Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-09-25
TheMysterious Portrait.

ll%u clltIhg TUOLu III q AohuOu
hos young lady was sitting in
an .asy chair, before a blazing
fipone dreary November after
no. Her hat and cloak lay
u,a the table beside her, and
fpn the eager, impatient glances
seturned toward the door at ev-
& sound of a footstep on the
larcase outside, i; was evident
nat she expected visitor.
At last the door opened and d
all, aristocraIic-looking young
man entered the room.
"Henry, what long time you
have been !" she exclaimed,
springing up from her seat.
"What news have you brought ?
What does your father say about
our-our marriage 2" hesitating
with the shyness Of bride at the
last word.
"Read for yourself Helen," re-
piled her husband. handing her
an open letter, and standing oppo-
site her, leaning against the mar
BILE mantlepiece, watching intent
ly the expression of her fair face
as she read;
"In marrying as you have done,
you have acted in direct opposi-
ton 10 my wishes. From this
day you are no longer my son, land
l wash my. hands of you forever"
Harry, why did you not tell
me of this hefore?" exclaimed
Helen, as she read the hard, cruel
words, looking up through her
tears into her husbands face.
"My, darling, what was there
to tell: How could L know that
my father would act in this hard
hearted manner? / knew that he
wished me to marry the daughter
of nobleman living near Hars-
ton Hall, and SO unite the two e5-
tates; but / had no idea he would
cast me off for obeying his wish.
And even if / had known it, he
added, fondly clasping his young
bride to his heart, and kissing
away the tears from her eyes, 81
should not have acted differently.
NV 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 serious
ly, "there is an end of your prom
ised shopping expedition into
Band street. You will have to do
without diamonds, now that your
husband is penniless outcast, in
stead of the heir to fifteen thou
sand pounds year"
"Hush Harry! Please don't
talk like that" she said, hurt at
his bitter tone. You know that
1t was not of diamonds and dress
I was thinking. But what are
you going to do, Harry 2" she
continued, laying her hand upon
his arm, and looking up sadly into
his pale, set face. you cannot
work for a living."a
"And why not work for a liv-
ing 2" he exclaimed in determin.
ed voice. Because L happen to
be the son of a baronet, Dorught
I'D and educated without any ideas
or knowledge of business? But |
will work for my living, and show
nv little wife that | am not quite
unworthy the trust and confidence
she reposed in me when she plac-
ed this little hand in mine," he
added, STOPPING to kiss the small
white had that rested so conhd-
ingly upon his arm.
It.was while pursuing his favor
lite study of oil paintings among
the famous galleries of nome that
Harry Marston wooed and won
Helen Tracy, governess In an
English family residing in Italy,
and the orphan daughter of an Of
ficer in the army. Before he had
known her a month, Harry, who
had been in Iove-or fancied him
self n love-with at least dozen
different young ladies in as many
months, felt that he had at last
met his fate.
Delighted at the idea of being
loved tor himself alone, he had
not told her of his real position,
and it was not until after the mar
riage ceremony was over that
Helen discovered that she had
married the eldest son Of baro-
net, and the heir to an estate pro-
ducing fifteen Thousand pounds a
year.
1t was no. without some inward
misgiving 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 Philip Marston,
that awaited him at his club on
his return 10 England with his
bride.
But full of confidence in his abil-
IL, To no nL.LLll b M golf and II .