Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-08-18

description of the house TO which he haC
traced Mrs. George; and in half an hom
the half curious and half angry husband
stopped at the pretty cottage. All was
quiet about it; there was no appearanc,
of company; it looked almost deserted
in its wintry garden. An exceedingly
lovely woman, though evidently in frai
and failing health, opened the door fol
him, saying:
''You want to see the signor, sar?"
mo; L wish to see Mrs. Downes; she
is here, / believer"
'Ah, yes, she is here. III you viii
please go up one stair. am so. weak
and tired always"
She pointed to the stairs, and George
went thoughtfully up them. Half way
there was little landing and door, and
there he heard strange, musical voice,
and then his wifes merry laugh to It's
observation. 1t nettled George; he
knocked sharply, and before an answer
could be given opened the door and
walked into the room.
ooh, George, how provokingl What
made you come, dear?"
His wife was sitting in all her bridal
tinery on little elevated platform, and
Signor Sarts was putting the last touches
to lovely portrait of her.
81 mean it for your Christmas gift,
George, and you have peeped before
hand Is not that too bad?"
Indeed it is, Emma. "
But Emma was almost satisfied with
his peeping, so proudly and lovingly did
he take her home.
"How did you find me out, George?'
"Oh, you are easy to find out, Emma.
OF course knew if you went out in a
carriage that you got it at Morrell's.
But how did you come to know this
Frenchman?"
''You think all foreigners are French
men, George He is an Italian, and so
is his beautiful wife. He came from
London to paint my Lord Bishop and
the cathedral, aud the signora was so
much better here that he resolved to
spend the winter in Yorkshire and. try
to make enough to go to Italy soon. My
Lord asked me to have my picture done,
and papa paid for it in order to surprise
you. l think, George, dear, you had
better not let papa know you have
spoiled 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 forestallment
VI IIer Chrtsrmas secret
II 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, l 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 a 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 penetration
regarding the sex, and George and Emma
were quietly at some pains to convince
him that good and true women are the
rule and not the exception.
Though cannot describe exactly how
it came about, l know that the next
Christmas Mark was the gayest old
bachelor in Ripon, and opened his festi-
val 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.