The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-09-29
riage drove up, and l saw the dark face O.

abandon of ecstatic delight, enkindled by
the power of my passion for Elaine Ath-
ling.
She returned my love. OF this she had
assured me with her own sweet lips. Now
indeed must beat down the barriers, reared
by fate between us, by the difference in our
social positions. Night and day I must
study and work to become proficient in my
chosen art.
1t was nearly two weeks after had seen
Elaine in her boudoir that l was visited in
the studio by Hugh Athling.
&c suppose should have sought you out
sooner Mr.. Lawrence" he began with the
most freezing hauteur. 81 should have
rewarded you upon the night of the acct
dent, which made us acquainted, if l had
thought you would have dared to enter
my house and importune my daughter for
money"
AS he spoke, he advanced toward me,
holding out well-filled purse.
A stormy scene ensued. l resented his
insulting language and manner. l scorn-
fully refused to accept his gold. l boldly
declared that loved his daughter as man
never before loved woman, but l never
again would seek to see her even until
had fame and fortune to lay at her feet.
"Ha, ha"' he laughed derisively. "Come,
Mr. Lawrence, do come; promise you a
cordial welcome and my daughters hand
whenever you are rich and famous'
Thus we parted; he to his banking house,
| to my poor lodgings.
The desire to paint great picture,
which now took hold of me, was almost
overpowering. To this achievement l
looked for the realization of all my hopes
all night would read the works of those
who had travelled far into that region of
mysterious beauty, where the dazzling
SHOWS never melt.
1 had promised Hugh Athling that
never again would seek an interview with
his daughter; never seek to look upon her
bewitching face until could meet her as
social equal. But one day as l was sitting
dreaming upon the root of an old elm in a
retired part Of the park, her pony pbaton
passed me. 1t contained only herself and
the small footman perched up behind. AS
our eyes met she smiled sadly and sweetly
and drove slowly on. Every day, during
the Autumn that the rain did not fall this
scene was repeated.
These meetings fed my passion and kept
it up to fever heat Late in the Autumn
made some remarkably lucky sales of some
copies from the old masters and some com
positions of my own, which 1 had many
times been tempted to throw into the fire.
With the money thus earned l deter
mined to join an expedition to the north
ern seas. Three years passed away before
the return of the expedition. During all
that period had not heard a single word
or received a written line from my native
city. l had come back poorer than l had
| gone away. Intensely l had studied the
scenery of the Arctic regions. My port
folio was literally crammed with sketches
and notes. In coming back to the scenes
and associations which | had left so long
before, l felt as though l had come back
from the dead and the regions beyond the
grave.
So completely had l sought to forget my
fellow men, and SO completely had they for
gotten me. l had sought to forget them
that l might remember only my art. Some
| times it seemed to me that she walked with
me like beautiful presence.
Mechanically, almost from the sheer force
of habit, | wandered out to the old elm in
the park, the trysting place, where we used
to meet, Elaine and l. 1t was calm after
noon in Indian Summer, much like the
afternoon three years before, when 1 had
last sat upon the root of the elm and sadly
watched the ph;eton, containing my Elaine,
disappear from my view. Strangely l
thought of that afternoon. 1t seemed to
my own disordered fancy that l had been
third person in the transaction-I had been
spectator of the scene, and not one of the
principal actors.
"Surely," said to myself, 81 am not
the creature who sat here day after day,
consumed by my passion for a beautiful
woman whom l had known but brief
hour in all my life
'She is doubtless now the wife of some
proud millionaire. But how I laugh when
remember that mad fool who used to be
here in his seedy rags, smelling of linseed
OIL to watch her ride by, clothed in velvets
and diamonds flashing in the sunlight
Poor faithful wretch. doubt if her hus-
band loves her with half the devotion that
he gave her."
There was dilapidated summer house
near the elm. Into this building retired
and sat there upon rustic seat completely
concealed from view, yet able to see the
drive and the old elm.
Presently heard a rumbling upon the
gravel road, and, looking out from my re-
treat, beheld phaton approaching. To
my surprise it stopped. The lady, who
was its only occupant, except the footmau,
alighted and approached the elm. She told
her footman to drive on and call for her at
this spot in the course of an hour. AS she
stood there with the glorious Autumn sun
shine pouring it's mellow radiance upon
her, despite the changes time had wrought,
l recognized Elaine.
My first impulse was to rush out and
clasp her in my arms. But remembered
my mad VOW TO Hugh Athling and remained
concealed. Yes it was Elaine more radi
antly beautiful than when l saw her last
Faithful to her love to me, as this action
proved, why else should she visit our try
sting place?
During the hour in which the footman
was absent she sat there but a few feet from
me, apparently lost in thought-occasion
ally gentle sigh would escape her.
When she heard the pheton coming. she
rose hastily, gathered the rich shawl about
her shoulders and fondly kissing the rough
bark of the old elm, departed. My love
for Elaine returned with all it's old madden
inc mower as 7 watched her thrOuoh that