The Irish standard., 1889-08-03

ysaruig sensation seized me, supplanted
By q nervous, chilling agitation. TWAS the
first time I had felt my self-possession
leaving me- since came to the Hall; stand
ing there before the group Of Inflated sous
and daughters branded with disinneritance.
food Of emotions understandable rushed
over rae, and ] rnutely motioned Peggy to
40 on.
Gently, then. she turned the face coming
first in order over. a bright face met my
sympathetic vision, with Il half-serious,
hslf-playfnl expression. 'Lionel," said
Peggy, tam that's all Oh know ov i'm, be-
cause his curse fell long forninst me loife."
The next, beautiful face with dark, ex-
pressive eyes and perfect mouth pro-
claimed her the daughter Of "a proud fam
uy. agatha said Peggy, wiping off the
dust with q caressing movement. "An' it's
her, me am, that ran away with young
Frinch Count, because the family couldn't
bear the loikes ov a Frinch1nan. She died,
poor thing, away off in France, somewhere
on the banks o. the Seine. An she niyer
COON back Arthur her family forbid her liver
showin' her proud, wilful face again at the
HAIL.
There were two more portraits Of the
broken hearted, disinherited children who
had gone out from the doors, and Of whose
fate none at the HilI cared to know after
the gates had been shut against them. The
next face was that Of handsome young
man, whose dark, soulful eyes looked into
mine as if to say, ''pity me-" "Allan,"
Clarkson murmured, as the fascinating orbs
appealed to us, ''puir Allan he was sint
away in disghrace, na'am, all because he
loved 8 cottage lassie insthead ov the wan
his family chose out ov the high careless"
sDid he ever come back?'' asked, pity
Ing this promising young face 80 early
o1cuded because of vanity.
~ sOch hoony' noaned Peggy, 'an' Allan
was niver the wan to come back, ma am.
He married the lassie and took her with
him whin he left the country, me Teddy"
"And you know nothing more Of his his
tory them" asked, catching a last glimpse
Of the dark, honest eyes as she turned ths
portrait back to the wall.
ssNo more'n ye know ov the dead, ma'am !;
only rumor now an thin, an rumors don't
opunt for any thing"
But when the housekeeper put her with
cred hand, trembling with increased agita-
lion, on the rim Of the lastreversed portrait,
1felt that Twas to lookon the face Of Miriam.
A deft movement of the rembling hand,
u IOWCTluG vi VIC C1IL1SOA ZULU 1AAA Zig
PROUD, beautiful features of my friends I'M
happy child swung over to the dim, dreamy
light of the long, silent gallery.
can this wan is the puir, proud-hearted
Qhilder of me Teddy Parcival," sobbed
Clarkson.
ssMiriam," l said, nervously.
I. "The same, ma am,'' replied Peggy, chok-
ing back sob, while her warm Irish heart
ached for the vision of the proud face which
had nestled on her bosom in years agone.
Should tell her of Miriama looked into
the smoldering fire Of the eyes on the can
vas, ana caught the answer as if by intni-
tion. No!
The picture fascinated me strangely.
There was something about it 80 inexpress-
fbly sweet, yetso proudly sorrowful withal,
that my whole soul went out to the sad, i'm
berious woman, buried, as it were, at Bay
view, with more fervency than ever before.
What tale those firmly-shut lips might
rnfold could they speak. What dearth OF
'naternal a6aotiop. what loneliness Of LIE