The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-11-05
THE WEDDING MARCH.
AN ARTISTS STORY.

AN ARTISTS STORY.
"No. 329-A Wedding March" Such !
was the number and naue Of picture |
in the academy OF certain year which
shsll, for polite and personal reasons,
be left undesignated. The picture was
one Of my painting; and !, Reginald /
Tracy, had been fortunate enough to
attain three very important ends by its
production. Firstly, it was deemed ex-
cellent enough by the hanging commit
tee to be placed on the line, and it faced |
you in very prominent manner as you
entered room No. Y. Secondly, this
prominent position secured TO. my
picture large share of attention which |
resulted in its fin ing a purchaser
almost as soon ss the exhibition doors
opened But thirdly, it served the
actual purpose for which I painted it,
and-which led me to choose my subject.
That purpose involved Just the least bit
of romance; and although the clever
critics praised the picture and even
tinted lat Mr.. Tracy had been sin
= gplurly fortunate In his treatment OF a
somewhat unusual and difficult theme"
etc., not one of them so much as
guessed that it was a picture with a
purpose. As the sequel may serve to
show, that purpose sprang from and
ended in what I am pleased to call my
little romance.
TWAS charming day, that on which
I went to Rockhampton 10 sketch the
water-meadows, and to see my old friend
DR.. James Brooke-Jim, generally
called him-who had settled as prac
ti.ioner in that town. The whole place
was STEPPED In sunlight and the deep
shadows cast by the old houses In the |
narrow streets by the waterside re-
manned one q noting ssss sepHeh & aSssaI q sss
eaasa;sss sssest rUWns where Rembrandt mus
have learned the special art that bear
the impress of his genius to day. Th
old church of Rcckhampton is fine bi
OF Norman architecture. Rising archi
tects declare that there are no pure
pillars Of that style, or better preserved
arches, with their queer faces squeezed
into the corner thereof, and whicl
seem to impress the Rockhampton iu
7enlles on Sundays quite as much as til.
service. Passing through the church
yard, found myself at lastat the church
With Little hope of finding the dool
open Lifted the latch, when at once il
yielded to my touch. As passed within
the green baize doors within the porch,
heard the sound of the organ; so
stealing quietly into the grateful shade
and GOODNESS OF the church, ensconced
myself in the biggest pew I could
6nd and listened. How soothing was
the effect OF the music and surround
ing on that glorious day! I could not
see the PLAYER, who was concealed
BY the curtains in front of the organ
loft, but lntuitirely guessed it was 8
lady who played. I imagined that only
woman's delicate touch could have
made that "Kyrie" speak in these
tones; and there was more gentleness
than power in the "Stabat mater' into
which the player glided. Then I re-
member the "Wedding March" suc-
ceeded; and 8. Ter half an hours private
hearing of the masters I quietly slipped
out of the church, once again into the
glad sunlight that played around the
graTesfones and made the world so
fairto see.
After lunching at my hotel, the Red
Lion, I went to see Dr.. Jim. It ap-
peared that the fair player of the church
was o Miss Spalding, and the only
daughter of well-to-do and retired
merchant who had settled at Rock
hampton some eighteen months before
and Jim, I found, had been paying his
addresses to the young lady. Her
father had married for the second time
and had 'hus gwen Miss Spaldinc q
stepmoiher. The old gentleman. as
Jim called him, wss an easy-goire man.
Slnd-hearted in every way, generous to |
q fault, and looked kindly enough on
I'r. Jim's suit. But as to Mrs. Spald-
g, Jim pronounced a decidedly un-
favorable opinion. She was an sm-
bilious, and, as he expressed it, schem-
ing woman, who thought that Nelly
should look somewhat higher than DR.,
Brooke, Of Rockhampton-and that she
should at least marry money-with
which latter commodity Jim was, of
course, as young doctor OF course, by
no means overburdened. Without
actually diseouraging Jim's attentions,
Mrs: Spalding made things decidedly
unpleasant for the lovers. Mr.. Spald-
ms, good, easy man, was completely
under the dominion Of his wife. Hence.
Jim confessed, he was in 8 somewhat ,
unsettled state of mind.
You see, Regy," said Jim, "Nellv
WILL not disobey her parents in anv
WY: That she cares for me- she has {
confessed to me more than once. But ]
when l press her to consent to be mar ,
RED at once, and to make me happy. ,
she won't hear of it,
"My dear Jim," I responded, in my :
new-found capacity OF guide, counselor t
and friend, "she is not the first eirl $
who has had to struggle between love t
and duty; or at least what she conceives y
to be her duty" :
"She is so thoroughly conscientious" !
replied jim, "that fear even to press i.
her to take the step which would make c
me happy man for life. When I ask +;
her In my despair whether she will ever
choose between her stepmotler's wishes o
and my love, she implores me not to Il
iempt her; and so" added Jim, s'hersI o.
am, miserable as need be-" o,
All this interested me e1ceediuply. b.
X .3,s' s