Mexico weekly ledger., 1878-02-14


obliged-forgive me-let me go back
to town. Oh, my God, has it come
to this!''
He sank back half falnting, but
started as l roared out, $50 away!"
for Cobweb was coming into the
room.
"Thank you," he said, taking my
hand as he saw what | had done. 'It
was so kind of you.'
''My dear fellow / sad, ''this is
TERRIBLE ana l mopped my face.
'"There, sit still-back Directly
ran out to find Cobneb in the
hall.
"Oh, you dear, good father!" she
cried, with tears in her eyes. "What
kind surprise. But is anything
wrong?"
"Artist little faint, - / said. Here,
the 'sherry-biscuits. Stop away a
bit"
ran back v ith them, and made
him take some wine, and, thus reviv-
ed, he rose and thanked me.
"What are you going to do" l
said, staring.
''Fm going beck t. town. SIR" he
said quitely, but with his lower lip
tire milling. 81 am not fit to under
take the task. thank you, but it
is too late. / am not well.
/ looked at him as a business man,
and in that brief glance, as III reve-
lation, saw the straggIes of poor,
proud man of genius, who could not
battle with the world. l saw the man
who had sold, bit by bit, everything
he owned, in his struggle for daily
bread, and, as looked at him, ] felt
ashamed that | should be so rich, and
fat, and we'll.
'Mr. Grantly,'' / sail, taking his
hand, Il am rough man, aid spoil
ed by bullying people, and having
my own way. l beg your pardon for
what have said and am going to
say. You came down here, sir, to
paint my little girls portrait, and you
are going to paint it before you 60
back to town; and when you do go,
you are going to have fifty guineas in
your pocket. Hush! not word,
sir. My old friend Elden told me
that you were a gentleman and a man
of honor. Tom Elden is never de.
ceived. Now, sir, please come into
the diHing-room and have some lunch.
Not word, please. If good food
won't brig you round, you shall
have the doctor; for. as the police
say" l continued. laughing, you're
my prisoner,-but on parole"
He tried to speak, but could not,
and tnrued away.
"An right" said; "all right -
and patted him on the shoulder, and
walked away to the window for few
minutes before | turned back to find
him more composed.
That afternoon we all three went
: out into the wood, and 1 made Cob
web stand where L had seen her on
that day.
Granly was delighted and insisted
upon making a sketch at once; and
then the days wore on, with the pant
ing progressing slowly, but in way
that was wonder to me, so exquisite
was every touch, for the artists whole
soul was in his work.
Those were delightful days, hut
there was storm coming. l quite
took to the you lg fellow, though, and
by degrees heard from him his whole
story-how, young and eager, he had
Eve years before, come to town to inn
prove in his art, and how bitter had
been his struggle, till, just before he
had encountered my friend Eden,
he had been really, literally dying of
/ eirknesS and want,
1t was n happy time, that, for when
the painting was over for the morn
ing we gardened, or strolled in the
country-our new friend being an ac-
complished botanist and Il lover of
every object that we say. l used to
wonder how he had learned so much,
and found time to paint as well.
I say it was happy time for the
first three weeks, and then there
were clouds.
| Cobweb was changed. ] knew il
but too we'll. could see it day by
day. Grantly was growing distant,
too, and strange, and my suspicious
grew hour by hour, till L was only
kept from breaking out by the recol.
lection of Tom Eldon's words-''He
is a gentleman and man of honor.
/ "Tom Eldon never was wrong."
said one morning, as / sat alone,
land for man like that, after my
kindness, to take advantage of hi.
position to win that girls love from
me, would be the act of the creates
scoun-''
s.May come in, Mr.. Burrows?
said the voice of the man of whom
was thinking.
+ ssYes, come in y said; and ther
we stood looking in one another
eyes.
s.He's come to speak to me,
> said, and my heart grew very hard
but I concealed my feelings till h
5 spoke. and then ! was astounded.
: rtHF. D.,,..s.s, l,a eas1 APP,