Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-12-18

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t1r c:in. the most inveterate omands might
slbdue, i think. their rowing propensities,
AZ y 20 nsent 10 sojouTn-say Lhree months
Newport l was surprised, therefore. by a
s. mmons TO Mr.. Tyrrell's bank, AMI nv alb
r pt nomination to the command OF an eXpe-
diuonary corps. "Clara's not WELL" 1 was
Your aunt proposes the White mountains
and wants y on TO take them there"
This intelligence distressed me a good deal;
but own that. coming from the hot pave
meEts OF smoky town, / discovered all
sorts OF tonic virtues in the breezes Of Nara
gam EFT Bay, and eyed Miss Clara's IasSitude
with wonder, until my aunt reminded me
how different, after all, the climate was to
that OF Scarborough or Trouville-which, no
DON'T explained the phenomenon.
we were already familiar with the Fran
coma region, and, being minded tn try the
conway side, were not disposed to quarrel
with The accident which transferred us from
an old fashioned farm house We promised
ourselves not little entertainment in the
ndtlNe discourse OF our primitive host, and
my own contentment was complete when a
pieposterous, hare Drained paiutCr-fellow
whom Squire Allen bit off in bis catalogue
ol cuIlositleS, proved to be no other than my
friend Robin. l must say, however, that
Aunt Iy rrell seemed In no wise pie ised with
This discovery, having lately contracte1, as
mentioned, a prejudice ag nus my friend;
out IL was aosnrd TO suppose cnntretem2s
so IrlNlai would be suffered to derange her
plans. Now, at least" she said. that SIN
guar young man may have the goodness -
lilisu my Slfl picture
II is Dot likely many hours could pass BE-
iore Boo and came together, and, or course,
was speedily appriSed of an impending M
teIesiing event, and presented To the bride
erect, oeiore whom and her young sister
when Robin sped away 10 pay his respects to
the IyTrells-I pronounced eulogy upon
mat artist. In the course of the same after
noon Inc Misses Lyon came to call on my
kinswOmen, and insisted we should drin K tea
atthe farm, where they Cet forth all the lain-
Ties they could thiuk Of, showed us the flow
II hn hpn H.
fashion.
/ happened TO be present at my cousins
meeting with BObs finance, and thought |
had never seen Clara look so well Perhaps
she may have been a trifie pale but her ewes
were very bright, and she talked with the
Miss Lyon rather narrowly, too in a swift
obServant way, but no doubt her observa
tions were satisfac Glory, for her manner was
hand at parting.
But, while clear-eyed, downright Ruth con-
Quered the hearts of her new acquaintance
-persuading even my Aunt Tyrrell, whose
attitude at first was slightly captious, TO de-
clare her good, active little body-Robin's
behavior was less gratifying. No one GER
tainly could have predicted that his native
air would cloud the mans sunny temper, vet
something of the kind seemed to have occurr-
ed. found him taciturn and moody, and
his demeanor at times decidedly tart. For
instance, when he was taken to task good
humoredly by Mrs. TyTrell about his remISs-
ness in the matter of the picture, Bob was al
most surly, thought he must renounce the
undertaking altogether, and condemned his
rashness In meddliDg with portraiture atall.
When we were alone, however, he bore him
self more genially, and this circums lance
LED me TO conclude that he had lost his relish
for ladies' society.
OF course BOb's inclinations In this respect
were not abetted by me. had brought my
friends, as you know, to Conway in pursuit
of health and the exhilaration of fine scene
ry, and, since Ruth'S household duties would
not suffer her to guide our rambleS, Robins
services were plainly indispensable. 1t hap
pened for the most part TO be Miss TyrreIls
fate TO endure Sir Dismal's company in those
excursions, and while what he vOuchsafed
to say was crisp and bright enough (Bob's
tongue had pretty trick of interpreting his
eye), bis fits or silence must, l know, have
depressed her, although / cannot remember
That she made any complaint. / will avow
that on one occasion the young man seemed
to regain his buOyant humor, and shone out
with bis old fash and feryOr
We had driven out, that day, to the Notch,
FOR, while we knew the FranconiaH pass, the
grandeur OF It's southern namesake was vet
strange to us. 1t was afternoon when we
reached the middle of the gorge, and we lin
geTed there until sunset held and mastered
by the scene. Who that saw il forgets the
desoiate ravine chOked with powders and
bristling with dark pines, the giant walls
black and bare that seem 10 bulge and topple
ard hide the sly, and the pUny, shivering
river flung headlong down the jagged steep?
There is, you know, q cOntagion in strong
feeling, and am sure the glow on Clara'S
cheek warmed Us all. No wonder Bob, then,
watching The girls kindling eyes, shook off
the weight upon his spirits and gave himself
10 The empire OF the hour. The Notch, and
the eager talk OF my companions, and the
drive nomeward in the twilight, wrought me
up To so romantic mood that sat smoking
Ia the 'squire's porch until late hour, and
even when l retreated, single candle was
stu cleaning from Bob's studio.
Why would he not stay and smoke cigar
and what In the world could Robin find To do
alone In that grim and comfortless chamber?
day, and yielding ane " to the sweet sorcery
OF an emotional nature, which had quick
ened and compelled his own? Or did he cheek
those thoughts sternly, and recognize with
FAD sincerity that such companionship was
not for him? Must his days, then, know no
storm. no tOrrid sunshine. but be always cool
and sober and calm? Could he call 1T living,
The pale, spir1tlesS existence which stretched
before him and Ruth? Poor Ruth! No, up
right, noble Ruth-who was he, to pity that
true hearR Had he forgotten what her life
had been-the patient, cheerful self-surren-
der, the long, meek sacrifice to duty? and
was the fault hers IL her eyes, fixed on that
mild star, had missed the hectic splendors of
the west? Was he not man enough to love
her for what She was, and mock and stife
The mad thirst for sympathy? That holy.
mystic charm OF sympathy, truly a potent
spell In Paris saloons, but such simple words
as gratitude and honor may out-conjure il
amid Yankee hills.
On the day following our drive to the
ENOtCIl-lt was just week, as i remember,
before BOb's wedding-Clara and / strolIed
over to the farm, and found Miss Nellie
stunning the piano and Ruth busted about
many things.
"Where is Robin?" inquired.
"Nobody knows" said Nellie, laughing;
che was prowling up and down his den ali
night, and, this morning, he went out at day
break"
I'm that case" suggested, "suppose we
avail ourselves of the priests absence aud
invade the sanctuary. There are many
tricks and devices familiar To the painters
art which l shall be happy to expose. Like
wise, the business of an unfinished picture
seems TO require invest CATION"
There Is no doubt that Clara locked inquis-
Tive, and Ruth at once volunteered to show
the way.
"You would never know my trim store
room,' said Ruth, as she let US into the
ateller, and indeed IL was a chaos of disorder
Bobs easel was near the window. Nellie
ran TO ii and gave cry.
Look" she said, and stared in stupor at
the canvas.
He looked. My Cousins figure was still
there, but some studious stroke OF the brush
had totally erased her features.
"Hullo!" l cried, whats the meaning
OF this?"
Clara's face was very pale. She did not