The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1896-11-20
AN AWKWARD SITUATION.

Ambition to get leading parts induced
me TO throw up good position in the
north of England TO join manager
starting at Salisbury. The business
turned out disastrous, the theater clos
inc in fortnight. /, an utter stran-
ger TO the place, with wife and babe,
was taken i'll and could hardly stir for
davs. But for good hearted landlady
do not know what would have become
of us.
One morning. however, over melan-
choly pipe in the grassy hollow below
Old Sarum, ray of hope dawned upon
me. In my anxiety and depression one
old acquaintance had altogether slipped
my memory. This was Mr.. Ather-
stone. an art dealer of Bond street. He
sistant to "A well-known engraver and
watched my progress with great inter
est. / wrote, telling him the whole
story of my misfortune. A prompt re-
ply followed.
Apart from proof of Mr.. Atherstone's
good feeling toward me his letter con
tanned news That | read with surprise
and pleasure-not without reason, as
the following extract will show:
II want you TO undertake commits
sion that requires tact and discrimina-
ton. 1t is a private inquiry. and has
TO be carried through at Shrewto
Court, Merivalc. the seat of Lord Mount
falcon. within a few miles OF Salisbury.
Obtain permission from the owner 10
see his art treasures. | shall forward TO
you ieweled miniature of Lord Mount
falcon. and want you TO ascertain if it
is fac-simile of one in the collection.
That is the least important part Of the
inquiry with which ] trust you. Find
out. at any trouble and with all the
skill you can command. the circum-
stances under which the fac-simile came
to be painted There is keeper OF the
galleries; try and make friends with
him. Keep the object Of your visit as
dark as possible"
On again hearing from the art dealer
/ wrote to Lord Mountfalcon. asking
permission to visit his picture galleries.
BY next post | had the most courteous
OF replies. acceding to my request. One
thing puzzled me-the handwriting OF
the note signed by the nobleman was fa-
miliar. Where ! had before seen il
could not recollect. Next morning |
went over to Merivale. Shrewton Court
situated in n spacious park. commands
many picturesque objects. One is o
graceful Ionic temple, half hidden in A
mass of frs and white elms. SO much
did il strike my fancy that | left the
pathway to obtain a close view. 1t was
prevented, however, by singular Incl
dent. AS approached. young girl in
white bounded down the marble steps
Her melancholy yet beautiful face, and
sunny tresscs. decked with pansies and
lilies. might have been Ophelia's. To
my perplexity she advanced and cour-
tested three times. Directly afterward
matronly woman ran out of the build
ing. She quietly took the girl by the
hand and led her away.
The Shrewton collection would be
famous, il only for its Florentine and
Venetian masterpieces. While absorbed
before them light football aroused me.
! turned and saw Lord Mountfalcon.
His open. handsome face would have
been an excellent letter Of introduction
anywhere. He said:
Il have seen you before; was il not
as Charles Surface Mt Exeter?"
From theatricals Lord Mountfalcon's
talk glided into matters of pictorial art
in which he was evidently an enthusi-
asst Half an hour passed. and his lord
ship remarked:
Il must now leave you. On no ac-
count miss the small blue galleries.
There is portfolio of Rembrandt etch-
ings that must have special value in the
eyes of practiced draughtsmnn. Per-
haps you might also like to look at my
bronzes, canoes and miniatures?"
Il should, my lord answered, every
much. Are there many?"
Yes, large number" replied his
lordship. very representative. from
billiard and Cooper to Ross and Moulc.
My portrait by Moulc regard as fine
as anything painted by Cosway. The
Keeper shall now attend you. lie will
nave orders to let you see anything in
which you may have an interest
When the keeper entered the mystery
vanished about the handwriting sent to
me the day before.
mad known Mr.. Samuel Cracken-
thorpe, and we were no longer on speak
ing terms. Ne had bea, ,pt;,,a,o NJ
Exeter, where he was then n lawyer's
clerk and small money lender. II
was not long before ! found out he was
mean willy. Intriguing. treacherous
..'low' ana on discovering him guilty
VI gross dishonesty ! angrily cut his ac-
Iua'Mance' We met, Of course, like
P.rIect strangers, but Crackenthorpe's
manner manner was polite, even to obsequious-
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