Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-05-22
"COME ASHORE"
BY ROBERT BUCHANAN.
CONTINUED from last aceeb. ]

lTGENleu daD cOulu even aspire TO Gnat
accomplishment, by which understood her
to mean portrait painting, if need were. She
gave quiet nod Of satisfaction.
"'There was painter chap came to Aber-
glyn last summer, and he painted William
jones'
"'Indeedp I said, with an assumption of
friendly interest.
"'Yes; l wanted him to paint me, but he
wouldn't. He painted William Jones' father,
though, along O. William JONES'
''This with an air of unnistakable disgust
and recrimination. looked at the girl more
observantly. It had never occurred to me
till that moment that she would make CAPT.
tai picture-just the sort of study which
would fecth fair price in the market.
adopted her free-and-easy manner, which
was contagious, and sat down on the grass
opposite to her.
"I tell you what it is, Matt I said, IA
miliarly, I'll paint you, though the other
painter chap wouldn't
"sYou will, she cried, blushing with de-
Light.
"'Certainly; and very nice portrait
think you'll make. Be good enough to take
off your hat that I may have better look
at you
'tiShe obeyed me at once, and threw the
clumsy thing down on the grass beside her.
She glanced at me sidelong, laughing, and
showed her white teeth. Whatever her age
was, she was quite old enough to be a coquette.
promptly as possible I put the question:
you have not told me how old you are.'
6 Fifteen, she replied, without hesitation.
"'I should have taken you to be at least
year Older
1tShe shook her head.
"'Its fifteen year come Whitsuntide,' she
explained, since I come ashore
"Although was nota little curious to know
what this looming ashore meant felt that
all my conversation had been categorical to
monotony, and determined, therefore, to
reserve further inquiry until another occa-
sion. Observing that my new friend was
now looking at the caravan with considerable
interest, I asked her if she knew what it was,
and if she had seen anything like it before.
She replied in the negative, though I think
she had tolerably good guess as to the cara
vans uses. thought this good opportun-
ity to show my natural politeness. Would
she like to look at the interiors She said she
would, though without exhibiting much en-
thusiasm.
81 thereupon led the way up the str is and
into the vehicle Matt followed but 50 soon
as she caught a glimpse of the interior, stood
timidly on the threshold. What is there in
the atmosphere of a house, even the rudest,
which places the visitor at a disadvantage as
compared with the owner2 Even animals
feel this, and dogs especially, when visiting
strange premises, exhibit most abject hui
mility. But I must not generaGze. The
bearings of this remark, to quote my friend
Capt. Cutie, lies in the application of it,
Matt for moment was awed.
"'Come in Matt; come in, , said.
''She came in by slow degrees; and I no
ticed for the first time-seeing how near her
hat was to the roof-that she was unusually
tall. I then did the honors of the place
showed her my sleeping arrangements, my
culinary implements, everything that
thought would interest her. I offered her the
armchair, or turned-up bedstead; but she
preferred stool which I sometimes used for
my feet, and, sitting down upon it, looked
round her with obvious admiration.
"'Should you like to live in a house like
thisY asked, encouragingly.
''She shook her head with decision.
"'Why notg demanded.
ssShe did not exactly know why, OF at any
rate could not explain. Wishing to interest
and anuse her, handed her portfolio of
my sketches, chiefly in pencil and pen-and-
ink, but a few in water colors. Her manner
changed at once, and she turned them over
with little cries of delight. 1t was clear that
Matt had taste for the beautiful in art, but
her chief attraction was for pictures repre-
senting the human face and figure.
"Among the sketches she found q crayon
drawing of an antique and blear-eyed gentle
man in skull cap, copied from some Rem
brandtish picture I had seen abroad.
tttT EDo1v who tbic Sc che aynlaiY,ad
TITS William Jones' fatherr
II assured her on my honor that William
Jones' father was not personally known to
me, but she seemed a little incredulous Pres
emily she rose to go.
"'I can't stop no longer she explained,
I've got to go up to Monlzshurst for William
Jones'
'Monkshurst? Is that where the polite
Mr.. Monk resides?'
"'Yes; up in the wood she replied, with q
grimace expressive of no little dislike.
6 rs Mr.. Monk friend of yoursp
eHer answer was a very decided negative.
Then, slouching to the door, she swung herself
down to the ground. | followed, and stood
on the threshold, looking down at her.
"'Don't forget that Pm to paint your pic
turc,' said. when will you come back?
"'To-morrow, maybe
" 1 shall expect you. Goodbye
"'Good-by, MASTER she returned, reaching
up to shake hands.
d" L watched her as she walked away toward
the read, and noticed that she took bold
strides, like boy On reaching the road she
looked back and laughed, then she drew her
self together and began running like q young
deer, with little OF nothing CT her former
clumsiness, until she disappeared among the
sandhills
''Thursday-This morning, just after break
fast, when had entered the caravan to pre-
pare my materials for the days painting, Tin
appeared at the door with a horrid grin
"'There's young lady asking for ye,' hi
said.
IT had forgotten for the moment my ap
| pointment of the day before, and, when
1eaped from the caravan, perceived, stand
ing close by, with her back to mo and hel
| face toward the lake, the figure of young
| woman. At first failed to identify her, fol
| she wore black hat and a white feather, q
| cloth jacket and dres; which almostreached
the ground; but she turned round as | ap
preached her, and l recognized my new &C
| quaintance.
81 cannot say that she was improved by
her change of costume. In the first place, i
made her look several years older--in fact
quite young womanly. In the second place
it was tawd1y, not to say, servant-galy, if
may coin such an adjective. The dress wa
of thin silk, old and frayed, and looking as i
it had suffered good deal from exposure t.
the elements, as was indeed the actual case
The jacket was also old, and seemed made O
the rough material which is usually cut int,
pea jackets; which was the case also. TIL
hat was obviously new, but, just as obvi
ously, home made.
$50 you have come I said, shaking
hands. Upon my word, didn't know you.
''She laughed delightedly, and glanced
down at her attire, which clearly afforded
her the greatest satisfaction.
"T put on my Sunday Clothes she ex
planned, ''cause was going to have my like
ness took. Don't you tell William JONES'