The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1890-02-21
EBENsBURG. Pa. FRIDAY. FEBRUARY 81. 1890.
Miriam" 1 said, nervously.


Miriam, - 1 said, nervously
''The same, ma am, - replied Peggy. cholx-
ing back q sob, while her warm Irish heart
acbed for the vision of the proud face which
had nestled on her bosom in years agone
Should 1 tell her of Miriami l looked into
the sInoldering fire of the eyes on the can
vas, and caught the answer as If by intUi-
tiou. MOI
The picture fascinated me strangely.
There was something about it so inexpress-
soly sweet, yet SO proudly sorrowful yvithal
that my whole soul went out TO the sad, i'm
perious woman, buried, as II were, AT Bay
view, with more fervency than ever Jefore
What tale those firnly-shut lips might
unfold could they speak What a dearth of
patsrnal affection, what loneliness of life
could the Miriam beyond the sea reveal II
she chose TO tell IL ALL
And this was the portrait, then, was To
carry home with me, ana /, as vet. had no
plan TO assist me in keeping my rash
promise.
Poor girl!' 1 said softly, as GARRISON
turned the face 10 the wall once more.
Daughter of my friend, and come to this:
her proud face turned 10 the wall IN the hall
OF her ancestors!
could not trust myself 20 say more, and
Clarkson led the way TO corner, where the
shadows were fitungly the tflckest, and
startled me by saying in a curious tone:
AN here is the masthur, ma'am, a hangln'
all alone all aLouel The Ledsy Parcivaa
nIver had her portait painted. She would
nlver SIT for It ma'aIn, and she was per
fecty rolght IN IL, too, Arthur knowin' ov
the throubles cOonin' dowa on hsr daugh-
ther from the long loine of mistheriss- She
dldht want her face TO appear - the Hay-
thurIeigh gallery, at all, AZ allr'
Clarkson's last sentence gave mo an idea.
and could almost have shouted for ioy al
the promising proposition, but controlling
myself with an effort, remembering in time
that 1t must be Inatured, L gave my atten-
tion to the tace of Sir Rupert
Clarkson drew back the Grape covering,
ard put aside the window curtains in order
10 let IN more light a CLEAN OF sunlight
hickered for moment across the painting
Iruiy he must have been gruR and obsti-
nate, judging from the heavy frownIne,
orows and snlster-lookbng eyes besaeath;
YET under the uncompsomisIng sx.erIoT
tahclta L could see deep, corrodiug grief,
lnAt, Dngntlng his lie IN its prime, had mixed
Tor has remaining days ''the wormwoou and
the Galln
And this Is ha wRo roaus about sne
I. htLit" L questioned, taking my eyes from
I the stern countensnce on canvas and turn
ing TO Peggy.
She nodded in the Affirmative, and drew
the Grape back over the portrait of she
''m2sthur of Haythuxleish,'i p as she would
say, and together We left the gallery.
We had now been over the Hall, with the
exception OF few apartments OF mo in
therest al all, y and the library. To this last-
named room we turned oar attention. 1t
was ON the first floor, just across the cen
traI hall from the fateful drawn z-rsarn
Nearly one whole side of the apartments
was taken up with books. i looked
at the hundreds of RICHLY bound volumes ON
the Oaken shelves, after ClarksOn pulled a
heavy tasseled cord and drew back long
silken hanging of green, which hid the ma
IoriIy OF the books from view, and WON
dered who next would aspire to the owner
ship 0fsuch cosection OF elegantly bound
volumes.
They're as the masthur left 'em," re
marked Peggy, breaking in on nv specu-
lative reve~ie, AN he was a great non for
the books, too ma'am."
Tel me the story Of Miriam now,r
said. crossing the room 10 4 great deep
chair, with IT'S inviting cushions, that stoed
by the elaborately- y-carved secretary IN the
corner. r H. -r
''Niver a bit ov it viii o. be Arthur tellin'
yes ia this part o. the hall, ma'am. Old
be Arthur gettiu' into ne own soide ov the
house afore OPve wurrud 70 say about it
al all" .r
agreed, Peggy.P 1 answered, glad to
humor her by going anywhere, If I only
might hear the story of the daughter Of my
friend
Once more IN her ''own soide ov the
house, = ClarAson lighted her pipe and sat
down where the bright sunshine streauled
in through the white dimlty- curtained win
dOws. could not blame her for wanting 10
get back into her own cheerful rooms again
for felt happily relieved Of the shadows
myself. H