, 1888-06-29
The PORTRAIT.

II all the visitors who were present on
tn, opening night of the great art exhibit
ITO had been as constant in their after
attendance as was MIR. Horace Temple,
the managers would nave made money
Out of it.
The fact was, Mr.. Temple had strolled
In rather l~istlessly that first night, but be-
fore be had traversed many yards in his
tour of inspection his attention had been
caught by a picture which had so fascin-
ated him that he found it almost impos-
sible TO get his own consent to move on
and make way for others, and in q very
short time he was back again, gazing
with rapt absorption, The picture repre-
sented an Italian garden, where, beneath
a dense shade of palms and ~ilexes, a ham
mock was swung, in which a lovely
young girl, in a limp, white gown, was
lying at ease, her right hand ~dawdling
with a great fan, and her left
thrown up behind her head, the loose
sleeve falling back and revealing a beau
tiful, rounded arm. One foot was hid
in the meshes of the hammock, and the
other, from which tho tiny slipper had
slipped of at the heel, hung over the
sid in a posture Of absolute ease and in
ertia- The white robe, made in classic
design and decorated with n Greek
border. hung over the hammock side and
trailed along the dense, green grass. The
details of he picture were exquisitely
portrayed, but its matchless charm was
in the beauty Of the young girls face,
which had so marked an individuality
that Temple convinced himself at once
that ii was no creation of an artists
fancy. but a faithful likeness OF some
living human hainO Az lau altar lau
passed by and the picture grew into his
consciousness more and more, he got to
know every detail Of feature, form and
dress, even to the three little spots on the
left arm near the elbow, which he at first
took TO be specks on the canvas, but
afterward found were three cleverly
painted little mo+es which must nave
been on the arm of the model.
One evening when he had stood a
longer time than usual before the object
Of his alteration, lost in thought concern
Ing the original of this lovely portraiture,
and wondering where the artist, whose
name was given as Carlo Guizi, had seen
and painted her, he was aroused by the
silvery strokes OF a magnificent clock
which stood near, which reminded him
that he must tear himself away from
present enjoyment. and go home and an
swef a letter. The letter was in the form
of an Invitation, and this was u reply
to 1t:
DEAR AUNT SARAH-No one GER
tainly has a kinder or more considerable
female relative than l am blessed with,
and your delightful letter is one more
proof of this truth. My gratitude, how
ever, strong as it is, does not enable me
to do the impossible, and l cannot come
down, according to orders, and fall in
love with your charming friend, for the
reason that | am in love already, and the
object of these pre-engaged affections of
mine defies the thermometer and remains
in the city.
ION the whole, l hope this will prove
not altogether unsatisfactory to you, as l
understand your object concerning me to
be, not SC much hat / shall be-in the
abstract-ensnared, and that l conscien-
dously assure you that l am.
IL am not toe fast bound, however, to
admit OF my coming down for a cursory
glance at o 80 you may expect me u
stay over next Sunday.
"Yours affectionately, II. T."
When Mrs. Leaton received this letter
she happened to be seated near an open
window in conversation with her most
intimate confidential friend, to whom she
proceeded to read the letter aloud, inter
rupting herself with various complaints
of the provokingness of her f~avorite
nephew, who, in spite of all her affection
ate indulgence of his whims and foibles,
was constantly serving her in this kind
of style.
AS she finished reading and laid the
letter down, there was a faint rustling
under the window, unregarded by the
two ladies, and a young girl, who had
beer sitting very still sketching the pretty
view OF WOO and river visible from this
point collected her implements together
and quickly glided away.
Mr.. Temple arrived at his aunt's on
Sunday morning too late for the regular
breakfast, and when he emerged from
the dining room after his tete-a-tete meal
with the hostess, he was Immediately
hurried off to church by that e%nterpris-
ing lady, who had kept her carriage wait
ing that she might enjoy his companion
ship.
IAN the rest nave gone" she said,
land we shall be a little late. Gertrude
Sevellon walked with Tom Jerome"
This was the only allusion she deigned to
make to the young lady who had formed
the hole subject of her letter.
Mr.. Temple had been some time in
church before he caught sight Of the
familiar figure of Mr.. Ton Jerome, and
when, with a feeling of lazy interest, he
leaned forward a little so that he might
get a glimpse of the lady standing next
TO Mr.. Jerome and singing out Of the
same book with him, the delicate, clean
cut profile startled him with a sense of
familiarity. His heart gave a bound as
he connected it with the face In the
picture and saw the resemblance. This
girl wore a little close bonnet and a trim
dress, which incased her charming figure
in neat compacfness-but face and figure
were the same.
When the service was ended he leaned
forward M whispered to his aunt:
Make Tom Jerome go home with
you and let me walk home with Miss
Sevellon."
This was a coming to terms that Hiss
Lesion highly appreciated, though heI
Al Absolute Cure.