St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-12-14

PEACE MERWIN'S ROMANCE.


erations of New Eng land arlstocracy.
The gray stone house on Pety street
IN which she lived was the home OF
her ancestors. A high brick wall
surrounded the grounds, broken by
an iron grille that led up to the front
norch. A white marble bust of
man and one of woman guarded
each side of the grille perched high
on the wall and staring straight
ahead. As the clock struck at mid
night they were believed to turn and
look into each Others faces, as they
had done for the first time a hundred
years before, when Peace Merwin
had flung herself lovelorn from
window at midnight and been dash.
ed to death on the hagstones below.
Back of the house was a flower
garden, a glass house for winter
roses and an orchard Of peach and
apple trees.
Peace Merwin's mother had died
when she was ten years old, and at
that tender age she had assumed
the care OF the household, a thought
full, elderly child. Her father be.
came a recluse, and they lived to-
gerher summer and winter, seldom
leaving home for day, for what
was so cool and fresh as their own
vine-shaded veranda that looked
over the gay and fragrant garden?
or what was so pure and lovely as
their own orchard when the boughs
were snow laden?
The child grew into a patient girl,
with no longing for the world !;
then slowly, without protest, her
youth slipped away, and she felt no
bitterness when she realized that it
was gone.
When her father died she was the
last OF her race and alone in the
world.
Devon had come to Cliffordtown
hoping to get pupils in drawing and
painting; but he hoped in vain.
The hard New England winter came
on, his little store Of money was
nearly gone, and his strength was
going every day. He struggled up
and down from his studio in the
town to the house he boarded in on
the hill. 1t was ancient and dilapi-
dated. with great square chimney
thrusting itself out of the pointed
roof, seeming almost to cleave the
house in two. 1t belonged to a
widow and her daughter, as poor as
he himself, who resented his presence
even as they took his weekly pit
tance.
One day a low. voiced calm proved
woman entered his studio, and told
him she had just seen little picture
oil his in shop window. 1t was a
water color sketch OF a slender, leaf
less tree. alone on a strip OF land
that jutted out into the river. 1t was
sharp and black against pale sun
set, and was reflected deep down in
the smooth water. 1t had struck
her fancy and she had bought it
Would he permit her to see more o.
his work?
He set chair before his portfolio
with shy grace of hospitality, anc
she turned over the sketches slowly
Other sketches were pinned upor
the wall, in charcoal and oil, al
more or less striking, and some o
daring merit.
The visitor, Peace Merwin, glanced
from the sketches to the artist.
He was tall and slight witt
shoulders that dropped little. HI
had brown eyes with a sunny ligh
in them, thick, brown hair brushed
straight over his brows. and tiny
moustache. His hands were whit
and beautiful. His clothes wer
shabby and he was plainly in tn
most delicate health.
The room was bare and 6reles
and all the more pathetic for tn
effort of a bright-colored rug and ;
bit of drapery here and there. |
was on the third floor of a building
devoted to business offices; and il
the street below was the pleasant
leisurely stir of the town as far re
moved from the stagnation OF a vii
lage as from the throbbrng life OF ;
great city. To most of the people IL
Clffordtown existence was a whole
some, satisfactory affair, with littl
of the restlessness and longing tina
lead so naturally to the arts.
Peace Merwin became SUDDEN.
aware of this as she bent over tn
portfolio.
What made you come to Clifford
town =? she asked abruptly.
e came because Thought | shoult
stand better chance here than II
New York or Boston, and that
should make little money by teach
Ing and get back to Paris, but Sc
far | have made pretty brlll'an
failure of it,"
When were you in Paris :
studying him with great seriousness
"All last winter, and was getting
along splendidly when was take'
very i'll. 1t was an awiully colt
..,.&t, N ShnIHpf