il was not 50
easy as he thought.
Il was all very well when he was heir
to Marston Hall, and studied printing
merely from love Of art, but picture deal
ers. who, in those days. had been all
hattery and obsequiousness toward the
young heir now that he really wanted to
sell his pictures and sketches. shook their
heads, and politely, but firmly, declined
to purchase
At last, one elreary afternoon, when
Harry was sitting in the little room he
called bis studio trying to devise some
new scheme to replenish his slender purse
the servant opened the door, and ushered
a white-haircd old gentleman into the
room.
Placing chair by the fire for his Wis
itor, Harry inquired bis business.
lyon are portrait painter, | believe,
sir?' said the old gentleman, looking at
him through his gold spcctacles.
9 That is my profession, sir, replied
Harry. delighted ut the thought of hay
ing found commission at Inst
!" Well, sir, want you to paint the
portrait of my daughter"
g With pleasure. sir said Harry,
eagerly. " Whom can the lady give me
her first sitting p
| A as, sir she is dead-dead to me
these twenty years land | killed her! |
broke her heart with my harshness aud
crueltyp exclaimed the old man, ia an
excited voice
a strange chill canle over Harry, es
the idea that hs mysterious visitor must
be an escaped lunatic crossed bis mind
but mastering with an effort his emotion,
the stranger continued:
. Pardon me, young sir. This is Of
no interest to you My daughter is dead,
and want you to paint her portrait from
my description, as | remember her twenty
| years ago"
I" viii do my best, sir, but It viii be
no easy task, and you must be prepared
for many disappontments, said Harry
when having given him long descrip-
ton Of the form and features Of his long
lost daughter, the old gentleman rose to
depart; and for weeks he worked inces-
sanity upon the mysterious portrait Of the
dead girl, making sketch after sketch,
each ofwhich was rejected BY the remorse-
stricken father, until the work begun to
exercise a strange kind Of fascination
over him, and he painted and sSetchcd
face after face, as if under the influence
of spell.
At last, one evening. wcaricd with a
day Of fruitless excrtion. he was sitting
over the fire, watching his wife. who sat
opposite, busy upon some needleworll,
when an idea suddenly flashed upon him.
Tall fair, with golden hair and dark
blue eyes. Why Helen. it is the very
picture Of yourselfp' he exclaimed, start
ing from his scat, taking his wife's fir
face between his two hands, and gazing
intontly into her eyes.
Without losing a moncn:. he sat DOM
and commenced to sketch Helen's face,
and when his strange patron called, the
next morning. Harry was 50 busily en-
gagged il putting the finishing touches
upon his portrait that he did not hear
! him eater the room, aud worked on for.
some moments, unconscious Of his pre-
sence, until With the cry Of Helen my
daughter the old man pushed him
aside, and stood cntranced before the
portrait
After eoziug for some minutes in ST.
lepce, broken only by his own half-sup-
pressed sobs Of remorse, the old man
turned slowly around TO Harry. ana asked
him, in an eager voice, where be had OBJ
tanned the original of the picture
III is the portrait q my wife, replied
be.
.Yoor wife, sir. Who was She -
Where did you marry her Y said The old
man excitedly. Pardon me for asking
these questions. he added 'ba; ! have
heard lately that my poor Helen leil an
orphan daughter. and for the last six
months have been vaiuly trying to find
the child Of ny lost daughter, 50 that. By
kindness and devotion TO my grandchild.
| might, in part At least, atone for my
harshness toward her mother"
Harry was commencing to tell him the
story Of his meeting With Holenin Rome,
and their subsequent marriage, when the
door opened, and his wife entered the
room.
Perceiying that her husband was en-
gagged. She was about to retreat, when
the old gentleman stopped her, and after
booking her full in the face fora few mo-
ments, exclaimed:
"Pardon nc, madam--can you tell
me your mothers maiden name =
.Helen Treherne," replied Helen,