The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-02-26

Who had so wofully broken the vow he
uttered, to cherish and protect her
while Efe should last-Margaret began
She first picture which went beyond
mere prettiness first in which ac-
ton and expression, rich draperies and I
knowledge of the costumes OF the past
were needed; picture of Queen Eleanor
Eration of an old ballad which told the
tale and Rosamond was wondrous fair. I
and the Queen nightly stern and cruel,
If the poet were to be believed but, as
she painted, that which slept within her |
soul found utterance.
Rosamond, beautiful indeed, had q |
face as false as it was fair; and Queen |
Eleanor's eyes held in their depths a |
look of such reproach that one might |
see she was an injured wife; and the
bowl was at Rosamond's lips and upon
the wall of the bower hung q portrait
the portrait of the King. Margaret did
not mean it; but as she painted hard
and fast through the long summer days,
the faces that grew upon the canvas
were portraits.
had her own features and the portrait
of the King upon the wall was that of
Mathew Mercer.
Margaret's children watched her as
she painted-the boy of 16 and the girl
of Ii, and the younger boy who had
never seen his father.
s'She is Just like mamma-the Queen,
mean," cried this little one at last
"cnly mamma never looked so cross.
Not cross" said the girl. "The
Queen is not cross, but angry, and sorry,
and proud. 50
The elder boysaid nothing for while.
though, that girl. Who ever looked
Ike her? know some one. Who was
it? The King is Like what I'll be when
I get beard"
Then Margaret knew what she had
done. She sent her children out to
walk, and locked the door. Then she
stood before her easel, struggling with
herself.
The woman within her said, ssDash
your brush at it; paint it out, for you
have written down your life history"
The artist said, Let it stand. What
though it wrings my heart to look at
it ? it is the best thing ever painted. !"
The woman looked upon the false
face of Rosamond and the beautiful
portrait of the King, and cast herself
down and wept. The artist arose, and
saw the gloss upon the golden hair, and
the reflex of light upon the white satin
and purple velvet, soft as though one
could lift it in it's folds saw the flesh
| like hesh-the shadow, like the real
light and shadow-saw power and feel
ing in the picture, and smiled through
her tears.
For the first time she understood that
| love was not all of life. For the first
time she stood proud and ambitious,
and hopeful of fame and desirous of it |;
and this before the record OF her life
grief, with the beautiful faces of her
| false husband and his love, created
by her own pencil, looking down upon
her.
Then she opened the door, and went
to seek her children in the garden and
told them how some day they should
all go to Italy together and was happy,
with q strange prideful happiness, new
to her and new to them.
| The picture was sent for exhibition.
It hung in great gallery set off bya
dusky proscenium people went to see
it, and it was admired critics praised
it. A rich man offered great price fol
it. Margaret was proud and glad &c
were the children, to whom she spoke
again of Italy, where she would paint
; such pictures as she had never painted
before.
And meanwhile q man, threadbare
and rusty, old before his time, witt
remorse so stamped upon his handsome
features that q child could read il
there, prowled often about the door o.
the gallery where the picture hung, anc
looked In along the still echoing en-
trance, at the end of which the mar
who took the tickets sat. At last ht
ventured in.
J Look here" he said, in sort o.
} shame-faced way, to the ticket-taker
Sc want to see that picture. haven
any money but I knew Mrs. Mercel
7 once. Let me look, won't you? I
can't hurt You, or any one."
IF you know her, why, i suppose
/ yawned the man" only look here
don't stay long"
: But the man had passed him. Fl,
: walked mp to the picture, and looked
at it. Then Ee pressed his hand upo1
. gether.
{. Margaretl Margaret ~ he NUT
3 tered sob, heavens Margaret
D And then he sat down, staring at tn
!. picture with eyes that saw those like
5 nesses IS none others ever had.
He sat there still, when rustic Q
) silk, sweep of velvet. the high tone
8 OF young voices filed the gallery.
+ lady walked up the room and stood be
fore the picture--a child by her hand
8 q tall girl and boy behind her.
r cit locks better here than in m
: studio" she said, quietly; only
: shall touch Eleanor's face again whe
4 I have it home. It is not stern enough.
4 The man heard the voice, gave on
: look, dragged his hat over his eyes
3 and covered down upon the bench
! huddling himself together as begga
) oes--seldom any other. The lady di
Z net look ct him but the child did. I
moment more, it had pulled il
. mothers sleeve.
: There's man just like the King,
: he said 6 Just such beard, mother.
And Margaret turned her heai
: Then her face grew white. She took
!; step toward the man. he started
his feet.
. Mathew " she cried.
He only turned his face away.
Mathew" she said again, g d
. you come here to find me 2"
ssNo," he answered /" I am not co,
- ard enough for that. I came to look
y that picture knew what I shoul
a see; that picture, born of your grie
y with the story Of my treachery ar
NJ your wrong stamped upon it. ID