The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-02-25
PAINTED FROM MEMORY.

+ PAINTED FROM MEMORY.
You ask me whose portrait that is
hanging over the mantle lust where the
warm ire-aashes can 50 changefully tinge
ii?
she was my only sister, Pamela, three
years older than I. Ever since you came
here, Hiss Harris, as goTerness 10 my
little Bessie. am sure that YOU have felt
convinced Of our complete happiness as
q loving and united family. Well, YOU
are nearly right perhaps my bliss would
be perfect, but for oae miserable childish
memory. It Is a haunting ghost that
/ viii never, never leave me-
Ny father was what people call
hard man. Pamela and I were his only
two children; mother had died when l
was young.
He was al anstocrat in tastes and
theories. used to lie very proud Of his
old Knickerbocker name, Van Horn. and
would sometimes say to Pamela, after
she had grown to be a young lady:
Before long, my daughter, you must
60 to New York and see a little Of me-
tropoiitan society. myself will take
YOU Al my relations-and there are
quite g member ofthese among the best
people in New York-would al once paw
their respects 10 US.
Again aud again father would sneak
TINS way to my sister, and at first Pane
las face flushed with expectaut pleasure
bat after she met George Conroy herde-
sire to get a glimpse Of New York socie-
T. underwent marked change.
He was a handsome Young artist who
had come 70 spend the summer in the
neighboring village. Pamela met him at
the house Of a friend in the village
whom she often visited. was. AT *
years old, one Of the most rnischievous
young maidens an6 vixens that it would
be easy 70 find. and on discovering that
Pamela met George Conroy secretly, I /
was iilled with an overnastering amuse-
ment. Doubtless the wittieisms of which
l made my poor, meek sister the object
were veTy silly. A that time / thought I
them excessively good, and was never
tired Of multiplying them. Once 1 made /
the important discovery that they used /
to meet sometimes after sunset. at a Ger
tain great willow tree and walk together.
Gracious, Pam" jeerinsly custom |
ed -how do you ever manage to pass the /
haunted orchard after nizhtfalI q'
Ny sister gave little shiver.
~Weli. Gertrude she answered. hesi-
tatingly, st is hard. Sometimes I turp
cold from head 70 foot whilst I'm hurry
ing By. OF course my reason tells me
that the story about that murdered no.
mad's ghost haunting it is perfectly ridi-
eulous and yet can't control nv ner-
vousness.
/ laughed as l heard this, and mis- l
ehieTous thought was taking shape in
nv brain.
That night, little before the hour at
which Pamela usually slipped ont Of the
house, I myself left il with large bum
die under my arm. The haunted orch
ard lay buta short distance of. I soon
reached H. and, under the shadow Of a
great apple tree uudid my bundle. which
consisted Of a vol1minous white sheet
Draping myself in this, / crouched be-
hind an obscuring .see-trunk and patient
ly waited.
Presently steps sounded. As they drew
nearer, could recognize my sisters quick
nervous tread. 1 rose and came forward
The stone fence directly in front of me
was broken away, and through this con-
verient aperture I fitted forth upon the
road,
Ny sister stopped short when she saw
ne I could Ill control the shrek Of
laughter that rushed to my lips. AT
length, however, my fun seemed to me
rather Honotonous, for there stood Pa
mela, about three yards distant, still
uttrely immoyable.
/ a sudden fear possessed nv heart. II
was cold as ice.
Pamela" / cried, its l. And was
only in fun. you know. Pray forgive me
if I've frightened you 80 very much.
( Pamela, Why don't you speak -
+ l was very close 20 her now, and was
searching her face with alarmed eyes.
/ She was smiling, but there seemed some
thing horribly vacant in the smile. At
last her eyes opened, and in strange,
absent way she murmured
-Only in fun Only in fun nr
Oh, the anguish and remorse that I
feit as those idiotic words fell upon nv
ear. I pnt NY trembling arm about her
waist and We walked home together.
All the way home she kept murmuring
il that terrible. altered voice with that
meaningless, empty smile. ~Only in
fun Only in fun
Her reason WAS gone forever. She
lived three years perpetual reprozeh
TO me, an ever present misery think
that Il was the agony which George Con-
roy saw me suffer that made him, Two
years after PAmeia's death. ask me to
become his wife. He was the wealthy
and prosperous artist then as you see
him now and not the poor painter who
had wOoed my sister. He painted that
PORTAL. from memory. lie painted it
a. ny request