Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1882-10-19

| crlblclSm IN view OF the TACT that a
desperate encounter was taking place
on the shore Of the stream, and ad-
monished him lightly not to touch it if
he didn't want to bring a hornets nest
about his ears.
At another time he descanted upon
its merits as drop curtain, and this
time Tom was present, and was
astonished at the expression on his
face. / believe I then conceived for
the first time how utterly wrapped up
he was in his undertaking.
Hugh came back from Grierson's
shortly after this to remain for some
time, and he got to spending SO much
of his time at DR.. Thornborough's that
began to feel little apprehensiye,
for Hugh was fascinating fellow and
a worthy one, too, and Tom seemed as
If he could do nothing toward winning
Annie euntil that everlasting picture was
done. think he intended the picture
to win her at one grand sweep, as it
would win him fame and fortune.
Hugh's visits grew more frequent, and
he walked and rode with Annie in the
October evenings until thought it my
duty to warn Tom, but he was serene
as any of the lovely autumn days that
were going by.
One night toward the latter part of
the month he came to me, his eyes all
aglow with excitement that was almost
insanity, and whispered II think
one more evening will be the last on
the picture, and then I am going to
show it to her, and am going to tell
her what have kept locked up in my
breast, and tell what has inspired me
to do the work"
Success, my dear old friend" said
| |, as | shook his hand and retired with
an irrelevant yawn- something that
am ashamed of to this day.
Tom closed the doors and worked
alone the next evening, and 1 don't
think he retired at all that night.
| Coming in rather late the next after
noon / found Hugh occupying the
same position in front Of the picture
in which had surprised him on the
other occasion, with the brush again in
his hand. / glanced involuntarily at
the picture and then started back with
horror. This is what l saw aman as
large as dozen of the soldiers, holding
a fishing-pole much longer than any
tree on the canvas, appeared sit
ting serenely on top of the mount ain
angling in the river. The face bore a
rude resemblance to Toms, and the ef-
feet was grotesque in the extreme.
After accomplishing this Hugh had
turned his attention to the battle scene
IN the foreground, and had executed a
gross caricature of the goddess of lib
erty towering between the opposing
forces and composing "peace in the
name Of Hugh O'NeiIl' by means Of a
streamer issuing from her lips. Her
flowing robes had completely oblitera-
ted several of the central figures Of the
piece upon which poor Tom had de-
voted his greatest skill.
/ "She has accepted me, Fred, and /
feeluncommonly hilarious this evening.
I Won't Tom swear p
| I glanced at him savagely.
WHO has accepted you? you scoun-
drel! you villain! You-you-. 1t
will kill Tom, sure"
I actually wept with mingled pity
and rage.
"Who? Why, who should it be,
but Annie?"
| The DETACHMENT Of the picture be-
came a secondary consideration in a
moment. I picked up something that
my hand touched-I believe it was
a chair the intention, ]
think, Of throwing it at him,
with kind of idea Of protecting Tom,
but my arm fell powerless at my side,
for at that moment Tom himself
opened the door and entered the room
with Annie upon his arm-Tom with
such look Of supreme happiness upon
his face as shall never see again. He
looked at me and said:
Please uncover it, Fred"
/ choked down completely and
dropped into chair. tried not to
look at him when he saw the picture,
but couldn't help it. I expected him
to cry QUITO kill Hugh something,
scarcely knew what What he did
was to look at the picture, and then
from me to O'Neill, with an expression
that made my very soul dissolve with
4 pity. His gaze rested moment on
Hugh, and gradually he compre-
hended. I somehow expected to see
Hugh wither under the look, but his
eyes were upon Annie. He went to-
ward her presently, and what
you saw in their faces fin
ished the blow. Tom started
toward me and then turned
and went up to the picture and drew
Il the calico cover softly over it as he
would have drawn the pail over the
face Of the dead; walked slowly to
Annie and Hugh and said with the