The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-08-06

have been forgiven had he shown hin
self eager and successful in working GU
of 1t. But he was not, He idled his tim
away in sketching, drawing, and paint
ing foolish pictures. He would neve
amount to anything. That was tn
verdict of Valleythorpe. This village
which generation or two before ha'
been on the verge of a westward-movin,
water affording splendid opportunitie
for the employment of water power. /
was dotted with mills and factories o
all kinds. The inhabitants of the plac'
had come there poor-or their ancestor
had-and by hard work and economy i
had been in the power of each person t,
become rich although theopportunitie.
for becoming so now had greatly de
| creased, still it was expected that eacl
| one would do his best TO attain wealth
let circumstances be what they would
In every Woodworking and prosperous
community every thought, except thai
| OF money-making, is apt to be crowded
out, in the beginning of its career al
least dollars and cents is the standard
of measurement for man in such a
can find no congenial abiding place. |
say this is especially the case in pros
porous community in the beginning OF
its prosperity.
BY and by, when the intoxication of
money-making begins to subside in a
measure, other and more humanizing
influences are allowed to creep in, and
are recognized. The poets book finds
place on the centre-table, and in the
hearts Of men and women; the painter
and the sculptor are honored, and their
works, beginning to give delight by
their symmetry and harmony, and the
thought which they contain, are well
coined into every home. Nalleythorpe,
however, had not yet reached this stage
in its march toward complete civiliza-
ton, and Bernard, who was an artist
by nature and by practice, was sadly
out of place.
Bernard Holm, with an aged house
keeper, lived by himself in small cot
tage left him by his parents, who were
both dead He was somewhat below
the medium height, with dark hair and
eyes. He always walked with his head
down; now and then looking up as if
surprised. When not at work, he seem
ingly spent all his time in sketching and
drawing.
That he should be the successful woer
of Carrie Weltall, the accomplished
heiress, the acknowledged belle of Val
leythorpe, would have been regarded as
too absurd bit of gossip for even the
most inveterate tale-bearer to hawk
h., Il Il
result of the interview to Miss Weltall,
he appeared not to be as elate as one
might suppose, considering the reason
able conditions laid upon him. The
difficulty was, he had too keen a sense
of his shortcomings. A man with
cOarser-fbred nature and the same abili-
ties would in all probability have sue
ceeded better than Bernard so far.
Miss Weltall was a magnificent young
lady
[ use the word " magnificent" be-
cause | can think of no other adjective
that describes her so fully. She was
tall, trifie taller than her lover, and
splendidly proportional. Her features
were regular and clearly cut, her
complexion was light, while her eyes,
which were large, had the habit of look
ing at one with thrilling directness,
and her hair was as black as midnight.
Her will was imperious, even more in
flexible than her fathers In this re-
spect she was entirely unlike her sainted
mother, who had never had will of
her own, though her husband, at times,
complained while in company, in a jo-
cose way, of the despotic sway his wife
exercised over him.
Carrie Weltall became impatient with
the young painter for not embracing the
opportunity of showing what he was ca
pable of, with more alacrity; especially,
too, when the prize of success was her
self, for she was inclined to take a hope
full view of the situation; and she sue
ceeded at length in infusing bin with
some of her own enthusiasm, SO that he
went to the task before him in tolerable
good spirits.
In little more than half year the
painting was finished and on its way to an
Eastern city to compete for a place on
the walls of the exhibition-rooms. A
few weeks of feverish waiting, then came
the decision of the judges, which was
unfavorable. 1t had not been thought
worthy of place on the academic walls,
and consequently its chances of finding
a purchaser were next to nothing.
g knew ust how it would turn out
before / sent it" Bernard said.
@ Try it again" answered his betroth-
ed never give up till you succeed"
Demands spirits were low for long
time after Mr.. Weltall soon heard of
our artists failure, and was not slow in
summoning the unfortunate man before
him. Bernard was informed that, as he
had failed in his part of the compact of
course there could beno further thought
of marriage between him and his daugh-
ter; and he wished that all intercourse
between them should cease henceforth.
The daughter unfortunately was present
at this interview and objected to having
an affair in which she was one of the
principals concerned thus summarily dis
posed of without having anything to say
in the matter. Hitherto she had remain
ed silent; but now she rose with flashing
eyes and burning spot ON either cheek,
and acknowledgement that she should
marry Mr.. Holm if he would have her
in spite of anything her father could do
or say to the contrary. Yes, she should
marry him tomorrow, should her father
act too imperiously. Mr.. Weltall grew
hot and violent at this, as one might sup
pose, and declared in his turn that she
might do so if she wished, but she would
no longer be a daughter of his. The
Weltall blood was subject to violent COM
motions at times, and it boiled in the
veins of both father and daughter now
Carrie turned and looked her father full
In the face.
Goodbye, them" said she holly,
/" you have no right to dictate where my
affections are concerned Come, Mr..
Holm" and they went out together
g Where viii you go now?" Bernard
said
g don't know" was the short reply.
81 viii tell you" said he, let us be
married immediately then you will come
home with me-" He had been reused.