, 1880-07-30
"T don't know. Do You never have
Impulses that you feel compelled to obey
nnainsh unnr nun will y


IL do, often and then I don't feel
like myself 1t il as though another
spirit were within me, urging Inc on"
7 f"Absurd p j began to feel somewhat
inpatient at her weakness.
II know it is foolish, yet | cannot
help it I wish l could" she sighed
1t had been Judge B. S intention to
remain but few days in Blackwater,
yet a sudden, and violent rainy spell,
such as at certain seasons these regions
are subject to, protracted our stay. The
roads we're impossible, we were told, and
the streams overfowedSeverywhere. '
Laura wandered .dreamily about the
house, and talked but little yet once
or twice a remark of hers struck both
Mrs Whiting and myself-especially
when once in our own room, turning
suddenly ID the wall behind her, she
said r.,.,.,,- -. Ia
''It seems to me that there ought to
be door here il that there has been
one"
"My father walled up the door before
I was born" replied Mrs. Whiting. 81
suppose. Aunt Alma 4. mentioned it to
you"
Laura made no reply, yet | knew that
Aunt Alha, the old negress who attend
ed on US, had not given her any such in
formation. .9
!, 19nn Che day. following, the rain ceased
as suddenly as it had CONC on, and Che
sun shone out Gtfully Laura was
tired of the confinement of the house,
and despite remonstrances concerning
damp andstaking cold, she wrapped her.
self in a shawl, donned rubber over
shoes and strolled down to the brldg Be-.
Mrs. Whiting watched her moment
from the window. On
"'sHer father said she did not person
ally resemble any of our family-of the
Writings, mean; but | think she does,
and very strongly. Ii is strange how
family likeness will show itself, even
after the lapse Of several generation ms.
Come up stairs with me, my dear l.
have something to show YOU" TL6 i,.
She led the way to gloomy attic,
where pulling out from heap of dis
carded furniture tattered canvas on a
broken frame, she brought it to the
window and carefully wiping off the
thick dust, she turned it to the light =
I'll aWonderful n was nv involuntary
exclamation. "Why, it is Laura-Lahra
'herseIfifI BYf @sI)0)Eb non
0One would think 50, The. features,
the color Of the hair eyes, and pale
dark, eomple4ion--but most of all, l.
think, something strange and dreamy in
the expression-thesea are all the counter.
psrts Of laura B. ~ esssss-sa.s''szs-
It was SO. The resemblance grew
snors upon ne, ,as looked
"This is the portrait Of Honoria Whit
ing, daughter Ct the Whiting who built
this house, sort Of black sheep in the
family Here ! wondered j, she was
aware that she was using the words that
Judge B--had playfully applied to
his daughter II know nothing Of the
particulars, however. My parents never
spoke Of XhervinR discussing our family
history. The picture has been,s as long
as I can remember, slowed away in this
room, with one or two others in an
yaqhally dilspidated condition. We have
q good deal of rubbish here and there,
you perceive; worn-out cabinets, broken
china, chests full of old crumbling man
uscripsA 1.-The Accumulated rubbish OF
more than a century. ! have sometimes
thought of burning them ALL but my
husband has a sort Of reluctance to such
step, I suppose it will be done, how
ever, by the next owner. We are child
less, and our nearest relative and prob
able heir is young man now in Califor
MA NOT rectdescendant of the Whit
ings and who will not, therefore, attach
any importance to. those worthless objects" "
"Let me have this picture" 1 said i'm
ipulsiyely, ''since you do not value it. 1t
will serve me not only as family relic,
but as Laura's portrait, a,l b1n 30 q
'-Certainly---though it is little more
tlan rag. Only the face has escaped,
| took the picture down stairs to my
room, Carefully sewing up the rents in
the canvass, / commenced cleaning away
the accumulated dust and mould. /
was Stili thus engaged when the ball
rang for our early tea, and 1 answered
the summons Il Was almost dark "a !
descended ths supper room.
sWhere i Lsura r inquired our hos