The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-10-16

slightly in comparison with the pictures.
Il Her indifference was dispelcd by single
word. Her undivided attention became fixed
upon the conversation, and the paintings van
ishcd into the obScuTity OF dead walls
3. Il am just now deeply Interested Mr..
3 SAID, "n young counlryman of
yours and mine, Miss Theresa, who has tai
len, rs believe innOCcntly, into the tolls of
an unprinciped enemy, The youn man is
employed as II designer in The immense car
pet factories Of A., and he had met with
such sUcccsS that fame and fortune seemed
secured. One design of his, called the forget
mc.nOt pattern, met with such remarkable
favor that it WAS purchased by French ar
tistos, and found its way in Aubusson into
the boudoir of the Empress. For this very
pattern, which had proved the Cornerstone
OF his good fortune, the poor fellow is now In
trouble, and has been arraigned on charge
of plagiarism, or to speak more accurately,
of downright theft His adversary has pro
ducQd successive designs, from the crude
thought to The artistic finish, and the affair is
going hard with my poor counirylnan, Hor-
ace King Tomorrow am TO have ahearing
in his case, 10 present testimonials which
! have been sent to me from America from va
/ rious friends and from the factories of N,
certifying his well'known talent and his eX-
Ccllent character.
At the word "iOrge'.mc.not" the attention
IOf Florence was arrested. At the name Of
| Horace King her whole soul became inter.
! estud. Associated in memory with her sum.
mer at Linden grove, with her last summer
of sun-lit youth and Of young lite's inefiable
sweet promise, had been the student OF her
imagination; and the workman in the fac
tory OF N had, rs time gave new insight
into the worlds ways, become gloriHea. She
had seen no one who seemed to her SO manly,
50 thoughtful, and 50 trustworthy as he guide
of the woods.
The New York girl rather astonlshcd her
august countryman by her impulslve start
and her earnest plea.
Mr.. b, viii you not take me with you
to the trial tomorrow? believe | can help
you. | know something of a forget me not
carpet pattern. At least-l mean | know
something OF IL iOrgetme-not mani
Her face lighted by seli-tOrgetful enthus-
Iasm, became so radiant that Mr.. b, who
had Il chivalric fondness for "lovely woman
and quick appreciation of feminine beauty,
accused himself of culpable blindness IN not
having before perceived the attraction of
Theresa'S friend.
OF course he willingly consented to take
her with him to the trial. lie even found
time among his numerous afternoon engage
ments to bring to her lodgings copy OF the
disputed pattern, and explain to her the tech
nicalties at issue. His explanations fortified
Florence in her persuasion that she could be !
help" She attended the trial on the NOR
row with Mr.. b, accompanied by There.
sa and Theresa's mother
The case had been some time "on' when
the American party entered the dim and we'll
hlled chamber, whose audience was compos'
ed for the most part Of manufacturers and
decorative artists, who felt in the case pc
liar AuA haI OF
going hard" with his young countryman,
Horace King. But the testimonials of men,
and widely honored Mr.. b, produced
beneficial counteraction.
Then Florence Gray became q witness.
Before giving her volunteered statement she
had seen the face Of the defendant. Mr.. B
pointed him out to her, and il needed but a
glance to assure FloreHCc that he was the YER
liable ideal of whom her Utmost soul ue'
clared Truthful trustworthy"
He, too, had seen her, and for an instant all
the realities around him melted into the un-
cerlaln atmosphere of dream. His blithe
beauty" OF the wildwood, mimic shep.
herdess of sylvan fairy land, the little star
that had dawneu upon his loves first dream
he knew her image well. And now, fold
ed in blackness like his fate, she came to him
Us prlestesS of the night
The aim of her statement was TO give the
scenic story or the pattcrn-to show clearly
to others, as she herself clearly saw, the in
herent proof OF authenticity in the individ-
ualizing history of the design. The carpet
was the map of the moment, and the mo-
ment was the possession OF Horace King.
She described, III her simple, impulsive, and
convinced, and consequently convincing
language the meeting and parting in the glen
OF iorgetmenots, whose memorial the artist
had committed inpicturesque fragments to the
Intervening loom. She traced 10 the pattern
baneath the fOrgetme.nots of turquois and
zenith blue a shadowy strewing in mezzotint
OF the precise wood leaves she had held ia
her hand, and of which he had SAID to her
the woodbine sumach, wild rose.
In the border, edged by conventional fret
work OF black and gold, was rendered as well
as tinted woods might the "sunset" treilis of
carmine cloud. And here" said Florence,
klndling with excitement, "in the tretwork
OF the border, is my turquois ring. Oh, per
haps he wears it still"
My turquois rlngr' How her clear voice
swept with these words the heart of Horace
King! He did not hear the added sentence
it was said in a lowered tone; but he
caught its reflection in an impression of
friendly interest aroused in the listening
crowd-a murmur, perhaps, or sympathetic
smile.
He wore it still. And in the border Of the
carpet its likeness at intervals, more or less
revealed, now clearly appeared Nor was
this all. Florence Gray's testimony, corrob
GRATED Unexpectedly in circumstantial points
by Theresa and her mother, and sustained in
dignity by the Introductory support Of the
renowned Mr.. B, achieved its browning
triumph In the announcement that her mi
tials, the engraved Initials of the ring, were
In inf frat f,f tha ,to
border. Horace Kings opponent failed 10
find them but they were diicovered present
ly in their ingenious reproduction by experts
and with this seal of the scenic story Horace
Kings acQuittal was complete.
A year in Italy devoted TO the cultivation
Of her voice was made delightful TO Florence
Gray by correspondence which brought her
into intimate knowledge Of the noble heart
and gifted mind of Horace King.