Daily Kennebec journal., 1882-04-26
Gales ano Skettbes.
At faE LAST HeuR.
BY EDGAR fAwcETT.
Continued from Yesterday

May sun was streaming through one H1
| It's dormer windows with a glaring.
| crimson effect. The strange little black
figure took lurid vividness as it stood
| in the young artists open doorway. She
| stared upon him for some little time. while
he. having addressed polite question To
her, stood with his hani on the door-knob,
answering her keen. wistful look 10y one
| OF surprise.
Il was a friend Of your fathers" she
| said. walking past him across the thresh-
| hold. My name is Mrs. De Peyster. !
have come to look at your pictures. and
| 10 buy some-if you will let me-
The first words had a rasping austerity
of tone, which really disguised severe in
ward feeling. but the final senienre. alb
rupily spoken. was full Of conciliating
| genileness.
The young man, who had n dark. strong
face. and Il tall. alert figure, slowly fol-
lowed Mrs. DE Peyster into the studio.
II scarcely remember my father" he said.
..IIe died when was very young
There was silence. "You are the i'm
age Of what he was at yOur age" said
the old lady. She held out her hand; it
was so wiIhered that The black glove clung
about it in creased looseness. "Will YOU
shake hands with me ?" she said. There
was pathetic qniver in her voice.
..Indeed I will" said the Young man,
int nily compliant. Mrs. De P.ysier re-
tained the hand that now met hers. II
am very rich" she said. II want you to
1T me help you. II you refuse. it will he
real sorrow tn me. The whole
affair happened so long agn. and am
such an old woman now, that there can
\ -. t.,II
loved your father when we both were
Young, IL was the misfortune of my life
that did not marry him. ="
About two weeks later there rose an
immense nutter among The lit le t'lro1g
Gf relatives who were wont to paw Mrs.
De Peyster their dutcous forInightly visit.
Their kinswoman had suddenly taken a
young painter under her projections he
had been known to visit her house at all
hours in the day; they had driven out to-
grther; Mrs. De Peysier frequently visit
ed his studio At length came the pierre
ing piece of intelligence that the protege
hui transferred his residence to that of
Mrs. De Peyster. Matters began TO look
terribly serious. The agi'ated relatives
consulted each other in distressed con-
clave LYDIA De Peyster was an i'm
1lltUrtIt Iit1 oiu WOiilftI- anu litlIiCllotiN
rich old women sometimes did very ex-
traordinary things. Finally. the ancient
story Of her love-affair with the other
Morris Lindley became known and talked
about; there were il few people yet living
who knew TO what special musty niche Of
the past it had~been consigned, and drew
it forth for modern observance.
The iln,ter decpened among the band
Of, ,.1., sod in
presenting the subject To Mrs. De Peyster
herself. hut still it was at length discreefly
brought forward. She silenced all inquiry
by haughiily changing the subject. Those
OF her heirs who possessed Il despondent
turn felt certain that she meant to leave
her new iavorite everything; but the
majority were more hopeful, and held Il
less narrowing belief.
Summer passed, and before the earlier
weeks Of autumn the change in Morris
Lindley's surroundings had taken more
positive signs. Whether Mrs. De
Peysier had herself brought this
change about, with that easy pow
er of wealth and name which Years
of social retirement could not shake. or
whether l.indleys frightened prospects
We're alone responsible Tor it. would be
difficult To say But certain it is that the
artist found himself gradually engirt by
new world of associations. Doors were
opened to him by IN abrupt. facile magic
which at first astonished and then amused
him. lie had consented to dwell with
Mrs. DE Peyster because the absolute
piihoS of her sudden iondncss for his So
ciety had touched his sensitive and kindly
soul but he had trespasscd no further
upon her willing liberality. and had ac-
cepted no aid from her save that which
she had chosen to dispense rs an art
patron. while at the same time he permit
ted, under this title, no over generous
manifestations.
Lindley was Young and light-hcarted.
He was of the sort for whom the world
obstin;iely remains Il very pleasant place
in spite of many circumsanial rebuffS
But now he enJnyed being somcb"dy of
Importance with u zest that doubtless
made him only the more attractive, height
cning his popularity in the circles among
which he moved. lie had lived abroad
for many years, his mother having been
an Englishwoman; on her death he had
come tn New York. finding there cold
reception from certain rather distant rela-
livcs of his father. As IN artist he had
undoubted merit; though his nature could
never employ that sinewy steadiastnrss
of industry by which !, talent can nova
days alone push itself clearly into the
| front ranks OF success.
Mrs. De peyster watched his content
ment with IN almost greedy pleasure
Her dull life was balhed in sunshine. !
she had not forgotten her long hate, it,
recollection at least slumbered. He
visits upon Mrs Grosvenor grew less an,
less frequent. p, rhaps she spoke certain
words 10 her relatives that showed de
sire to have them extend their courtesie,
toward Morris Lindley. and that carried
Immediately on their utterance. the weigh
of II sovereign command. However ihi,
may have been, Lindley soon found him
self in the midst of all these people. he
sides being repeatedly entertained by Mrs
Grosvenor and her charming grand
daughter. Pauline.
No mother ever loved son with NOR
vigilant fondness than that which Mrs
De Pey ster now lavished upon Lindlev
His goings and comings were the events
of her life. and his conversation wa
precious to her beyond expression. Al
alteration. uneNplainable We. potent
seemed to have cast its influence owe