The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1892-10-15

| read aloud from thr poets.
He moved his head slowly about,
noting every detail-the peacock
feather fans, the cut glass decanters
and glasses, the painted china in the
corner cupboard, the footstool like a
melon, the lamp mat like rose.
Nothing had worn out or grown
shabby in the spinster's little home.
Once, he said, Miss Nancy sat for
a miniature to a painter then well
known. 1t was a speaking likeness,
Does it by chance remain in the
house?
think it does, | said. The heir,
nephew, rich mar, who lives in
New Orleans, wrote orders that the
house should be sold with all its
belongings, and think the miniature
YOU mean is here
| went to the escrltoir and drew
from one OF the drawers the likeness
OF lady painted on ivory and set
in a narrow gold frame. l doubt if
it really resembled any living being.
1t was beautiful doll, all pink and
white, with blue eyes, little brown
curls, penciled on the forehead and
a white trill about the neck, but as
| put it into the hands of Bachelor
Barton he gazed upon it with rap.
ture.
Miss Nancy's very self, he said,
as she appeared at twenty two.
| There are no such women now. He
paused and with bow, added, with
the exception of the fair lady in
whose presence | now stand.
| courtsied. hope did it prop
erly. 1t seemed the only thing to
do under the circumstances.
After this | begged the old gentle
man to visit any portion of the
house and grounds hei pleased,
and when he went away presented
him with Miss Nancy's miniature,
for which he kissed my hand, stand
ing at long distance and touching
my fingers as though they were
relics.
We talked him over at tea time,
lack ard |, and made up our minds
that he had once been suitor Of
Miss Nancy's. 1t was not very
difficult matter to guess that, and
from that day he called frequently.
! He made me his conhdante at last.
! He had adored Miss Nancy, he
told me, and she had returned his
affection, and they had become
engaged to each other with the con-
sent of the mothers and all went
merry as a marriage bell, until, in
some manner, he offended the object
OF his alteration.
Ijudge he made her jealous, hav-
ing been in his day beau OF the
first water and much admired by the
ladies, but he was too modest to say
outright. But at all events she
would not forgive him. She refused
him the miniature which had been
painted for him, she took back her
lock of hair and sent him back his
letters, and in all sorts of ways
wreaked vengeance upon him for
his doing. Yet | believe she inten-
ded to relent and forgive, and he
also thought so, 1 am sure. He
made every possible apology and
| overture, but she yielded not one
inch.
At last her mother died. That
great sorrow, it seemed to him, must
lower her pride, and she must more
than ever need a comforter, a con-
soler, a protector.
Allowing ,,in,e for the fsr hurst
of grief, he wrote to her, asking her |
to reply, whatever her fiat might be,
begging her to forgive him and once
more promise to be his wife,
She never answered me, he said.
She never gave me one word in
reply.
1t was on my tongue to say she
had been very vindictive, but saw
that would not do. Miss Nancy was
sainted in his memory and could be
suspected OF no wrong whatever.
1 erred beyond forgiveness, sweet
angel, he said-I erred beyond for
giveness; and Bachelor Barton
could not have been moved from
this opinion by the whisper of an
angel.