The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1878-11-09
THE MYSTERIOUS PORTRAIT,

iiil III lOiLnsUUO GUHl nhi /.
In small but handsomely furnished
sittingroom in a London hotel, a young
lady was sitting in an easy chair, before
blazing fire, one dreary Noyem Der af-
ternoon. Her hat and cloak lay upon
the table beside her, and from the eager,
inpatient glances she turned toward
the door at every sound of 8 footstep on
the staircase outside, ii was evident that
she expected a visitor
AT last the door opened and a tall.
MISUNDERSTANDING young man entered
the room.
Harry, what q long time you have
heen! she exclaimed, springing up from
. her seat. !" w That news have you brought?
What does your father say about our
our marriageT' hesitgting with the shy
ness Of bride at the last word,
Read for yourself, Helen" replied
ter husband, handing her an open let
ter, and standing opposite her, leaning
against the marble mantelpiece, watch
ing intently the expression of her fair
face as he read:
In marrying as you have done, you
have acted in direct opposition to my
wishes. From this day you are no long
er my son, and Iwash my hands of you
fOrever!n
Harry, why did you not tell me of
this before?' exclaimed Heleg, as she
read the hard, cruel words, looking up
through ner tears into her husbands
face.
" My darling, what was there to tell?
How could | know that my father would
act in this hard-hearted manner? |
knew that he wished me to marry the
daughter Of nobleman living near
Marston Hall, and thus unite the two
estates; but | had no idea he would cast
me off for disobeying his wish. Aud
even if | known it, he added, f0ndly
clasping his young bride to his heart,
and kissing away the tears from her
eyes. | should not have acted differ
emily. Ny Helen is worth fifty estates,
and as long as she loves me / shall never
regret the loss Of Marston Hall, and its
fair acres But, my love" he continued
more seriously, there is an end of your
promised shopping expedition into Bond
street. You will have to do without
diamonds now that your husband is a
penniless outcast, instead of the heir to
El5, 900 year"
Hush Harry Please don't talk
tone. You know that it was not of
diamonds and dress | was thinking But
what are you going TO do, Harry?" she
continued, laying her hand upon hisarm,
and looking up sadly into his pale, set
face. You cannot work for 3 living"
=" And why not work for q living?" he
81 IN. i I ID
cause | happen to be the son of a baro-
net, brought up and educated without
any ideas or knowledge of business? But
will work for my living, and show my
little wife that | am not quite unworthy
Of the trust and confidence she reposed
In me when she placed this little hand in
mine," he added, stopping to kiss the
small white hand that rested conidingly
upon his arm.
1t was while pursuing his favorite
study of on paintings among the famous
galleries of Rome that Harry MarstOn
wooed and won Helen Tracy. governess
in an English family residing in Italy,
and the orphan daughter of an officer in
the army. Before he had known her &
month, Harry, who had been in love
or fancied himself in Iove-with at least
half dozen different young ladies in as
many months, felt that he had at last
met his fate.
Delighted at the idea of being loved
for himself alone, he had not told her of
his real position, and it was not until
after the marriage ceremony was over
that Helen discovered that she had mar
ried the eldest son of baronet. and the
heir 70 an estate producing $4,000
year.
1t was not without some inward mis-
givings that 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 Phillip
Marston, which awaited him at his club
on his return TO England with his bride.
But, full of confidence in his ability
to maintain himself and his young wife
by his own eXertiOnS, aud thinking that
surely his father would relent and be
reconciled to him after time, Harry
troubled himself very little about his
lost inheritance; and though their new
home-cansisting of three small, poorly
furnished rooms in a back street-was
very different from the grand old man
sion to which he had hoped to take his
bride. he set to work cheerfully at his
favorite art, and tried hard TO earn
living by painting pictures and portraits.
But he soon found that it was not so easy
Is he thought.
1t was al very well when he was heir
to Marston Hall, and studied painting
merely from love of art; but picture
dealers, who in those days had been all
fattery and obsequiousness to the young
heir, now that he really wanted to sell
his pictures and sketches, shook their
heads, and politely but firmly declined
to purchase.
At last, one dreary afternoon, when