Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-11-19
AN AWKWARD SITUATION.

Ambition to get leading parts induced
me to throw up good position in the
north of England to join a manager
starting at Salisbury. The business
turned out disastrous, the theater clos
ing in a fortnight. /, an utter stran-
ger to the place, with wife and babe,
was taken i'll and could hardly stir for
days. But for good-hearted landlady
/ do not know what would have become
of us.
choly pipe in the grassy hollow below
Old Sarum, a ray of hope dawned upon
me. In my anxiety and depression one
old acquaintance had altogether slipped
my memory. This was a Mr.. Ather-
stone, an art dealer of Bond street. He
first knew me when l had become as
sistant to q well-known engraver and
watched my progress with great inter-
est. I wrote, telling him the whole
story of my misfortune. n prompt re-
ply followed.
Apart from proof of Mr.. Atherstone's
good feeling toward me his letter con-
tanned news that l read with surprise
and pleasure-not without reason, as
the following extract will show:
81 want you to undertake commits
sion that requires tact and discrimina-
ton. 1t is a private inquiry, and has
10 be carried through at Shrewton
Court, Merivalc, the seat of Lord Mount
falcon, within a few miles of Salisbury.
Obtain permission from the owner to
see his art treasures. shall forward to
you a jeweled 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 I 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 a 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
I 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 ia,
miliar. Where l had before seen it
could not recollect. Next morning
went over to Merivale. Shrewton Court
situated in spacious park, commands
many picturesque objects. One is &
graceful Ionic temple, half hidden in 4
mass of frs and white elms. So much
did it strike my fancy that left thu
pathway to obtain a close view. 1t was
prevented, however, by a singular Incl
dent. AS l approached, young girl ir
white bounded down the marble steps
Her melancholy yet beautiful face, AM
sunny tresses, decked with pansies ant
lilies, might have been Ophelia's. Tt
my perpleXity she advanced and cour
tested. three times. Directly afterwarC
matronly woman ran out of the build
ing. She quietly took the girl by thu
hand and led her away.
The Shrewton collection would b,
famous, if only for its Florentire ant
Venetian masterpieces. While absorbed
before them a light football aroused me
4 turned and saw Lord Mountfalcon
His open, handsome face would hav,
been an excellent letter of introduction
anywhere. He said:
Il have seen you before; was it no
rs Charles Surface at Exeter?"
From theatricals Lord Mountfalcon'
talk glided into matters of pictorial art
in which he was evidently an enthusi
Ast. Half an hour passed, and his lord
ship remarked:
81 must now leave you. On no &C
count miss the small blue galleries
There is portfolio of Rembrandt etch
ings that must have special value in tn
eyes Of practiced draughtsman. Per
haps you might also like to look at m,
bronzes, canoes and miniatures?
81 should, my lord, answered, "ver,
much. Are there many?"
"Yes, a large NUMBER" replied hi
lordship, very representative, from
billiard and Cooper to Ross and Mouie
My portrait by Moule 1 regard as fin
as anything painted by Cosway. Tn
keeper shall now attend you. He will
which you may have an interest"
When the keeper entered the myster,
vanished about the handwriting sent t
me- the day before.
/ had known Mr.. Samuel Cracker
thorpe, and we were no longer on speak
ing terms. We had been intimate a
Exeter, where he was then lawyer
clerk and small money lender. |
was not long before found out he wa
q mean, willy, intriguing, treacherou
fellow, sand on discovering him guilt
Of gross dishonesty angrily cut his *
quaintance. We met, of course, Xix
perfect strangers, but Crackenthorpe
manner was polite, even to obsequiou,
mess.
j had looked At the water color