Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-05-01

IL came ABOUT IN tnlS way; got g
note one day from Miss ViviaE-I have
it still requesting me to call upor
her on little matter of business
l took good deal of pains with my
toilet, and then l went downstairs and
| knocked at the door of my fellow
ledger.
Mr.. Stippler," she said, you'll ex,
cuse my asking you to come here in
this informal way, but the fact is that ]
want to have my portrait painted. !
can't afford to pay very much for it.
MIR. Melchizedec recommended me to
you. Can you oblige me in this mat
ter, Mr.. Stippler, and" here she
blushed violently, will it be very ex-
pensive?"
Madam" replied with enthusiasm,
''you do me too much honor in select
ing me. If you permit me to paint
your portrait, it'll cost you nothing at
all"
'.Ahw she answered, with silvery
laugh-don't grin, sir, it was silvery;
it wasn't a bit stacy; an innocent,
silvery, girlish, delicious little laugh
that's not business, Mr.. Stippler. Be-
Sides" she added, gently snubbing me,
sit was Mr.. Melchizedecs selection,
and not mine. Let's leave compli-
ments and come to business. You
don't know how sick of compliments l
am, Mr.. Stippler."
blushed. l felt like a fool, and I
know | looked like one.
'Mr. Melchizedec said something
about 20 guineas," said Miss Vivian.
Il shall be only too delighted" l
burst in.
Then we may consider it as settled,
Mr.. Stippler," said my fellow-lodger.
"When shall sit to you?"
l made an appointment and the
thing was done. OF course. I expected
that she would want to be painted in
character. Nothing of the kind
you see Mr.. Stippler," she said, Il
must take you into my confidence. I
intend this portrait as present-as a
sort of surprise. l wish to give it to a
gentleman whom [ am to marry" and
then she blushed, and gave little sigh,
and l would have groaned aloud had
dared.
of French Neutrality-suspicious. weren't
invented then-and when l had posed
her she said to me:
Lord Wallsend-that is the name of
the gentleman to whom am engaged,
and tell it you in confidence, Mr..
Stippler-has seen me in Cordelia. He
thinks a great deal of my hair. You
won't think me vain, Mr.. Stippler, if l
ask you if l may let it DOWN."
She gave me twenty sittings for that
portrait l was madly, passionately,
desperately in love with her, but l never
breathed a word of it. We became
great friends; we talked unreservedly
to each other just as if we had known
each other all our lives-almost as if
we had been brother and sister. l
suppose it was camaraderie.
Once, and once only, | made an ass
of myself.
ut must be finished by the 2Oth,,' she
had said; 1.-The 21st is his birthday"
Il wish it could never be fnished,n 1
stand here painting all my life
The pretty smile faded from her face
and she pulled me up at once.
"You mustn't say anything to me,
Mr.. Stippler, if you please, that you
wouldn't say if Lord Wallsend himself
were here by my side"
l apologized; felt that 1 was a
brute.
We became fast friends. She told
me her history, her struggles, her am
| billions; and from her own lips |
learned that the coming marriage was
no union of love or even inclination
She had been driven into it by her
parents. There is such thing as be-
| inc too dutiful. | learned too that
Lord Wallsend was next door to an
idiot and that his insanity declared it
self in monstrous jealousy of Lottie,
as unfounded us it was absurd.
| had lunched with Miss Vivian; it was
my farewell visit to her. The portrait
was tinished-it was my masterpiece,
Jack-and it stood upon an easel in its
| bright new frame in the middle of the
room.
The table had been cleared; thank
| heaven for that!
Play to me, Mr.. Stippler," she said
IN voice that went straight to my
heart; Pm terribly low-spirited. Play
something cheerful"
| sat down to the little cottage Erard
and did as l was bid. played niger
melodies [ played dance music, and
then, somehow or other, | drifted to
Home Sweet Home" and then [ felt
so utterly miserable that | broke down.
| | turned on the stool toward Lottie
and | saw that her eyes were full of
| tears.
Don't, George, don't" she said,
don't 90 on. | can't bear it."
She called me by my Christian name
for the first and the last time.
And then there came a tap at the
door and a hoarse, croaking voice
grated out: May | come imp
Good heavens! it's his lordship, ~
cried Lottie Vivian land am ruined!'
But | saved her, though if | hadn't
been prompt she would never have
married him. and she might-yes, by
Jove!-perhaps have become my wife
after all. Stranger things have hap
pened. But | treasured her by glance
and she took her cue at once.
| She was an actress, remember.
| flung off my coat and whipped out
the front board of the piano, | buried
my face among the hammers, and be-
gan striking single notes upon the
| keys.
Come in," said Miss Vivian, and his
lordship entered.
Il hope don't intrude,n he said.
And then |, too, thought of Paul Pry.
You are always welcome guest,
Wallsend," said Miss Vivian.
And then they began to chat in
whispers.
"Faugh! how the fellow smells of to-