The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-10-21

anything but soft, as the great man
expresses them. To me, his air is simply
patronizing. Mrs. Spalding is gracious
as usual and Mr.. Spalding seems to re-
gard the near prospect of lunch with
more evident satisfaction than he does
the prospect of an artistic treat Mr..
Bladgen suggests we had better step in
to sea the picture lunch has evidently
It's attraction for " the great Josiah. .
But I tell him I wait DR.. Brooke, at
which announcement he subsidies. Then
/ suggnested to Miss Nelly that, with
her mothers's permission, she may now
have the picture all to herself for mo-
mentary peep. Mrs. Spalding, who is
deep with Miss Bladgen IN the mysteries
Of the manufacture of rhubarb-iam,
readily consents.
Nelly follows me into the room where
my picture stands covered with Grim
son cloth ON my easel. / close the door
and unYeii it. Nelly glances at it for
moment; then growing deadly pale sinks
half fainting not into my arms, but into
these Of DR. James Brooke, who has
most OPPORTUNITY come upon the scene
In speechless establishment he gazes at
me, but he too seems as if he were
going to repeat Nelly's procedure as he
glances at the picture. For heavens
sake, Regy, says Jim in a hoarse voice,
s"cover that picture up ~
Nelly opened her eyes in a moment OF
two. which seemed to me like an -ape
Jim had employed the interval In O fash
ion not unfamiliar to lovers, T believe.
And when she did open her eyes, it was
to clasp Jim around the neck, and her
words were few but decided Jim.
dear | can never, never marry that
mani | will do whatever you wish me to.
But oh they have tried me so r
What Is it IN my picture that has SO
perturbed the lovers, and brought Nelly
Spalding to her senses? Simply the in
t6@ior of the old church once again. A
ray of sunlight streaming through a
chink In the stained window falls on the
sad, pale, fearful face of newly-made
bride. The brides face is Nelly's own;
and the pompous bridegroom is Josiah
Blagden, the artistic treatment of whose
white waistcoat and chain has cost me no
end of pains. Behind bride and bride
groom comes the figures of Mr.. and Mrs.
Spalding and in the dim distance the
vicar is seen still standing within the al
tar rails. But the central figure after
the bride herself is the young man,
pale, motionless as statue, who stands
in pew and whose ashy gaze is fixed on
the bride. The face of the man in the
pew is that of James Brooke. The pic
ture tells it's own story to Nelly Spald-
ing. It places the possibility Of the fu-
ture before her eyes as she has never
dared to picture It to herself. 1t
reflects in all It's naked truth the fate to
which through her iudecision she may
commit herself and Jim. And it tells
its story SO we'll that art conquers diplo-
macy in decision, and aids love in its
triumph over the. great osiah himself
Footsteps on The stairs. cover the
picture again. Nelly stands beside DR..
Brooke her cheek is pale, and there
are tears like dewdrops glistening in her
eyes. The iron master looms in the
doorway. He takes in the matter at q
glance and frowns darAly at Jim aid
me.
AS soon as Mr.. and Mrs. Spalding,
who closely follow Josiah, have entered
the room, Nelly to my surprise walks
quickly up to her father and takes his
hand. 9" Father" said she, with trem-
ulous yet decisive tone, "you know the
message You brought me from DIR. Blag-
den this morning? Give him my answer
now. Tell him that I am going to marry
Dr. Brooke" @
Now, it is my opinion that, hal the
discarded Josiah at this moment held
his tongue. he might have got both Mr..
and Mrs. Spalding to speak word for
him with Nelly. But as it was he de-
stroyed his own case at blow.
I. {" Message from me ?-and this is my
answer T. he said in ON angry voice.
"Why, I'care nowt-ao3gt, he repeated
bitterly, about the matter. T guess it
was the lass's9 fRther and mother that
wanted to marry Josiah Blagden's money
perhaps they wanted some of it for
themselves.
The rudeness and vulgarity which
marked the man came out Enthusiastically
as he said these words; and taking his
sisters arm in his and casting look of
vlndictive scorn at the doctor and my,
self he walked out at the door with an
ungainly strut which was meant for dig
nifty and we saw the great Josiah no
more. Laa
Mrs. spalding was especially cut up
by the parting fling of Josiah, as it was
she who had manoeuvrod the matter thus
far Mr.. Spalding, on the other hand,
burst into joyial laugh, and taking his
daughters hand, placed it III That of
After all had left the studio but Mr..
Spalding, the latter asked me to tell him
in plain terms how I had brought this
about-for he had no doubt I was at the
bottom of it. [ uncovered the picture,
which Mr.. Spalding = SIMPLE. easy
minded gentleman that lie was-scrutin-
lied with his double eye-glass, remark
ing to me that he did not quite under
stand it at all, but that it was wonder.
fully clever, and that Josiah's "weskit
was as like as life"
In six weeks thereafter I oficiated as
best man at Jim's marriage. AS the
organist pealed forth the iubilant
strains Of Mendelssohn, after the wears
benediction had been. given, aud Nelly,
radiant and beautiful, passed down the
aisle.on her husbands arm, I could not
help rejoicing In the success of what is
now No, 329-A Wedding March,
though the faces in the picture as ex.
hibited are slightly disguised. and Mr..
Josiah,s vest has been shorn Of certain
of its distinctive peculiarities.
That IS the romance which, rs I told
you at the outset, hangs round the pic,
ture which in the Academy cata-
logue was numbered 'f329-A Wedding
March. y Chambers Journal.