St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-10-21

-
early life "the great Josiah" was bet
ter acquainted with the merits of "half-
and-half" than dry champagne. Mine
host has done his best and now Iwait
my guests. feel nervous and excited
why, can hardly tell; but confess
to myself that shall be glad when my
little symposium is over.
Here at last. They troop up stairs
into the large room where my lunch
con is spread. Mr.. Josiah is looking
very large to-day. There is an air of
jubilant triumph about him as he bus
ties about Nellie, assisting her in tax
ing off her wraps and saying "nOth-
ings" which are anything but ''sOft,"
as the great man expresses them. To
me his air is simply patrOnizing Mrs.
Spaulding is gracious as usual and
Mr.. Spaulding seems to regard the near
prospect of lunch with more evident
satisfaction than he does the prospect
of an artistic treat. Mr.. Blagden sug-
gests we had better step in to see the
picture-lunch has evidently its attrac-
tiOns for ''the great Josiah" But |
tell him wait DR.. Brooke, at which
announcement he subsidies. Then |
suggest to Miss Nellie that, with her
mothers permission, she may now have
the picture all to herself for momen
tary peep. Mrs. Spaulding, who is
ries of the manufacture of rhubarb jam,
readily consents.
Nellie follows me into the room
where my picture stands covered with
a crimson cloth on my easel. | close
the door and unveil it. Nellie glances
at it for moment, then, growing dead
ly pale, sinks, half-fainting-nOt into
my arms but into those of DR.. James
Brooke, who has opportunely come up
on the scene. In speechless astOnish
ment he gazes at me, but he, too, seems
as if he were going to repeat Nellie's
procedure as he glances at the picture.
"For heavens sake, Regy," says Jim,
in hOarse voice, "cOver that picture
upw
Nellie opened her eyes in IA moment
or two, which seemed to me like an
age. Jim had employed the interval
in fashion not unfamiliar to lovers, ]
believe. And when she did open her
eyes it was to clasp Jim around the
neck, and her words were few but de-
cided: "Jim, dear can never, never
marry that man | will do whatever
you wish me. But oh they tried me
SOP
What is it in my picture that has
perturbed the lovers and brought Mel
lie Spaulding to her sensesP Simply
the interior 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 a
newly made bride. The brides face is
Nellie's own; and the pOmpous bride
groom is Josiah Blagden, the artistic
treatment of whose waistcOat and chain
had cost me no end of pains. Behind
bride and bridegroom come the figures
of Mr.. and Mrs. Spaulding; and in the
dim distance the vicar is seen still
standing within the altar rails. But
the central figure, after the bride her
self, is the young man, pale, motionless
as statue, who stands in n pew and
whose ashy gaze is fixed on the bride.
The face of the man in the pew is that
of James Brooke. The picture tells its
own story to Nellie Spaulding. 1t
places the possibility of the future be-
fore her eyes as she had never dared to
picture it to herself. 1t reflects i'll all
its naked truth the fate to which
through her indecisiOn she may COM
NIT herself and Jim. And it tells its
story so well that art cOnquers diplO-
macy in decision and aids love in its
triumph over the great Josiah himself.
Footsteps on the stairs. | cover the
picture again. Nellie stands beside
DIR. Brooke; her cheek is pale, and
there are tears like dewdrops glisten-
ing in her eyes. The irOn-master
looms in the doorway. He takes in the
matter at a glance and frOwns darkly
at Jim and me.
As soon as Mr.. and Mrs. Spaulding,
who closely follow Josiah, have enter
ed the room, Nellie to my surprise
walks quickly up to her father and
takes his hand. Father" said she,
with a tremulOus yet decisive tone,
"you know the message you brought
me from Mr.. Blagden this morning
Give him my answer now. Tell him
that am going to marry DR.. Brooke
Now, it is my opinion that, had the
discarded Josiah at this moment held
his tongue, he might have got both Mr.
and Mrs. Spaulding to speak word
for him with Nellie. But, as it was, he
destroyed his own case at a blow.
Message from me P-and this is my
answer !" he said, in an angry voice
"Why, care nOwt-nOwt," he repeat
ed, bitterly, "abOut the matter.
guess it was the lass's father and moth
er that wanted to marry Josiah Blag
denis mOney-perhaps they wanted
some of it for themselves"
The rudeness and vulgarity which
marked the man came out unmistaka
bly, as he said these words and taking
his sisters arm i'll his, and casting /;
look of vindictive scorn at the doctor
and myself, he walked ont of the doc
with an ungainly strut which wa
meant for dignity and we saw th'
great Josiah no more.
Mrs. Spaulding was especially Gu
up by the parting fling of Josiah, as i
was she who had maneuvred the mat
ter thus far. Mr.. Spaulding, on tn
other hand, burst into a .jovial laugh
and, taking his daughters hand, place.
it i'll that of the doctor.
After all had left the studio but Nh
Spaulding the latter asked me to tel
him in plain terms how ! had brough
this abOut-fOr he had no doubt | wa
at the bottom of it. | uncovered til
picture, which Mr.. Spaulding-simple
easy-minded gentleman that he wa
scrutinized with his double eye glass
remarking to me that he did not quit
understand it all, but that it was won
derfully clever, and that JOsiah's ''wes
kit was as like as life"
In six weeks thereafter | ofiiciate,
as chest man" at Jim's marriage. A
the organist pealed forth the jubilan
StrainS of ManHaISSobu attn tla -;