New-York tribune., 1890-06-29

sient blaze TO pass away in smoke, but steady
and enduring devotion likely to last their nves
OF worldly cares they had none Mr. WreXs
| annuity and his wics earnings proved ample Tor
their modest wants; and foi more than year thcy
pursued the even tenor of their way, wrapped up
i'll each other and in Art. There came a t ,line
however when contingency, which these simple
people had not foreseen. brought home 10 them thc
startling truth that wrnkcd Care ever keeps his
watch on too much happiness Marion couId no
longer go to her work AT the galleries, and owing
TO the impossblity of following her occupation
| at home, was periorce idle. Yet neither was uls
naycd by the temporary reduction In their income
occasioned thereby, while the approaching ADVENT
of little stranger afforded touch oil joy before
which troubles of the hour grew dim.
In the course OF time baby face cheercd the
father with the comforting assurance that soon his
Marion would be herself again and he beat away
| the fears that had beset him when he gazed upon
the store of savings which of late had HlmaniSheo "a
day hy dav A week two hence, he SAID 10
| himself Marion would be sitting before hcr call
vas and hc beside her. as of yore.
Bnt this was not to be. Week upon week
dragged it's weary length along, Drhgpps oaGk M
neither hcntl. nor strength 10 Marion. foor Mr..
| Wrcx waited and watched by her bedside. pra%ing
! for the hour when she should shake OH Inc cruel
hand of Sickness wondcrlng-with 'ourn oi IN
conscious fretfulness-why the child. little girl,
s,,onld thrive so we'll while her mother suffered.
! And vet the weeks rolled on. and his prayers lof
Marion remained unanswered; rad n IGr snyald "S II
Soon the savings were all gone. ana money was
wanted badly to defray the many expenses wmich,
| in spite of every care augmcn'eu ua'N i"c'c
werc anxious moments for Mr.. WreN, who, ior
once arlcntly longed for riches whcrewith TO nnN
back his beloved Marions fast waning health
Anxious and more terrible tscy srrT d ri "It s rc az
sources he wearly strovc to look the nScra'ie
future in the face. -. -.
doubts and fears that bcsct him from ms WE.
| Rut Narion's eyes ere long noted the trouble that
| oppressed him, and he, poor man, unaplc To dlS,
guisc the unhappy truth, WIN u, f JSsS G roed a.
| His fcar were all for her She knew that tholGh
he abs,aincd from dwelling on hcr conui',oh, i1 H.
and once his mind unhrrdencd. tliGu ln"'"" , ,o t
| tuturc which though he knew 1t not, bore Inc
accent of depression with which he WAS so deeply
tinsed -, .o,rh, his uc
"You must sell the picture dear. When am
better will & paint mt uo2pics copy 81 " S"e whispered
She nodded sorrowfully There Is no'h'pg
else, DEAR is there ,?
SNo-thcrc is nothing else"
You are not angry with me-, John
Angry? An no, dear one. lht-tbc Morales
Yet you arc right il must be SO VIII SCI. raso m
II is an original, She continued, "lcI ii P""Sc'
There is no doubt Of that p
"Doubt? No. surely there is no doubt.
DO YOU know" said Marion slowly. hey voice
weak and low from continued ines uo You
know dear that since baby was born iahcy mas
come TO lie that somewhere, do not know Whcrc
have seen duplicate Of IT, The thought enins 5s'
!
She ceased speaking, and fresh and horrible
dread seized upon Nj wrcx. II there were any
thing in Marlons fancy if she had really seen a
dupcatp of the Morales. then might II not be
only copy after all, paltry imitation, when
wonld no more fetch a sum such rs he relmIcI
than would one Of the many conntrrparts OF noted
pictures. such as Marion produced Tor hcf en- en-
ployers Were this so. and Suspicious doubling
tongue kept repeating that II was, all prospect OIL
relief was gone the door OF Hope was closed
The poor man sought his 2cm. took 1t down
from the wall and scanned it narrowly linl his
: Judgment errcd-was il counterfeit after all lie
could not bear to dwell upon the ppssibihty OF
such a thing. With nervous fingers he detnchcd
il from the frame, wrapped it in paper, and, with
1t under his arm. hurried ont
Despite his fcverish haste. il took him moro than
an hour 10 reach his destination. With beating
heart he rang the bell of the keepers door at the
! National Gallery. lie knewrle official, and would
submit the picture 10 his judgment. Iben, II his
fears were not confirmed, if II were judged an
: thentic, he knew where lie should find reads
buyer. ,...., ,
rho cold rray walls Of the building the Inspection
: of ite gloomy facade and heovy proportions ,cnd
5 pressed him. Presently the heavy door swun9
! back lie admitted and conducted 70 room
half Office, half gallery IN which The keeper at
: tended 70 his duties Around him were pictures
r ON the walls the chairs and the floor framed and
. unframed in packing cases and ready for packing
l. Facing him was a Turner. small sqnit scene
transparent middle distance, and kept il there {,
= clorifv the genius Of the Daintcr He saw nothing
! only stared into space while he waited. ioof 'cl
/, / at the door made him start lie turned and con
n Well, Mr.. Irex." said the official, Mr. Pom
II you here. What can do for y0u?'
S Without answering. Mr. Wrcx drew his pictur
from It's cover, placed it against chair an'
''ePRfa alc back vho, have you there - exclaimed the
l; other, advancing.
d You tell me- said Mr. wrcx, hoarscly.
IL Mr Pomfrct gave him quick and questioning
II look then walked to packing case al the furthc
d i by the side Of the one Mr. Wrcx had brought
u To an ordinary observer they were Identical, st
c like. that each might have been reflection o
e the other. Both were panels Of the same size
is the same colorins seemingly painted by the same
% % hand. Yet there was trihng difference, an IN
.rr deAnablc something that, TO a trained eye. va
- sufficient TO indicate which Of the two was TN
original difference SO slight: however tina
a nothing short OF comparison would have rcvcac,
= IT, Silently the keeper watched his visitor, who
y with baggard face and clenched hands, stoo'
r breathing hard and painfully, looking from ont
y Yours is o very good copy" said Mr.. Pomfre,
X presently.
n Copy" whispered the poor man
@ "Well, YES, I'm afraid so, Mr.. WrcN. You sc
# it cannot well bc the original. which has beer
l. lying here for couple of years at least" -,
o A couple Of years-hcre!' repeated Mr.. WrcX
.; weakly.
n Yes il is altogether a remarkable incident
/ continued Mr. Pomfre Not long ago ] found
c case which 10 have lain in an Out-Ofhc- wa
h and 10 have escaped the notice Of cvcryhod
for the last two years. Among the canvascS II con
n tanned was this which have satisi,d ii myself Is
4. Morales an early work painted in Italy, an
r probably meant for St Cecilia. ] have not yc
C. notified its discovery 10 the authorities.
m Mr. Wrex listened. but hc heard not. Within
l. him another voice than the keepers was speaking
cruel, despondcnt voice; voice that brcathc'
10 despair and hopccssness a voice Of sickness am
p sorrow and want 60 away II cried &c
~ hack 10 your unhappy nome, 20 your SUFFERING
'r wife. and tell her the bitter truth that Will MAX
her check whittier still. Tell her the dull am
desolate story that Shall rob her Of her lingcrln
" taste for life. Picture her the destitute presen;
ST the dreary future, full Of anxiety and wcarincss
'e and the struggle for existence which is bcfor
II YOU both Go, and cease 10 strive against Fate
, H. is hopeless task.
u. WDipr-a little " mOanpd the unhnDD