The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1893-07-20

abandoned. We e6taOn9ne0 ourselves "a
one Of the smallest and least Sumptueus-
y furnished apaft ments. &c. Nv IS. s re-
mote turret Of the building. Iscdecora-
lions were rich. yet tattered and antique.
Its walls were hung with tapestry and
bedecked with manifold and mnlf ioIm
srmorial trophias, togethea with. an m
usually great numherA Of very spirited
modern paintings IN frames Of rich golden
arabesque. T.yvss sy..- II.
+, I'M tidese paintings, which. depended
from the'waals not only Ia their main
surzxces, init IN very many nools which
the bizarre architectureAof the chateau,
rendered necessary ~in these paintings
Efny' sincipiert deliripIn > perhaps, had,
caused me to take deep Interest, go that
l bade Pedro to1close the heavy shutters
of the room ace ittwas already night
to light The tongues of1E tall candela-
Drum which stood by the head Of my.
bed-and to throw open far and .wide
the fringed curtains Of black velvet.
which cnyebped the bed itself. Iwished
all tEis Gone that might resign myself,
if not to sleep. It least alternately to the
contemplation of these pictures and the
pernsal of small volume which had
been found upon the pillow, and which
purrorted to criticise and describe them.
L Long, long, read, and 1evcutly, de-
votedly, gazed Rapidly ard gloriously
the hours flew by. and the deep midnight
came. The position of the candelabrum
displeased me, and outreaching my hand
with difficulty, rather, than disturb my
slumbering valet, placed it so as to
throw its rays more fully upon the book.
I But the action produced an effect al
together una c'pated. The rays of the
numerous candles, for there were many,
now fell within niche of the room
which had hitherto been thrown into
deep shade by che of the bedposts. /
thus saw in vivid light picture all un-
noticed Def, 4. It was the portrait of a
young girl just ripening into woman
hood. I glanced 1.-THE painting hurried
~ and then closed my eyes. = =.
/ Why did this was not at first appar-
ent even to my own perception. Bat
while my lids remained thus shut ran
over in my mind my reason torso shut
ting them. It was an impulsive move
ment to gain time for thought Ito make
sure that my vision had not deceived me
to calm and subdue my fancy for a
more sober and more certain gaze. In a
very few moments again looked fixed
y at the painting. -s-S5ts7, h.&2s1.s
That now saw Alright could not and
would not doubt, for the first flashing of
the candles upon that canvas had seemed
to- dissipate. the dreamy stupor which
was stealing over my senses, and to
startle me at once into waking life.
The portrait, have already said, was
that OLA young girl. 1t was mere
head and shoulders, done in what is
technically termed a vignette mann
much in the style of the favorite heads
Of Sully. The arms, the bosom and even
the ends Of the radiant hair melted i'm.
perceptibly into the vague yet deep
shadow which formed the background
of the whole The frame was oval, rich
ly gilded and filigreed in Moresque. As
thing of art nothing could be more adj
mirable than the painting itself. But it
could have been neither the execution of
the work nor the immortal beauty Of
the countenance which had 80 suddenly
and SO vehemently moved me. Least Of
all could it have been: that my fancy,
shaken from it's half slumber, had mis-
taken the head for, that 1of a living per-
son. II saw at once that the peculiaritiee
of the design, Of the vignetting and of
the fran must hhFe instantly dispelled
such idsa-must have prevented even it,
nomentary entertainment. Tsi aa,
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