The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-12-03

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"We'll call at Mount Grove on our way
home" Mount Grove was the residence
of Mr.. Spalding; and two o'clock found us
at the gate of nice villa residence over
looking the river, and standing within its
own nicely kept grounds.
We were ushered into the drawing-room
where we found assembled certain persons
whom Jim had not expected to see. Mr.
Spalding received me courteously, as also
did Mrs. Spalding Miss Nelly greeted ME
most cordially, adding that she was much
pleased to make the acquaintance of Dr.
Brooke's old friend of whom he so often
spoke. In addition to the family-circle OF
three, it was clear there were strangers
present. These latter were Josiah Blagden
and sister. Mr.. Blagden did not impress
me favorably He was stout, forid-com-
plexioned man, remarkable for the extreme
breadth of his white waistcoat and for the
profusion of jewelry displayed thereon.
"a safe man, my dear sir; very safe
man. said Mr.. Spalding to me at lunch.
"Why [ suppose his turnover is about halt
million a year-the iron trade, you know, y
added the old gentleman, by way of ex-
planning that Mr. Blagden was one of the
metal-kings of Eng gland.
As we drove home from lunch that day
Jim was strangely depressed. [ guessed
his thoughts pretty accurately for he burst
out in TRADE against Mrs. Spalding on
our arrival at home.
IL shouldn't wonder, Regy," said he,
IF that fellow Blagden has been invited
down here as suitor for Nelly. He's a
friend of Mrs. Spalding's, [ know, for she
herself comes from the BLACK Country"
Jim's state of mind, from the moment
he broached this theory, may be better i'm
agined than described. For the next three
weeks I am bound to say that his temper
was well-nigh unendurable. One evening
at dinner at Mount Grove felt half afraid
he was going to infict personal chastise-
ment upon Mr.. Blagden; feat [ should
have much rejoiced to have seen skillfully
performed, after the iron-masters coarse
invectives against the medical profession,
which had been called forth during some
argument concerning doctor fees. Nelly
attitude towards Jim appeared to have I'M
dergone no perceptible change. She was
loving and gentle as before; but | fancied
that Mrs. Spalding contrived dexterously y
to keep Miss Blagden and Nelly as fire.
quently together as possible; and thus jim S
tete-a-tetes were reduced to a miserable
minimum. Worst of all, as Jim remarked
to me one day, Nelly had confessed that her
step-mothcr had on more than one occasion
limited that Mr. Blagden's visit and stay
were not solely prompted by friendship to
her parents Mrs. Spalding was, in other
words, clever woman, playing nice little
game of diplomacy, and while keeping on
the most friendly terms with Jim, was, to
my mind, furthering her own aims and ideas
of matrimonial alliance for Nelly with the
elderly iron-founder | know that most of
my readers will say that Miss Spalding
should have settled the matter for herself,
and have given Mr. Blagden to understand
that his attentions were unwelcome and
hopeless But as | remarked before, we
are not all cast in one mould, and the most
loving natures may sometimes be coerced
by what seems to be their duty, into self
sacrifice of the most unreasonable kind, and
which can only entail misery in the end.
So things went on at RockhamptOn, with
diplomacy at Mount Grove, and despair at
No. If High street, where DIR. James
Brooke announced his willingness to relieve
the afflicted daily from ten to eleven A. NJ,
and from six to eight P. NJ. | had been
sitting cogitating over matters one evening
at the Red Lion-Jim having been called
to a distant part of his parish-when an
idea, founded, ] believe, on quotation
from an old French author, occurred to me.
The quotation was to the effect, that when
moral suasion fails from any cause to change
an opinion, it is lawful to appeal to the
most trivial of our emotions" Happy
idea thought l. [ shall see whether or
not | can work it out to the advantage OF
DIR. James Brooke and-shall add it p
to the confusion of Josiah Blagden, Esquire.
Nv plans were then rapidly matured.
Morning, noon and night find me busy in
the old church. [ am hard at work on a
canvass in which the interior of the ediice
grows under my brush day by day. There
are no sounds of the ''Kyrie" now nor are
the iubilant strains of Mendelsohn heard,
as on a bright sunny day not so far gone
by. Nelly does not come to practice her
old favorites as of yore Blagden, know,
hates music; and painters, as he once ex-
pressed tin shocking bad taste-are
usually "a seedy lot" | remember Mr..
.Josiah's white vest and cable chain, with
enough appendages attached thereto to have
set up small jeweller in a thriving way of
business. The aisle and gallery of the
church are now complete in my picture. L
paint it as | sit in the aisle; in the dis
tance you can see the altar and chancel ;
and the vicar, who looks in upon me occa-
sionally, says it is as like as can be. He Is
curious. however, to know the nature OF
the figures | have sketched roughly in.
There is group passing down the aisle
from the altar-rails where the vicar can still
be seen at his post; and there is figure
standing alone and solitary in pew, as if
facing the advancing party. The vicar
cannot quite fathom the design. The
church he can understand but the mean
ing of the picture puzzles him. bid him
wait patiently for the solution of the mys-
terry.
When my study of the church was COM
pleted, | went home to the Red Lion, and
there I painted in my figures. There was
little need for models, for my sketch-book
was full of studies. Turning to my pic
ture, now progressing rapidly, find that
there are heads of two elderly men, and
there is a careful sketch of young man S
face likewise. There is fair girls face
and matronly countenance, and another
face which seems not unlike that OF Miss
Blagden At last, my task is completed.
The picture is mere study, but Is a
careful study withal The old church you
recognize at glance; the figures
Well, we shall see.
The vicar has been busily spreading a
report that have been painting pictures
IF the church. and there is curiosity to see