Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-06
THU MYSTERY 0F THU GRAY VEIL.

although they manage to conceal them until
| after they are married. You will write TO
| Putney, of course?"
And more to humor Hibbitson than that
was actuated by any serious intention, I
| did so. 1 addressed brief note to "Adele,"
at the Putney postofice, suggesting an in
terview, and prompt reply was returned,
inviting me to an address at Fulham.
1t was most mysterious business. The
house was we'll situated and artisticalIy fur
nlshed, and on being ushered upstairs an
old lady was there to meet me, and my not
| unnatural apprehension that 1 should find
| myself the victim of hoax, vanished the
moment l set eyes on her. She was highly
respectable and well hammered, but unmis-
takably nervous. She was very anxious to
| see me, she said, before 1 was introduced to
| her niece. Appearances she knew, were
not much to go by, but, so far as her poor
! Judgment went, she thought it her duty to
exercise it in Adele's behalf. She most sim
cerely hoped that was not regarding the
matter as joke. II so, might she earnestly
| beg OF me-and tears were in the old lady's
| eyes as she addressed me-to save her niece
| and herself further humiliation and embar-
rassment, by Withdrawing forthwith.
assured her that nothing was further
| from thoughts than to amuse myself at the
| expense of a sensitive girl.
| 1uhCcu3 AdudHJ duueu, dlb0OuRn
my acceptance of your niece's invitation is
| in perfectly good faith, 1 nave no wish to
cause her the least annoyance. If you will
kindly tell me what is the one biemish, and
l should feel compelled to regard it as an
insuperable objection, we need not move
any further in the matter, and, as gentle
man, shall treat your confidence as invio-
table,
But she sadly shook her head.
Your request is quite reasonable" she
remarked, "but / ought to tell you that I
am not at liberty to accede to it. :"
"But you can satisfy me this far, at all
| eVents-the young lady is in possession of
her intellectual faculties?"
| The sorrowful expression on the old Iady's
eyes gave place to a brighter twinkle as she
] replied:
"How absurd that you should ask such
| question. Bpt L beg your pardon. You
would, of course, be more anxious on that
account than any other. Yes sir, Adele is
in the fullest possible possession OF her
senses"
'And the-the one blemlshl Is ii
bodily?"
| "Nop'
'Has she-pray pardon me-has she the
use of her limbs? She is not bedridden or
incurably crippled?"
MY good sir, noI' And the old lady's
momentary flush of indignation gave place
before the twinkle in her eyes again. MY
niece is quite free from bodily ailment, and
| active as fawn."
''Then the Flemish must exist in the un-
fortunate young lady's face. Is she then so
very ugly?"
There was drawing on an easel in cor
ner of the room. it was unfinished, but the
face was that of not handsome girl but of
one that was decidedly winning and low
| able.
''That," said the old lady, sis Adele's
portrait, as far as she has got on with it, en-
larged from photograph taken two years
since. have not the original at hand, but
the likeness is very striking"
| why then, madam" L exclaimed, un-
able to conceal my delight, "let me offer you
a thousand apologies for my string of ridicu-
| lous questions, and beg of you to permit me
to see the young lady without further de-
| lay"
! Adele's aunt left me by myself Herewas
| an inexplicable enigma. What was the
| "blemish," that was no blemish at all? She
| was young, fully as nice looking as any lady
of my acquaintance, her mental faculties
were unimpaired, her bodily health was per-
feet
1 was in the midst of bewiIdering specula-
tions, when the old lady returned bringing
height and of graceful figure, but she wore
a veill
a gray veil oflight material, but quite i'm
| penetrable to those who gazed on her. Round
her head-she had beautiful hair and pro-
fusion OF lt-she wore very narrow circlet
of tortoise shell, and to this the top of the
veil was attached in such way that her face
from the very summit of her forehead down.
ward was invisible, the lower part of The
gauze not hanging loose, but secured at her
bosom.
Although-as already intimated-I
could not make out a single feature of hers,
she evidently could see me distinctly
enough, and as L rose to greet her, could
feel that L was under inspection. The
brief survey did not seem to be displeasing
to her, and she advanced and offered me
her hand. Then she sat down, the old lady
remaining in the room, and we chatted to-
gether, she taking her part with as much
ease and freedom as though 1 were privi-
legged acquaintance who bad made an
ordinary morning call. No reference was
made to the object of my visit. She
was we'll read, and obviously critical. She
knew much more than L of the latest novels
and PLAYS, and was conversant with the
current topics of the day, nor was she at all
deficient of a sense of humor, as her fre-
quent musical laugh testified.
The conversation presently touched on
the arts and sciences, and then L eontrived
on delicate ground and complimented her
on her artistic skill as displayed in the
drawing.
SIT is thousand pities," said L slowly,
shat the original of such a charming face
should remain for moment hidden"
On this. the old lady Immediately applied
her handkerchief to heteyes, and her nieee's
manner saddened as quickly
''An insupportable hardship you think it,
probably" she remarked quietly.
"For yourself my dear madam. Yes,
can scarcely imagine greater hardship"
lit must be borne with, however" said
Adele with sigh.
''For the present you mean, Of course?
The-the inconvenience is but temporary"
''You are entitled to ask the question"
she replied; "our present business" with
bitter stress on the last word) ',justifes 1t.
You shall be answered truthlully. The in
convenience, as you considerably term it, is
not temporary. 1t is the lasting curse of
lifetime"
''But the portrait 1 remarked, hesitat-
1ngiy, sis YOUR own drawing. Your aunt has
already informed me that it is strikingly
like you"
"What! As regards features and express
sion? Oh. yes!" Then with shrug of her
fair shoulders, significant of her contempt
for the trivialities mentioned, ''the likeness
in those respects is passable, 1 believe"
SIN those respects! Why, surely in those
two qualities all the conditions are fulfilled.
What else can such face be but pleasant to
look on