The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-06-13
THE MYSTERIOUS PORTRAIT.

blazing fire, one dreary November
afternoon. Her hat and cloak lay upon
the table beside her; and from the eager ),
impatient glances sue turned toward the
door at every sound OF a lootstep on the
staircase outside, it was evident that
she expected a visitor.
At last the door opened, and tall,
alis notwithstanding young man entered
the room.
Harry, what long time yon have
beenW she exclaimed, sprlnging up from
her seat. WhatneWs nave you brought?
What does your la,her say about our-
our marriageW hesitaJing with the shy
ness of Il BRIDE at the last word.
"Read for yourself, Helen," replied
the husband, handing her an open letter;
and standing opposite her, leaning
against the martle mantlepiece, watch
| ing lntenlly tne expression OF her fair
young lace as she read:
SIN marrying as you have done, you
have acted III direct, deliberate opposI-
tion to my wishes. From this day you
are no Logger my sou, and l wash my
hands OF you for ever"
"Harry, why dld you not tell me of
his beioreW exclaimed Helen. as she
read The hard, cruel words, looking up
| through her tears into her husbands
lace.
My darling, what was there to tell?
| How cUutd lknow that my father would
| act i'll TINS hard-Iearteu mannerI l knew
| That he wished me to marry the daughter
of u nobieman living near NJ Marston Hall,
and 50 unlle the TWO estates; but l hau
| no idea that lie would Gas / me of tor dis
obeyiug his wishes. Aud even il 1 had
| known it," he added, fondIy ciasplng
mis- young bride to his neart and kissing
away The tears from her eyes, 81 should
lnot have acted differently. NV Helen
Is worth fifty estates, and as long as She
loves me L shall never regret the loss OF
Marston Hail and Its lalr acres. But,
| my love-" he continued more seriously,
s.tnere is an end OF your prom sed shop
! D ng expedition into Bond street. You
: WIZ have to do without diamonds now
| that your husband is u penuiless out
cast, instead OF The heir OF the fifteen
| thousand a-year."
| "HusD, Harry! Please don't talk like
that" she SAID Ill a bitter tone. You
| know it was not of diamonds and dress
| was thinking. But what are you
going to do, HarryT sne coutnued, lay-
Iug her hand upon his arm, ard louK-
| ing up sauy into his pale, set face.
T"I u can not work for Il living"
"Anu why not Wolk for Il lIyingY he
exclaimed, IN IA determined voice. BE-
cause | happen to DC the eon Of baro-
net, brought up and educated without
any idea or Knowledge Oi business? Bul
will work IOr my living and SHOW my
litLle vile that l am not quite uuW ortny
OF the Lrus. and confidence sue Iepos Ell
IN me when she placed this little hand
Ill mIne," he added, STOPPING to kiss the
small wuIte hand tnat rested cOnilingIy
upon his arm.
| IL was while pursuing his favOrite
study Of oil-painLing, among the famous
| galleries OF Rome, chat Harry MarstOn
wooeu ana won Helen Tracy, gov
erness in AN English family residing in
| Italy, and tue orphan daughter OF an
Utiiclr in the army. Before he HAD
known her month, Harry, VINO had
been in loVe-or Elncled himself IN love
-NItu AZ least hall dozen different
young ladies in as many months, lelt
! That he mad at last met his fate.
Delighted at the idea OF being loved
tor himself alone, he had not lo.d her or
| his real position; and it was not till
alter tue marriage ceremony was over
| that Helen discovered Sue had married
| the eIuest son OF DarOnet, and the heir
to an estate producing fifteen thousand
a year.
II was not without some inward mis-
pivings tnaJ Harry wrote to his father
| telling him Of his marriage, which were
more than realized by the result, as we
| have seen by the letter from Sir Philip
Marslou, which awaited MIN at his
| club on his return 10 England with his
| bride.
But, full of confidence in his ability to
| maintain himself ana his young wife by
his own eXertions, and thinking that
| surely his rather would relent and be
| reconclled to him after Il time, Harry
troubled himself very little about his
| lost Inheritance; ana though their new
OF three small, poorly
furnished rooms IN back street-Wds
very different from The grand old man
sion to which he had hoped to take his
bride, he set to work cneerlully at his
tayoriLe art, and tried hard to earn "a
living by painting pictures and pol
traits.
But he soon found that it was not so
easy as he thought.
IL WAS all very we'll when he was heir
to Marston Hall, and studied painting
merely from love oil art; but picture
dealers, who in those days mad been ali
hatlery and obseQuiousness toward the
Young heir, now Jnat he really wanted
TO sell his pictures and sketches, shook
their heads, and politely but trmIy de-
cllned to purchase.
At last, one uieary afternoon, when
Harry was sitting in tue little room he
called his studio, Trying to devise some
new scheme TO replenl,n his slender
purse, the servant opened the door, and
ushereu a wnlte-lalreu old gentleman
into Inc room.
Placing a chair by the fire for his visi-
tor, Harry inquired mis- business.
You are a portrait painter, believe,
Sir 7" said the old gentleman, looking at
him through his old spectacles.
"Ihat is my profession, slr," replied
Harry, delighted at The thought Of nav.
ing found commission at last.
"Well, sir, l want you 10 paint the
portrait OF my daughter"
"Wlth pleasure, slr," said Harry,
eagerly. "When can the lady give me
The first sittingW
"Alas, sirl she Is dead-dead to me
these twenty years; and killed her-I
broke her heart with my harsnness and
cruelty!' exclaimed the Old man, i'll al
excited, trembling voice.
A strange chill came over Harry, as
the idea that his mysterious visitor
must be- an escaped lunatic crossed his
mind; but, mastering with au
effort, his emotion, the stran-
ger continued: pardon me, |