The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1884-05-27

it!' / retorted, recklessly. I must
have studio And there isn't room
! iu this little beehive that has good
! North light ! Wasn't I born and
brought up at Battersley? Aud why
shouldn't | keep my studio in the gar
ret, as long as there is nobody else
there but the rats and the ghosts ? |
tell you, mamma, one gets inspirations
in an old house like that! And | an,
going to redeem all the family fortunes
with my pencil before get through :
But mamma ouly sighed.
Since the disastrous lawsuit had been
decided against us, she had fallen into
the way of sitting aimlessly by the fire
as if there was nothing left her to do
or think Of in life.
But cared nothing FOR the judges OF
the supreme court. nor for the distant
heir-at-law, who had turned US out Of
Battersley
| came there every day to dream and
to work, and to build up those castles
in the air which reared their ethereal
piunacles in the morning, aud dissolv-
ed nightly, into the thin, gray mist,
through which I walked to the little
sea-marsh cottage.
And this morning Simon had climb
ed up the steep, garret stairs, with a
bunch Of the silver trcsses of the
Grandfather Graybeard,' which was
COW ripeDiug about the edges the woods,
and ventured to pass au opinion on my
work without ever looking at it.
Simon, said I. you don't know
what you are saying
You are right, Baby he said. i
wasn't thinking of the picture. Do you
know, Baby. you've got to turn out o'
this!'
What for?' said I, calmy sorting
over the clusters Of Grandfather Grey
beard to get the silkiest plumes. I've
heard that before. I'm not to be
frightened away by mere shadows.
But it's substance this time said
my brother. Our dear cousin is here.
He is coming to Battcrsley.'
How do you know | questioned.
Jones, the steward. told me. Ii
landed in the Barataria on Saturday.
And this is Tuesday Oh, he won''
rush out to bis uew possessions the very
first thingn said l, cavalierly. 'Wher
he comes I'll go!'
What sort of man is he, sale
Simon tboughtfully.
What does it matter to us?' I re.
| torted.
Why. l suppose he has some sort Of I;
, right to Batters!ey, or the supreme
court wouldn't have adjudscd it to him
Said Simon.
'Psbaw !! said I. Law isn't alway.
equity. He's selfish, abominablc ole
usurper, that's what he is!'
Well, have it your own way. sale
Simon. I'm going over to Hawlcy or
the pony to-day. Don't you want t'
come ?
i should like to- said I wistfully
but if that picture is to 60 in the au
tumn exhibition there is no time t
lose.
So settled to my work after Simon
had wbistled his dogs away and clat
tered dowu the stairs.
The morning had been clear and gol
den bright. bat at Doon, when sa
dowr at the deep sill of the old sarrc
| window TO read an old volume of Anne
.; Geierstcin, aud cat my lunch
noticed that dark clouds bad swept oveI
| tie sky, and au uneasy wind was riaine
the dead gold of the hickory boughs
And long before it was night the gath
| cring gloom warned me that it wa
time to desiSt from my labors.
began to put away my things IN
le;surely way. | did not dislike the
old garret at twilight. enjoyed th'
eerle shadows thae peopicd l'S olW le
ccsses, the elm boughs against the win
dow panes. the creaking groaps, whlcl
seemed ever aud anon, to thrill through
the old chimney-stack without any ap
parent cause; the skurry Of the bright
eyed mice across the floor
There was portrait Of my grea
graud aunt Batterslcy behind the bls
red chest-a hard favored da,ne, whose
canvas had been rent apart by some un
toward accident. nooody knew how
many years ago, thereby bauishlng i
to this unfrequeuted region. Aud
used to fancy she looked at me BY
! times, with curious, icy gaze, as
went to and fro
Hush | said suddenly to myself
with tin tube of ultra-marine iD ID,
hand, there are footsteps down stairs
Somebody is moving about there.
knew it wasn't ghosts, Aunt Bat
tersley to the contrary. notwithstanding