Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1885-10-24
In A PICTURE

1t was q disastrous day for the Vanes
when old Peggy died. To be sure, she
was only q 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 Vans's beautiful
granddaughter since they were
babies, and humOred her masters
Whims to the day of his death. ''What
will they do without Peggy If it
were some Peep It would not make
so much difference, but the Vanes-''
and the nCighbOrs left the sentence ex-
pressively unfinished.
And how was thatP Well. the
Vanes acre a little singular. Roscoe
Vane, the second, did nothing but
study art and paint pictures, or rather
a picture. He had had the same one
on his easel for five years. Once in a
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. Raw
was 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 da nty
hands. Their Uncle Roscoe forbid it.
He was reserved, refined to fragilitv,
like his father before him. At fifty his
hair was already white. When Peggy
died she had, apparently, many last
things to tell him, for be was alone
with her moro than three hours. At
ter that he shut himself up with his
picture more than ever.
ss1 doa'E knoW," said Raw. poutine
her red lips. s'What Uncle Roc expected
20 become OF you and me, RuthieI''
why, RayP"
''Well, [ am eighteen tomorrow.
and you have been twenty this long
time"
Eyes, smiled Ruthie, stitching away
on Rays rufies.
Grandpa intended MS to go into
society; but Uncle Roc
''Has no intentions regarding any
thing. know it, Ray. But IL am
quite cOntented with my lot. -
''Ihatis because Isle Stanieis comes
TO walk with you in the garden. or lay
over the piano while you play
''Well, you have Lord Layton for 8
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 Vane.
Hes fifty, e he's 3 day. But he
has his title, and he's not q bit disa-
greeable. 1 might 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 as nothing. Do you suppose
there's any mOney-anY where ?'
There must be q littls-fOr our
bread and butter, Ray" said Ruthie,
thOughtfullV. But I think some
times, Ray, that we are very poor.
When they called this place the Or
chards-"
$50 ridicuIous!' interrupted Ray,
''With its ten-fOOt garden"
''But when grandpa was young it
was surrounded by apple orchards,
and pear orchards, and peach Or
chards. 1t was part Of q great estate.
There was a summer mansion down
by the river, and cottages for the
WOrkmeni but grandpa was not good
at taking care Of property, and little
were sold, a road was cut through,
and house lots sold and buiiC upon.
All is changed. We might have been
great helresses, Ray" concluded
Ruthie, sadly, 'but, as 1 said before
Think We are very poor.
Ray silently reviewed tho situation
81 shall make the best Of it" she
said. sc last, rising and speaking to
her reflection Ia the mirror. ''Ruthie,
who told You all thiBP''
elsie Stanieis. -
In faithful. wise, untiring old Peg
Ry's place came an inefficient mulat6O
girl, who went to sleep over the fire.
and Let the mullins burE. Uncle Roe
was surprised that his mutton was
UnderdOne aud his coffee muddy. 1t
never never occurred to Ray that she
could help &c il they starved TO death
but when Lord Layton was coming
TO dine Ruthias in very slave in de-
6ance Of her uucls's Well-knOWn com
mands, went into the kitchen with a
cook book and prepared 9 decent din
nsr.
But day by day the old house seemed
70 grow GoriOrn and shabby- There
was no one now to fight dust and de-
cay. The small paned windows were
obscUred BY dust, the brasses tarnish-
ed mold cr6pt into the presses, and
the mice Into the IardsE. Uucls Roe
came cut OF his study only 10 look de-
feGtedly around, shake his head, and
retreat again TO his den. Ray made