The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-12-15

bnt with little delicacy of perception
the action at once aroused his curiosi-
ty.
"Aha, master painter" hc said, with
laugh, "let us see " hat il is that you
work at by yourself ill il steals away
your ewes and ears. Only one peepl"
With that, he laid his hand on the
frame, and, receiving no forbiding
woid from Carradine, turned it round.
The next moment he was loud in
praise.
"But who is it, Carradinc? If il is q
portrait tell me where to find the
original, and I will, if it is a seven days
Journey"
Carradine smiled.
eff myself knew where 10 find
such an original, should not be here
to tell you, my good friend" he answer
ed, evasively.
"Oh, a fancy SKETCH" said the other,
misled, as the artist had desired. l
might have saved myself the trouble of
asking. No real flesh and blood face
ever looked like that--thc more shame
to Nature, say? OF course You will
exhibit il Carradine?"
fNo," answered the painter, quietly.
mo" repated the other in surprise.
tBat, my dear fellow, you must or !
shd betray your, secret and you will
have swarm of visitors, worse than a
plague OF Egypt, let in upon you.
Carradine hesitated. A chance word
in lis freind's speech had suggested q
possibility that made his heart leap in
spite of sober reason.
You are right" he said. al shal,
seid the picture for exhibition. II will
be better So"
After his visitor had left him alone
again, Carradine bent long over his
easel gazing into the lovely, upturned
face, until il began to fade into the
gathering twilight.
"If-if!" he murmured TO himself
half unconsciousiy. "Hut 1t uaunot be
Yet will send it-and perhaps"
And so the picture was sent in due
time; and it seemed almost as if Cara
diue's soul had gone with it and drawn
him to follow. Hour after hour, and
day after day, he sat in the gallery
scrutinizing eagerly every face amit
the visitors, whom taste or fashion had
brought to look at the now celebrated
artisfs-latest success. Every night hi
went away unsatisfied, and every
morning he returned with hope spring
ing afresh in his heart.
Still the object of his search, what
ever it may have been, docs not ap
pear; and one day, discouraged a
last, he resolved to go no more on 81
irultless an errand. shutting himsel
in his studio, he began to paint, bu
strive ss he would, he could command
neither hand nor fancy. Finally, tiret
ofrepeated failure, he abandoned work
and yielded to the impulse which drew
his steps in the customary direction.
When he entered the small side room
in which his picture hung, he fount
but two persons within, young maj
and girl.
Carradine could not see the fac es O
these two, but, with an earnestnes
for which he was at loss to account
he followed their retreating figures a
they moved slowly toward his picture
But the next moment an exclamation
ofastonishment OF burst from the lips O
the young man.
"Why, here is your portrait, Leila
What does it mean? Who can tn,
painter bep"
With that, he hurried out to purchas,
catalogue. Carradine advanced quick
ly 10 the girl.
al am the painter" he said.
She turned and looked at him will
one steady gaze from those gloriou
eyes that had haunted his vision for 81
many years. Then she spoke:
"You painted that picture? Ant
howP"
"From remembrance" he answered
at was my only tribute to the little
Unknown princess who crowned me
once with roses. Does she, too, re
member it?" For a moment, boub
was In her face: but as he looked fixed
ly at her 1t vanished in certainty. A
smile just touched the bright lips.
at was you, then, on whom i forces
my roses2 A princess who gave away
honors unasked. How often hav'
wondered since"
ei,o stopped, turned to the canvass
and added abruptly, "But | was chill,
theni and here"
"Here you are woman" said Cara
dine, completing the unspoken sen
tence. 'It is SO hard 10 understand
The same power that kept the chill,
in my heart showed me into what sh
would ripen."
She did not look at him now, but a
the picture, as she asked in low voice
"And whom am | to thank for sucl
an honorf"
"My name is Hubert Carradine," h
answered, and cav at once that ii wa
no unfamiliar word to her. Gan,
yours9 Through all these years you
face has haunted me always, but you
name never knew"
She hesitated moment, then turne
TO him.
"You never knew my manner The
think of me still as you have though