The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1879-10-09

ding in them
He turned round impa.ienuy, went
back to Mark Ripon, an got an accurate
description OF the house 20 which he had
traced Mrs. George; and in half an hour
the half-curious and hslf-angry husband
stopped at the pretty cottage. All was
quiet about it, there was no appearance
of company, it looked almost deserted
in its wintry garden.
An exceedingly lovely woman, though
evidently in frail and failing health,
opened the door for him, saying, in an
inquiring voice, You want the signor,
sari'
No, l wish TO see Mrs. Downes; she
is here, believer
'Ah, yes; she is here. III you will
please to 60 up one stair. 1 am 30 weak
and tired always
She pointed to the stairs, and George
went thoughtfully up them. Half way
there was little landing and a door,
and here he heard strange musical
voice, and then his wife's merry laugh
at its observation. 1t nettled George;
he knocked sharply, and before an an
swer could be given opened the door
and went into the room.
'Oh, George, how provokingl What
made you come, dearP'
His wife was sitting in all her bridal
finery on little elevated platform, and
Signol Sarti was putting the last touches
to a very lovely portrait of her.
Il meant it for your Christmas gift,
George, and you have peeped before.
hand. Is not that too badP'
Indeed it is, Emma But Emma
was almost satisfied with his peoping,
so proudly and lovingly did he take her
home.
How did you find me out, Georgep
'Oh, you are easy to find out, Emma.
OF course 1 knew if you went out in a
carriage, that you got the carriage at
Morril's. But how do you come to know
this Frenchman9'
You think all foreigners are French
men, George. He is an Italian, and 80
is his beautiful wife. He came from
London to paint my lord bishop and
the cathedral, and the signora was 80
much better here that he resolved to
spend the winter in Yorkshire, and make
enough to take her home to Italy in the
spring. My lord asked me to have my
picture done, and papa paid for it in
order to surprise you. 1 think, George
dear, you had better not let papa know
you have spoied his SURPRISE
George felt more and more sorry and
humiliated as he looked in the pretty,
frank face, and thought how cheerfully,
after all, she had taken the forestall-
ment of her Christmas secret.
Il will do as you say, Emma. Has
the signor plenty of work.
He is painting many Of the principal
ladies in the city. The bishop thinks
very highly of him. Indeed, I have
seen his lordship there at nearly all my
visits.
George let the subject drop now as
quickly as possible to Emma; but he
talked good deal about it-and in no
very good temper-to his godfather.
For once Mark had no excuse for his
suspicious. He was quite awed by the
fact that he had dared to think wrong of
interviews which the bishop had ar
ranged and honored with his presence.
He had lost faith in his own penetra-
tion regarding the sex, and George and
Emma were quietly at come pains to
convince him that good and true women
are the rule, and not the exception.
And though 1 cannot describe exactly
how il came about, 1 know that the
next Christmas Mark was the gayest old
bachelor in Ripon, and opened the ball
at Georges house with Signor Sarti's
handsome sister-the very same lady
whom the bishop himself, very soon
afterward, made Mrs. Mark Ripon.
Harpers WceklU,