The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1882-08-11

1
templated tho picture with melon-
choly look OF subdued pleasure.
She asked me to her house the
one that had been her father's--lc
SOC painting that she wished rue TO
copy. She would be at home the fol-
lowing day. Sho pressed something
Into my hand and left the house. II
was check for a hundred gulnoas.
spent a sleepless time that night, lay
Ing down plans for the future, revoIv-
lag hu ddred different schemes, and
through every vision created by my
'heated fancy tho pale faco and lumi
nous eyes OF the beautiful Laura came
forth 10 look upon me.
IL hgas two o'clock the next day
when called at her residence. She
received mo with great kindness,
and, after some conversation led the
way into the dining room, where
hung tae picture Of her late husband.
recognized IL Immediately but,
having looked upon It, my eyes
wandered TO the fair form beside mo,
and nay thoughts dwell ON that
strange union.
Mrs. Manvers Il do not think /
have called her by her husbands
name before seemed 10 guess at the
ideas that were passing through my
brain, aud said, half reproachfully,
rs something like sigh escaped
me
"ldc lesed nae siDce child. He
was my fathers dearest friend. Ho
became my husband / should like
to have a copy Of that portrait--if
not beneath your reproduced 10
ivory, that may wear II Ia a brace.
let, Us companion 20 that OF my
father taken IN hIs yeuih."
! slammercd somethin 4 IN reply,
aud rather 10 herself than mo she
added
"Love levels AL Ranks and years,
aud mon who eonJure idols in their
loved ones eyes de-er =, At least, AL
kindliness in rneniurJ."
She turned toward ne when she
had ceased speaking, and 1t struck
me she felt almost serry that she had
been led, "a IL were, - ar as u dis
cuss what she had the quickness 10
perceive ] regarded as ,criate. Sud.
denly changing the toa', of her voice,
shc said
81 viii send this portrait 10 New
Enan street tonight, Which | wish
the miniature To nt. v hen may
visit your studio ?''
ain four days IL will be done"
81 will see you then. Good bye"
She shook hands with me more
warmly than | expected, and re-
turned 10 my lodgings.
| executed her commission as she
babe me, but was dissatisfied witt
my work-it was not done con amore
[ Albeit the man was dead, could no
, dwell upon those features and thei
dellneament with the smallest shad
ow Of enthusiasm-the features OF tn
old man who had stepped In,
. thought, TO rob me OF my love.
, had no right to think thus
was wrong and | regretted II ofte
, afterward. But | could not, or q
least did not at that moment, attemr
3 TO conceal my feelings.
, MY task was flushed at the da
, appointed. had fitted the ivory IL
to the bracelet. l awaited her con
" ing. She came not.
The next day, aud the next, an
j. still no Mrs. Manvers--no message
Q | began 10 think she would not com
r at all. too out tho miniature OF he
( late husband. kissed the bracel,
a thousand times. / placed 1t ne1
my heart.
s A hundred times a day | looked I
it. | tried an old portrait OF mysC
r that had taken some years back
IS way of practice It fitted in the ov
,r frame exactly.
/ / fancied it on her arm. W
It pleased with the baable. She wou
never come now. 1t could not have
d better setting. placed it in my de-
for safety
a One day messenger came from III
sell square. Mrs. Manvers desired
At see me that morning. snatched I
re bracelet, in its little red morocco case
n il then was and hurried TO her house.
ir She was lying on the sofa in t
q drawing-room wrapped in shawls. s
70 had been seriously i'll /; she was bett
Ie now. She asked for the miniature.
d had been SO hurried by the summon
d SO startled at ever hearing from h
III again, that gave her the case witho
he a thought.
She opened it, and what wonder tf
I'd she started when she read The