The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-10-07


! There Is fair girls face and a matronly
countenance, and another face which
seems not unlike that of Miss Blagden.
At last, my task Is completed. The pic
ture is mere ''study," but it is a care
| full study withal. The old church YOU
recognize alta glance; the figures-well,
We shall see.
The vicar has been basily spreading
report that L have been painting pictures
of the church. and there is curiosity TO
see them. L now propose that one fine
day n very few of my Rockhampton
| friends shall comes TO see my work. The
! circle is very select. ! have invited only
| Mr. and Mrs Spalding, the great Josiah,
| Miss Blagden and Jim. | contrive, with
a diplomatic cunning for which l have
| not before given myself credit, that
| Nelly Spalding shall be admitted to q
I private view She--8ersef has been Ssa
anxiety to see the picture, and pretend
that by great favor she shall see it before
any one else. Mine host of Red Lion
has prepared nice little luncheon, even
| to some dry Pommery, which ''the great
! Josiah as l have been accustomed to
! call him, possibly from the magnitude of
| his waistcoats-says he dotes upon. l
make malicious and unkind but per-
| fectly just mental suggestion that in
early life Z" the great Josiah was better
! acquainted with the merit of % 'alf-and-
ALI" than dry champagne. Mine host
has done his best; and now l wait my
/ guests. / feel nervous and excited
| why, can hardly tell but l confess TO
myself that shall be glad when my lit
! tie symposium is over.
Here at last They troop upstairs
into the large room where my luncheon
IL II
large to-day. There is an air of iubilant
triumph about him as he bustles about
| Nelly, assisting her in taking off her
wraps and saying nothings which are
anything but soft, as the great man
| expresses them. To me, his air Is simply
| patronizing. Mrs. Spalding is gracious
as usual and Mr.. Spaldlng seeTps 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 see the picture-lunch has evidently
its attraction for " the great Josiah.
But I tell him 1 wait DR. Brooke, at
which announcement he subsidies. Then
/ sugguested to Miss Nelly that, with
her mothers's permission, she may now
have the picture all to herself for a mo-
mentary peep. Mrs. Spalding, who is
deep with Miss Bladgen in the mysteries
of the manufacture OF rhubarb-jam,
readily consents.
Nelly follows me into the room where
my picture stands covered with a Grim
son cloth on my easel. / close the door
and unveil it. Nelly glances at 1t for "a
moment then growing deadly pale sinks
half-faintlng not into my arms, but into
those OF Dr. James Brooke, who has
most opportuuely come upon the scene.
In speechless astonishment 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
Nelly opened her eyes in a moment or
two, which seemed to me like an age.
| Jim had employed the interval in a fash
ion 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 decided Jim
| dear L can never, never marry that
| man | will do whatever you wish me to-
| But oh they have tried me so 20
What is it in my picture that has so
/ perturbed the lovers, and brought Nelly
! Spalding to her senses Simply the in
| terror 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 Nelly's own
aud 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 stlll 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 its own story to Nelly Spald-
ing. 1t places the possibility of the fu-
ture before her ewes as she has never
dared to picture it to herself. It
reflects in all its naked truth the fate to
which through her indecision she may
commit herself and jim. Aud it tells
its story so we'll that art cOnquers diplo
macy in decision, aud aids love in its
triumph over the great Josiah himself
Footsteps on the stairs 1 cover the
picture again. Nelly stands beside DIR.
Brooke her cheek is pale, and there
are tears like dewdrops glistening IN her
ewes. 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. SpaldinR,
who closely follow Josiah. have entered
the room, Nelly to my surprise walks
quickly up to her father and takes his
hand Father" said she, with trem-
ulous yet decisive tone, "you know the
message you brought me from Mr.. Blag-
! Al. l.
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. Spaldmg to speak word for
him with Nelly But as it was he de
stroyed his own case at a blow.
Message from me ?-and this is my
| answer - he said in an angry voice.
"Why, L care nowt-noiOt, he repeated
bitterly, about the matter. / guess it
was the lass's father 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 unmistakably
as he said these words and taking his
sisters arm in his and casting a look of
| NlnOlcUNe ScOfn ab tue uCcIoT ana my
self. he walked ont at the door with an
ungainly strut which was meant for dig
nifty; and we saw the great Josiah no
more.
Mrs. Spalding was especially cut mp
by the parting fling of Josiah, as it was
she who had maneuvred the matter thus
far. Mr.. Spalding, ON the other hand,
burst into a jovial laugh, and taking his
daughters hand, placed it in that of
DIR. Brooke.
After all had left the studio but Mr..
Spalding, the latter asked me to tell him
| in plain terms how / had brought this
about-for he had no doubt was at the
bottom of it. | uncovered the picture,