The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1881-10-25
A Romance Of the Marshes.

77e1T-a---- -9--7T ~ I-a9 --I-i7s /
A Romance Of the Marshes.
Papa had bought the Marshes, so we
-he and Dell, and Dick. and T-broke
up housekeeping in New York andtra1s-
ferred our servants, horses, Steiuway
and Queen Anne furniture, down to the
grand, desoIate, romantic old place, that
had been in the market for several
months. s is
We had not always been rich. InfI
that respect fate had grown suddenly
kind. - =
Rita" papa said. as we had almost
reached our destination, ''the old house,
keeper who had lived with the former
owners has made an application through
Davis, asking to be reinstalled. ! knew
YOU disliked overlooking the servants
so of course consented"
1t was partially furnished, this new
home Of ours-a queer, rambling bar
rack of asplace. Everything about the
house was of the ponderous, solid, good
old fashioned style. / liked it, that
grand, low-ceiled, romantic old mansion,
filled as it was with spidery, breadneck
staircases, huge fre-places; all kinds of
inaccessible shelves and inches, and
rooms round, octagon aud baywindow,
ed. An honest, undeformed square
room there was not in the house
The first day in q strange place! 1t
has a hint of sadness, a vista OF hope,
intense curiosity and feverish unrest
l sent the twins sout for drive, and
worked harder than any servant in the
house-unpacking, exploring, hanging
pictures, exhnming hooks, posing stat
uettes and issuing directions. rii,aa
There was no necessity for my exer-
.tions, but was trying to work off q
miserable little pain at my heart, think
ing physical labor the best panacea for
mental ailment UI se,r is
l liked the housekeeper the moment
l saw her-liked her with tile impulsive,
illogical fancy Of a. girl Of eighteen
She was little old woman, in a soft,
dark cashmere ami snowy cap. Her
cheeks we're round and rosy, CONTRAST
ing strangely with her white hairs Ial
manner she was childlike and unassum.
ing. e sh iil
/ heard Dick and Dell come shouting
in for their supper, so | shut my self into
my own room, out Of hearing of their
noise. aud, drawing chair to the vim
dow, had good, long, lonely cry.
Fur ] was thinking of Valentine
deaNold Val. He was my brother--my
senior by eight years. 1se
Our mother had died when the twins
were ayear old, but we were blessedly
happy together, even when times were
hardest. 81
"Flush or broke, its all serene, isn't
Il, Kta?" va. would cry, cheerily.
And then he'd contrive to selta pic
ture, and we'd ell go the theatre to tor
get our sorrows in the sad, sweet tale Of
old Verona, or laugh dull care away
with kind Bob Acres. s.
Val was an artist-not merely paint
er, but an artist in the truest sense of
the word. with the hand of q magician
and the soul of poet
This summer two years ago be had
left home on q sketehing tour He had
been gone over . snonfh when our good
luck, in the shape of q bequeathed for.
tnpo com IN uo ,-.fs
Papa telegrapl,ed to Val, and he came
home that evening. What passed be-:
tween them did not know till months
sitter. There was a long interview in
the studio, the sound Of raised. passion
ate voices; then the door opened and
slammed and Valswas gone. ~.
Papa dashed into the parlor, white as
death. val's picture hung on toe wall
-Vaps handsome, boyish face, with its
crisp chestnut curls and frank blue eyes,
that laughed cheerlly out on the whole
world! He tore 1t down, and with one
fierce stamp of his foot destroyed the
bright-pictured face. = e w
s'By his own free will he is reducing
US again to poverty = papa cried, his
eyes blazing. "Never let me hear his
name again-never!- He is dead to us
forever!" sSs& B8tffss
About six weeks after, papa said to
me that the fortune he had thought lost
was by fate restored to us, and that we
we're wealthy indeed sss
The winter passed, summer bloome1
and faded, and we heard no word from
Val. Winter came drearily again. and
papa took magnificent house on Fifth
avenue. All that wealth could give was
mine. but sadly, sadly did l miss my
brother. s,,f
1t was Christmas Eve-a white, Bit
ter, snowy, CHEEKY, Christmas Eve. !
was sitting in nay own little study. a
veraadah ran along outside the low
French window that looked ont on .
side street.. The curtains were looped
far back, and the red light of the Gre
and the mellow glenn ofsthe gssligit
streamed out'on the snow. < s92
Turning suddenly l was startled to
see face pressed against the glass-a
white, thin face, with wild, frightened
eyes 2 zi 'asA - a7aeEs4t
+ II was Val I had been thinking 90
much about him / was not surprised to
see him Without cry or token OF as
tonishment I quietly locked the door,
opened the window, and he came in
He was blue with the cold, and misera-