The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-10-31
A DAUGHTERS WILL.
A Lifetime Error Caused by WOman'S
Weakness.
-oh, well for him whose viii is strOnsl"

"Oh well for him whose viii is strongl"
J.
Haven't You had enough Of pictures now
Kempgn asked the younger of two men who
were wandering about the Academy one warm
afternoon IN june.
wait a moment" replied his companion, a
brOad-shouldered. brown faced man Of five-and-
thirty. - was told to look specially at one OF
Floyd's in this room Moonlight think il
was called. Yes. here il is. Have you seen itP
'' Yes, I've seen it,. said Hugh Julian, rather
shortly IL was good deal talked about AT
the beginning OF the season"
The elder man retired a few steps to get a
better view Of the picture, and then stood still,
studying il.
The painter had not chosen TO represent the
most vivid effects Of moonlight-dense shadow
against brilliant relief; on the contrary, only
the faintest CLEAN Of silver had touched the
vail of blue gray twilight, the first suggestion
OF moonlight at the close Of long Autumn
afternoon. girl IN ncutral-tinte dress was
sitting in the foreground upon the trunk OF a
fallen tree, and the strongest light in the pct-
ure lay across her face and hair. IL was pale,
wistful little face, not in any way remarkable
for beauty, and the abundant fair hair was so
faint in color that at a first glance the moon
light alone seemed 10 make the silken halo
around the girls head. Her eyes were of a
pale misty blue, and TO the big, warm-hearted
man now gazing up Sc them they seemed TO
look back and 10 plead piteously. as a spirit
from another world, with another language
than that Of earth, might have looked and
pleaded The expression fascinated his atten-
tion. There was reproach in il as well as en-
treaty, and something too Of despair, as though
the pale girl sitting there knew all the while
that the appeal was being made in vain
Il" ! suppose everyone feels the same" he
thought. +" but somehow il seems to me as If
she were asking something OF me personally,
and that i. not understanding, were withhold
ing il from her"
A loud, cheerful voice. addressing him. sud
denly startled him from his meditations. " /
can't be mistaken, the voice said. lt Is my
old friend Mr. Kemp. is il nOt?"
He looked round hastily. very fashion
ably-dressed middle-aged lady, 10 whom one
felt instnctiyely inclined 10 apply the term
"iIOn-gray," was holding ont a hard looking,
well-gloyed hand for him 70 shake, aud was
making landable attempts TO force her hard
features into a benignan; smile Kemp recog-
nized her IN a moment, and the recollection OF
some very uneQuiyocal snuhs administered by
this same Lady Fielding in the days before he
went 70 India, and was still a nobody, rushed
into his mind. Forgetting that since then he
had attained the reputation. if not the actual
felicity, OF being a millionaire, he allowed an
unieigned surprise 10 show itself In has face as
BE replied Oh how do you do Lady Fielding
How good Of you 70 remember me-
"Oh, no. not at al, - said Lady Fielding, with
hatteriHg CODdescensiOn. - / had heard of your
return, and was meaning to send you line
Let me introduce yOn TO my youngest daughter
She was in the nursery when you went away,
] suppose Daisy, You have often heard me
speak OF my old friend Mr.. kempgo
The young girl who bad been standing silent
by her mothers side, passively aequiesced in
this enormous misstatement by dutilul smile
IS she came forward and held out her hand.
IL Lady Fieiding's original intention had
been 70 make the rich coffee planter take spe-
eial notice Of her daughter, she must have felt
her heart thrill with triumph at the extraor.
binary good luck which had brought about a
meeting under these particular circumstance
and ia TINS particular place. For. 90 Kemp:
unmiiigated amazemenf, Miss Fielding raised
Hs she smiled the very face. with its wistiu
eyes and masses Of fair hair. that he had been
gazing al j moment ago Oh the wall in front Of
him.
do you think il a good portraitY" said the
mother. smiling blandly.
Extraordinary exclaimed Kemp. T"
never saw anything 50 like in my life :" Then
as Miss Fieldings pale face began 70 color with
confusion under his stare. he added hastily: -
II ianciees il was quite an imaginary figure
you Know and was relieved 10 see that hi;
friend was approaching.
lie was just going 10 introduce him, wher
Hugh raised his hat aud addressed the ladies
OF his own accord in his own imperturbabl,
fashion. Kemp glanced al him rather sharply
wondering why be had not mentioned before
that be knew the original Of the picture which
be prOfessed only 10 have heard about lie
was very well-made young man. rather short
than tail and rather faiFthan dark, with nnuo
ticcaby-irFeguiar features aud ordinary gray
eyes. can't help looking AZ him, because b,
D. startlingly like anyone else" q lady one,
remarked without realizing that the peculiar
lty lay not 50 much Ia the likeness itself as il
the fart that she found IL startling He dir
not talk much, was always exgusiicly dressed
and never BY chance looked IN al ease or dis
composed; yet ia spite Of these negative quail
lties, the person who addressed him under tbs
impression that the young man might as wei
be any otheTyOuDg man soon felt uncomfortabi,
conscious that he was making mistake
"Oh, it's Mr.. Julian :" said Lady Fielding
with quick change Of voice as she recognize,
the addition % their pzTty-t0 her Hugh wa
merely somebody's secretary" aud a person
70 be snubbed-"a friend Of yours, Mr. KempE
kealiyf didn't know However, when ar
you coming 70 sec usy Are you engaged thi
evening, or viii you come 20 dinnerf'
I'm engaged 70 Mr.. Julian 4" said Kemr
rather awkwardly. " We're going 70 din,
somewhere and then 20 on % the theater"
On 30, no; you really can't Jet an informa
arrangement like that stand IN the way Of al
invitation from an old friend :" replied be
ladyship resuming her grim playfulness. "W
shall expect yOu, then; we dine at half. pas
seven. dare say NT. Julian will join Us. too
This last remark WAS added, after a Sigh
pause, with such calm impertincnce Of ton
that Kemp wondered his friend did not IN
Etsnuy aud Tesenifnily decline
But whatever Dir. Juliau's private feeling
may have been, he answered with exquisit
politeBess " Thank you very much / sha
be- delighted" without the slightest change
cOuntenauee
AT baIf-past seven, then" repeated Lad
Fielding. a. size shook out her silk skirts an
made motion 10 her daughter. ave mus
hurry away now. You remember the hous
Ar. Kempf Come. Daisy!"
Miss Fielding, who had been looking dow
al the floor aud playing with her paraso star
ed slightly, bowed 70 the two men, and turue
away obedientiy. Sic had not opened her lil
during the interview, aud there was a sort
weary resignation IN her whole bearing whic
filed kemp's soft heart with feeling Of swi
compassion.
wouldn't be that old woman's daught.
for somcthing!" he said 70 his friend wht
they were out Of hearing.
j. can't be very pleasant" admitted Hug
But suppose Miss Fielding is used 10 it,
do you know them welf demanded Ken
rather abruptly. Why didn't you tell n
just Row that Miss Fielding tat for the girl
'Moonlight'l"
81 really didn't remember that you kne
them. OF think that the fact would intere
won - said fTugh lao Fyoft c.osafS.- Il . 40,