New Ulm weekly review., 1885-06-24
In A PICTURE.

when old Peggy died. 10 be sure, she
was only a servant, but such an honest,
faithful, long-tried old creature could
not slip out OF her place without being
missed and mourned for. She had
waited on Roscoe Vane's beautiful
granddaugh since they were
babies, and humored her masters
whin1s to the day of his death. .sWhat
will they do without Peggy? If it
were some peop.e 1t would not make
so much difference, but the Vanes-''
and the neighbors left the sentence ex-
pressively unfinished.
And how was that? Well, the
}Vanes acre little singular. Roscoe
Vane, the second, did nothing but
study art and paint pictures, or rather
picture. He had had the same one
on his easel for five years. Once in
while he would retouch it and alter it;
the rest Of the time he admired it.
The girls were fond of music, but they
knew nothing of art. They had been
: taught that this was a great picture,
but Ray said she wasn't sure. Ray
: was a beauty; Ruth was simply pretty.
Ray would do nothing but sing and
dress and dance about the garden.
Ruth practiced music diligently, but
stitched at her sisters pretty costumes
and visited the poor. Yet neither of
the pretty girls ever soiled their dainty
hands. Their Uncle Roscoe forbid it.
] He was reserved, refined to fragility,
like his father before him. At fifty his
hair was already white. When Peggy
+" died she had, apparently, many last
: % hIv f0,s o1~
with her more than three hours. Al
ter that ne shut himself up with his
picture more than ever.
81 don't know" said Ray, pouting
%Iler red lips, ''what Uncle Roc expected
>to become of you and me, Ruthier'
~@Why, Ray?"
Swell, [ am eighteen tomorrow,
time.s'
eyes smiled Ruthie, stitching away
on Rays ruffles.
'.Grandpa intended us to 60 into
society; but Uncle Roc
"Has no intentions regarding any,
thing. l know it, Ray. But III am
quite contented with my lot.''
ssEhat is because Lisle Stanieis comes
ito walk with you in the garden, or lay
~oyer the piano while you play"
<sWell, you have Lord Layton for
lover
Yes, a veritable lord visited at the
old mansion; poor, but not threadbare;
no longer young, but courtly and
agreeable. He had invested his small
Income in America, and he liked Ros-
coe Vape.
'@He's fifty, if he's day. But he
allas his title, and he's not bit disa-
agreeable. l mighU do worse,''' and
Ray tapped her little foot thoughtfully.
There's no danger OF any one marry
ing us for our money, Ruthie," she
continued. after awhile. '.You know
papa lett lis nothing. Do you suppose
there's any money-anywherep'
'There must be little-for our
bread and butter, Ray" said Ruthie,
thoughtfully. ''But 1 think some
Eimes. Ray, that we are very poor.
When they called this place the Or.
e.chards-''
$50 ridieulousr' interrupted Ray,
sswith it's ten-foot garden
@tBnt when grandpa was young it
was surrounded by apple orchards,
and pear orchards, and peach or
~chards. It was part of great estate.
There was a summer mansion down
by the river, and cottages for the
workmen; but grandpa was not good
at taking care of property, and little
by little it went. Land and houses
were sold, a road was cut through,
and house lots sold and built upon.
All is changed. We might have been
great helresses, Ray" concluded
Ruthie, sadly, ''bat, as said before,
Think we are very poor
Ray silently reviewed tho situation.
81 shall make the best of it," she
said, at last, rising and speaking to
her reflection in the mirror. 'sRuthie,
who told you all this?''
1sLisle Staniels.'
In faithful, wise, untiring old Peg
gy's place came an inefficient mulatto
girl who went to sleep over the fire,
and let the mullins burr. Uncle Roc
was surprised that his mutton was
underdone and his coffee muddy. 1t
never never occurred to Ray that she
could help it if they starved to death
{ but when Lord Layton was coming
to dine, Ruthie, in very slave, in de.
stance OF her uncle's well-known COM
anands, went into the kitchen with a
cook book and prepared decent din
.ner.
But day by day the old house seemed
TO grow forlorn and shabby. There
was no one now to fight dust and de-
cay. The small paned windows were
>obseured by dust, the brasses tarnish-
ed, mold crept into the presses, and
the mice into the larder. Uncle Roc
came out of his study only to look de-
tlectedly around, shake his head, and
retreat again to his den. Ray made
the same pretty toilet, and sung as
gaily as ever for Lord Lay ton, but had
spells Of meditating. It was dull
and lonely summer.
Lisle Staniel, with his blue eyes,
golden hair, and debonair grace, came
sometimes and chatted with Ruthie-
strolling IN the little garden with its
sweet williams and princes feathers,
eor practicing q song with her. Surely