Daily Republican., 1885-01-01

your courtesies toward Irma, Of course.
But civilities can be SO easily mi.under-
stood and Obtuse as Irma In, she has no
deficiency OF ,he forward and vain
Mr.. Ludamar made come affabl- but ir
revelant response, and moment later
Irma returned.
She still wore the simple dress, half
hidden now by a graceful mantl~, and the
dark, proud head was framed In dainty
bonT ct, with q CLEAN Of gold IN the jauDty
agrette. In her plain aud inexpensive
toilet, she looked what she was-a refined
and charming girl, whose unsssuminR
elegance aud unconscious dignity lady Of
royl ity might have coveted.
Since have lived with auntv, have
10 time for reading and for art, she said,
~ Mr. Ludamar led her through the mag
nifcent gallery. But l AIN fond of
both, and = great masterpiece always
thrills me like dne poem or a strain Of
music"
"And will this picture thrill you, do
you think " he asked, a. they paused b.
fore vast painting, the life-size figure OF
girl, standing alone on the glazing
desert sands, her horse dead At her feet,
and just beyond the Elusive oasis, where
the sfiiuent springs were Quenched and
the verdure shriveled beneath = burning
sky. The oee Of the imperial head, the
look Of the large eyes, the attitude Of the
lovely formal, we're eloquent of what
was q sublime abdicstlon of life rather
alities In the midst Of the dead y desc
lation she was still Queeu--com posed
and majestic an without fear.
IT,. o., . a~.pHaDf IA efuhl 10 I'm Tie ann
geetions OF the picture bad wrought Its
Vaccinations and success.
els theSe no teaching In the picture :
had The artist no animusp Mr.. Ludamar
asked, In q changed and earnest voice.
Irma WAS silent, her cheeks hot and her
eyes full OF tears; she felt perplexed and
thrilled, and strangely exultant, for the
face and figure on the canvas were indeed
her own.
"Once, while on . protracted pilgrim
age, the artist witnessed an almost identi-
cal scene" Mr.. Ludamar continued. "The
impression WAS so vivid and suggestive
that successful reproduction on canvas
was not difficult, though as yet he had no
worthy model for his Queen Bus long
after be- CHANGED to meet q lovely girl
whose life seemed "a desolate as the waste
Of yonder parehed and thirsting desert
Q girl who In the midst Of loss and wont
and trial stood alone, imperial In her
brave patience and unAssuming dignity.
The living model was his inspiration his
10 gging brush was roused TO . more zeal
Gus epdeavor, and the picture was finished
He has sufficient wealth, and he can al.
ford to keep It IN Craze the home that Is
ready for his bride. That home is mine,
Irms, and. yours II you will be my wife
my Queen indeed.
She slowly lited her head, her face
glowing like the dawn, her beautiful eyes
dropping BE- fore his tender gaze.
But but am so ignorant of art
OF eve ything that you most desire your
wife to know" she faltered.
4" am not disposed 10 sanction that
calumny," he said, with his e. NAL and
contented little laugh, AS he drew her
hand within his arm aud led her from the
gallery.
At the entrance of the Moray mansion
he eft her, and with some innocent tire.
pidation ehe entered the luxurious b ouse
that had ever been desolste and inhOspita.
bic to her.
Miss Anabel was still in the library, and
an ugly frown nsrred the prettiness Of
her email, inspid visage as she noted the
unfair ilar agitation Of the cOuntenance Of
her young courin.
declare, Irna, you have stayed un.
aceountably long In that stutfy old ga.
lery!' she called In her sharp and uu.
gracious accents - dare say you mu 81
have insult, rably bored Mr.. Ludamar Tor
OF curse you did no end of rsnting before
that wonderful daub. But anything of
tAat kind could not cajole hun, Trina
hr does not admire the Desert Queen :
lie declines 70 extol the said that him
self"
Mr.. Ludanar declines tu rxtol the
picture, because he u himself The artist. p"
lrma announced with gl.am Of IN isc ei
In her lovely Oriental eye.
Miss ADabel's chAract-rlchs visagc Grim
sobed with conservation sue was un-
comfort ibly mindful that she had her.cli
rather iDjudicously criticised a certain
| artistic &C hi. vement.
wonder, lrna that you could entice
Mr.. Ludalnar 10 such AN important conf
den e." she snapped with that steely dash
In lhc ashy blue eyes, . for of course he
| wishes ~ remain incognito. No modest
and well-bred girl would importune a
gentleman " disclose what he does not
wish " communicate. But dare say YOU
attempted Irritation with ar. Ludamar,
although you are SUFFICE nifty well aware,
of what he iatends by his attention TO me.
For All incl AMI The sweet lace ~hitenei
with indignation ; but lrna Was superior
to any petty recriminations.
| Ansbel," size bcgan geat!y, quite
| ignoring the yaunt OF her 4 ism con-
Iclnding sentences, " did not importuEe
Mr.. Ludsmar for any SORT ol confidence.
He has no wish 10 withhold the truth
and certainly not from uic-iOr he loves
me- am h.- promised ~ifc"--she hest
tated with swift, beautiful blush.
Foolish, pretty Aeat'el said not n word,
she was capable of nothing more brilliant
than a stare ot dumb aud ireiu dismay.
= do ~ wonder that he married her,
she used to say after Irma HAD become
the artist bride )" though OF course
mamma and always tried To elevate her
tastes. But he might have selected a
wife who could more readily appreciate
his abilities, tor he Is really quite tolera-
BILE artist, you know, although he did soil
his most excellent piece by preicriDg such
Ia plain young person as the model Tor bis
l. Queen But the whims oil some people
are really unaccouutsblc.
But despite all envious aniulAdversion,
there was no happier wife, nor one more
beloved shan Mr.: Ludamar's queen.
ReullB der Of the Capital.
i ciuU house has peoiI opened on
West twenty fifth street. New York
city, under the superintepde nee of John
r. Cham berlin, which Is shrt of annex
of she hotels and public offices OF W ash
ington, and its mem bersh,p - made up
of seven hundred persons, ~bo divide
usl 4, 81, ,..tf