The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-08-11

description Of the house to which he had
traced Mrs. George; and in half al hour
the half curious and half angry husband
stopped at the pretty cottage. All was
quiet about it; there was no appearance
of company; it looked almost deserted
in its wintry garden. An exceedingly
lovely woman, though evidently in frail
and failing health, opened the door for
him, saying:
"Yol want to see the signor, sar?"
"No; I wish to see Mrs. Downcs; she
is hore, believer"
"Ah, yes, she is here. If you will
please go up one stair. am 50 weak
and tired always"
She pointed to the stairs, and George
went thoughtfully up them. Half way
there was a little landing and IL door, and
there he heard IL strange, musical voice,
and then his wife's merry laugh to its
observation. It nettled George; he
| Knocked sharply, and before an answer
could be given opened tho door and
walked into the room.
ooh, George, how provoking! What
made you come, dear?"
His wife WAS sitting in all her bridal
finery on little elevated platform, and
Signor Sarts was putting tho last touches
to n lovely portrait of her.
"I mean it for your Christmas gift,
George, and you have peepcd before
hand. Is not that too bad?"
'mdeed it is, Emma"
But Emma was almost satisfied with
his peeping, so proudly and lovingly did
he take her home.
GLOW did you find me out, George?"
ooh, you are easy to find out, Emma.
Of course I knew if you went out in u
carriage that you got it ut Morrell's.
But how did you como to know this
Frenchman?"
"You think MI foreigners are French
men, George He is an italian, and so
is his beautiful wife. He came from
London to paint my Lord Bishop and
the cathedral, aud the signora was so
much better here that he resolved to
spend the winter in Yorkshire and. try
to mako enough to go to Italy soon. My
Lord asked me to have my picture done,
md papa paid for it in order to surprise
you. 1 think, George, dear, You had
better not let papa know you have
spoiled his surprise"
| George felt more and more sorry and
humiliated as he looked ir the pretty,
frank face, and thought how chcerfully,
after all, she had taken the forestallment
Of her Christmas secret.
"I will do rs you say, Emma. Has
the signor plenty of work?"
HE is painting many of the principal
ladies i'll the city. The bishop thinks
very highly Of him. Indeed, have seen
his lortlship there at nearly all my visits
George let the subject drop now as
quickly as possible to Emma; but he
talked II good deal about it--apd in no
very good temper-to his godfather
For once Mark had no excuse for his
suspicious. He WAS quite awcd by the
fact that he had dared to think wrong
of interviews which the bishop had M
ranged and honored with his presence
He had lost faith in his own penetration
regarding the Sex and George and Emma
were quietly ut some pains to convince
him that good and true women are the
rule and not the exception.
Though I cannot describe exactly how
it came about, [ know that the next
Christmas Mark was the gaycst old
bachelor i'll Ripon, and opened his fcsti-
val ball at Georges house with Signor
SarG's handsome sister-the very same
lady whom the bishop himself, very soon
aftcrward, made Mrs. Mark Ripon.