Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-04-26

break your word,"
Mary worked OD without a word
of reply. AS she sat there in the
subdued light of sunset, her fair
oval face, framed in shining masses
of chestnut brown hair, was like
that of the "Sistine Madonna
There was no color in her cheeks
her sad blue eyes we're heavy with
unshed tears.
"Mary -
"WeIlP
"Listen. Do you know this is a
question of lifelong happiness or
misery, not only to you but to
Hugh Vennor y
"Yes."
"And will you suffer both lives
to be wrecked for mere whIm Z"
al have asked Mr.. Packer to re-
lease me-" said Mary. "He has
refused. All that remains to me
now is to adhere to my sacr edly
given word"
"YOu will never be happy with
that man, Mary -
81 shall do my best
"He hasn't single noble or
generous impulse IN his heart ~
cried out vehement Kate. ale is
mercenary, parsimonious, jealous,
Obstinate
"Oh, / don't think he is gifted
with all the cardinal SINS" said
Mary, trying to smile.
"And he has already made him
self so disagreeable that your
mother has decided not to live with
you after you are married, in spite
of Mr.. Packers sounding invita-
tion."
"Mother prefers to be indepen.
dent" murmured, Mary, colOring
to the roots OF her hair.
"And you-you are to be a slave
for life y
Unless Mr.. Packer--Of his own
free will-releases me.
(which he will never do "
groaned Kate. "But there if
you are determined to sacrifice
yourself, no words 0: mine can
shake your purpose And just
as you had found out a congenial
way of supporting yourself, too =
Oh, Mary, do let me see that last
picture you have painted. Does
Mr.. Packer know how many orders
you have ? That you are an artist :
"No," SAID Mary, 81 have a sort
of pride in providing my whole
outfit without asking for cent
And, after all, its my business, not
his. See ~
She rose and drew back the
chintz curtain from a sort OF alcOve.
There, on a picture representing a
fam.baired little girl receiving a
Wild bird IN a wicker cage from
the hands of a brown.sklnned, bare
footed lad. In the foreground
flowed a stream-behlnd the two
tiny figures was the pink back
ground of a blossomlng apple tree.
Kate Cleve clapped her hands in
delight.
"How beautiful it is y she cried.
"And what do you call lt-'Spring'
time = The Feathered Captive p
"Neither one nor the other" said
Mary, coloring with gratl6ed pride
"It is chrIstened 'Her Young
Lover / shall take It to the city
tomorrow. Mrs. Carlos has re
quested me TO bring it myself"
"YOu are a genius ~ cried Kate
81 wish l could paint like you
dear Nary"
at is a great happiness to me,
said Mary, softly, but she did no
add what was In her sOnl-thsl
Art alone could deaden the secre
aching OF my heart through man.
a dreary hour.
Kate Oieve was returning hOm
through the fragrant dusk wb e
she met Mr.. Aaron Packer face t
face, dressed in his Sunday best
"Oh-ah-eh t' said Mr.. Pack Ell
scTewing up his eyes, and speak in
in the patronizing way that X at
Cleve particularly disliked. "lt
Miss Catherine, amt it u Jus
come from Widow Mellen's, | SUI
pose : The LILY has been wit
the Rose, ha! ha ha 4! Not ba
that, eh r'
Kate bit her lip.
"Are you going there y sal
she.
"Well, that was my inte ntiol
hal ha ! ha !! She's alone, 1 SUI
pose : / allude to Mary NJ ellen
A sudden capricIous idea she
;nto Kate's head.
"No, Mr.. Packer, she is not
said Kate.
"No? Not alone Who
there I"
"HeE young lover. He has bee
} there all day. He was there ye
= terdayP
! "Ah?' gasped Mr.. Packer, h
t lobster eyes protruding from h
face. "You don't mean, Mi IS Cat
4 erIne, that Mary has got-a.
, young lover That girl with Il
innocent face and the soft, chill
like voice ? A-lover!'