Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-06-15
TIE PORTRAIT.

If all the visitors who were present on
The opening night of the great art exhibit
I ton had been as constant in their after
attendance as was Mr.. Horace Temple,
. the managers would have made money
out of it.
The fact was, Mr.. Temple had strolled
in rather listlessly that first night, but be-
fore he had traversed many yards in his
tour of inspection his attention had been
caught by picture which had so fascin-
ated him that he found 1t almost impos-
sible to get his own consent to move on
and make way for others, and in very
short time he was back again, gazing
with rapt absorption. The picture repre-
sented an Italian garden, where, beneath
dense shade of palms and ilexes, ham
mock was swung, In which a lovely
young girl, in 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 beau
tiful, rounded arm. One foot was hid
In the meshes Of the hammock and the
other, from which the tiny slipper had
slipped off at the heel, hung over the
side in posture of absolute ease and in
ertia. The white robe, made in classic
design and decorated with a Greek
border, hung over the hammock side and
trailed along the Dense green grass. The
details of the 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 it was no creation of an artist 8
living human being. AS day after day
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 moles which must have
been on the arm of the model.
One evening when ne 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 q magnificent clock
which stood near, which reminded him
that he must tear himself away from
present enjoyment, and go home and an
swer q letter. The letter was in the form
Of an invitation, and this was a reply
to It:
"DEAR AUNT SARAH-No one Ger
tainly has kinder or more considerate
female relative than 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 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, hope this will prove
not altogether unsatisfactory to you, as
understand your object concerning me to
be, not sc much that l shall be-in the
abstract-ensnared, and that conscien-
tiously assure you that I am.
II am not toe fast bound, however tc
admit of my coming down for cursory
glance at you, so you may expect me tc
stay over next Sunday.
"Yours affectionately, II. T."
When Mrs. Leaton received this letter
she happened to be seated near an oper
window in conversation with her mos
intimate confidential friend, to whom she
proceeded to read the letter aloud, inter
rupting herself with various complaints
of the provokingness of her favorit,
;,> 80 o11 har off
ate indulgence of his whims and foibles
was constantly serving her in this kline
Of STYLE
AS she finished reading and laid tn
letter down, there was a faint rustlinl
under the window, unregarded by tn
two ladies, and young girl, who ha'
been sitting very still sketching the prett,
view OF wood and river visible from thi
point, collected her implements togethe
and quickly glided away.
Mr.. Temple arrived at his aunt's o.
Sunday morning too late for the regula
breakfast, and when he emerged fror
the dining room after his tete-a-tete mea
with the hostess, he was immediatel
hurried off to church by that enterpris
ing lady, who had kept her carriage wal,
ing that she might enjoy his companion
ship.
"All the rest have gone" she said
'and we shall be little late. Gertrud
Sevellon walked with Tom Jerome.
This was the only allusion she deigned t
make to the young lady who had forme
the whole subject of her letter.
MIR. Temple had been some time /
church before he caught sight of tn
familiar figure of Mr.. Tom Jerome, an
when, with feeling of lazy interest, h
leaned forward little so that he Nigh
get glimpse Of the lady standing mex
to Mr.. Jerome and singing out of tn
same book with him, the delicate. clea
cut profile startled him with sense {
familiarity. His heart gave bound G
he connected it with the face in til
picture and saw the resemblance. Tn
girl wore little close bonnet and a triI
dress, which incased her charming figul
in neat comprehension face and figul
were the same.
When the service was ended he leane