Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1882-12-02

SdEESuIhe, turned iC rouni- ne ueAt
moment he was loud in praise.
"Bat who is it, Carradine2 II it is 4
portrait tell me where to hnh the origiHsl.
and will, ii il is a seven days Journey. >
CarraGine smiled.
"If myself knew where so hnd such
an original should not be here 10 tell
you, my good friend" ," he answered, eyas-
lively.
"Oh, fancy SKETCH" said the other,
msled, as the artist had desired. u mish;
have saved myself the trouble Of asking.
No real flesh and blood face ever looked
like that-the more shame TO Nature, |
say. OF course you will exhibit it, Car
radinc?"
"No," answered the painter, quietly.
NO" repeated the other in surprise.
But, my dear fellow, you must, or l shall
betray your secret, and rOu will have a
swarm of visitors, " orsc than 4 plague in
Egypt, let in upon you."
Carradine hesitatcd. A chance word IN
his friends speech had suggested posi-
bility that made his heart leap in spite Of
sober reason.
"You are right" he said. al shall send
the picture for exhibition. 1T will De
better So"
After his visitor had left him alone
again, Carradine bent long over his easel,
gazing into the lovely upturncd face, until
it began TO fade into the gathering night.
diff" he murmured 10 himself, half
unconsciously. "But il cannot be. Yet
| will send it, and perhaps"
And so the picture was sent IN due time,
and it seemed almost as if Carradine's soul
had gone with il aud drawn him to follow.
Hour after hour and day after day he sat
in the gallery, scrutnizing eagerly every
face among the visitors, whom taste or
fashion had brought 10 look ut the now
celebrated artists latest success. Every
night he went away unSatished, and every
morning he returned with hope sprinSinS
afreSh in his heart.
Still, the object of his search, whatever
it may have been, docs not appear; and
one day, discouraged AT last, he resolved
to go no more OH so fruitleSs an errand.
Shutting himself in his studio, he began
to paint, but, strive rs he would, he could
command neither hand nor fancy. FL
nally, tired of repeated failure, he aban-
doned work, and yielded TO the impulse
which drew his steps in the customary di-
-ection.
When he entered the small side room in
which his picture hung, he found but two
persons within, young man and girl.
Carradine could not see the faces Of these
two, but, with an eSrnestness for which
he was al Il loss to account, lie followed
their retreating figures as they moved
slowly toward his picture. But the next
moment AN exclamation OF astorishmcnt
burst from the lips of the young man.
"Why, here is your portrait. Leila
What does it mean? Who can the painter
be?''
With that hc hurried out to purchase n
catalogue. Carradiue advanced quickly
to the girl.
II ain the painter" he said.
She turned and looked at him with one
steady gaze from those glorious eyes that
had haunted his visions for 50 many years.
Then she spoke:
"You painted that picture? and how"
"From remembrance" he answered.
at was my only tribute to the little un-
known princess who crowned me once
with roses. Does she, too, remember it -
For n moment doubt was in her face !;
but as he looked fiXedly at her 1t vanished
in certainty. a smile just touched her
bright lips.
at was you, then, on whom | forced
my roses? princess who gave away hon
ors unasked. How often | have won
dcred since"
She stopped, turned to the canvas, and
added abruptly: "But was child then,
and here"
"Here you are a woman," said Cara
dine, completing the unspoken sentence.
at is SO hard 10 understand. The same
power that kept the child in my heart
showed Inc into what she would ripen."
She did not look at him now, but at the
picture, as she asked in a low voice, "Ahd
whom am to thank for such an hOnor?"
"My name is Hubert Carradine," he
answered, and saw ut once that IL was
no unfamiliar name to her. "And yours!
Through all these years your face has
haunted me always, but your name |
never knew"
She hesitated moment, then turned to
him.
"You never knew my name! Then
think OF me still as you have thought OF
NE all these years" she said, half smile
lingering about her mouth, but never
lighting the great dark eyes that were
shaded by some subtle sadsess. The look,
the tone, transported Carrsdine beyond all
remembrance of place or circum'tance,
into the unreal realm of imagination in
which his wish was supreme ruler.
II have thought Of you always as my
life and my love-" lie said, half uncon-
sciously, his dreamy, deep gray eyes glow
ing upon her face. She blushed sudden
ly, and then paled in All instant. Just
then her former companion entered the
room.
liam Leila Auvernay," she said has
tily, "and this is Cecil Wyndham, my
my betIothed husband"
Not another word was said. As the
young man approached, Carrsdine fell
back a step and looked at the two. His