The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-28

alack. They didn't last long, for it couldn't
nave nave peen no more than 1,s a couple OF Gays
stairs and weeps terrible enough to break
her heart, and just before evening, when
was on the landing, heard voices:
I cannot part with my daughter yet
Trehearn; she is all have, my master was
saying, and / have never forgotten the
words. That was all heard, for some one
was coming upstairs; ii was Mr.. Trehearn
He had a bag in his hand
Where's Miss Phyllis he said quite
hurried-like to me, but at that moment my
young lady came out. She must have heard
his voice. Mr.. Trehearn hardly seemed to
notice me; he just said one sentence to hel
and l could not help hearing 1t.
should relent; l will come back soon.
Those be the very words he used, sir, the
very words. The poor young gentleman
was heartbroken, could see; he could not
say more. Those were the last words ne
spoke, and then he ran downstairs, and
on, sir, It was pitiful to hear my young
Al this moment the farmer was heard
saying: "DunnoT
Pardon me, sir" said the farmers wife
'but there's my Joe saying he don't Know
something" and the woman hustled down
stairs.
The interruption was a most welcome re-
lief. / felt / had no right to listen 10
all these condolences made public; hated
myself for having done so, and yet j must
truthfully say that l wished to hear more
of this story, story that mad SO tTas dt
an ending. But the farmers wife did not
come back again that evening; she had
many duties to attend to at the farm.
With rod in hand and basket on my pack
1 went forth the next day to the little trout
stream Luck was with me that morning
the fish took the fly greedily, and on my
way back l stopped at the REQ brlcK mousse
This days catch seemed reasonable eX-
cuse for call and a present. on reaching
the red brick house / saw that the WHITE
marble face had disappeared from the WIN
dow It's absence gave, L thought, pecu-
liarly bare and cherries appearance 10 tne
front of the house, and in that particular
window there seemed to be terrible blank.
/ was shown into the same old-faShloned
room in which l had waited that day When
l had unwillingly overheard Mr. vernon
announcing my cousins death to Phyllls
and my thoughts flew back to that time
l could see in my mind Phyllis in her cool
white dress fitting across the lawn, anu
hear her clear voice calling Gyp TO order,
and l remembered the far-oH look IN ner
blue eyes, Then the door oponed, the pic
ture l had conjured up Vanlsneu, ana MT
Vernon entered the room.
s"I am in the studio to-day, he said, ana
Phyllis, dear child, is there, too; we Work
very we'll together"
while / offered my fish and then related
how successful 1 had been;
But you must not think or gong yet,
he urged, land you might perhaps care 10
see the bust 1 am working at; 1t is IN a
more advanced state that wnen you nrS'
saw 1t.
been longing for the faintest excuse that
would take me into that studio:
So we went in together; Phyllis sat at
table drawing, her head bent over her Work
She rose as we entered, the sadness IN her
face suddenly fed and the same prlght
look that had seen in her face once before
welcomed me- This cheerfulneSS was as
s1lmed | felt sure for her fathers sake,
and knowing some of the sad circum-
stances, marveled greatly at her selt-con-
troll
sSee what Mr.. Trehearn has brought us,
Phyllis" said Mr.. Vernon, opening the no
of the basket.
Phyllis peeped in at the nSh lnat lay OH
bed of bracken. -
"They are beautiful color" she said,
admiringly, but the FISH do not seem 10
like me: / have sat for hours by the SIDE
of the stream waiting for them but they
never come. Don't you think 1t is little
trying?" she asked, looking up with a
"Exceeoingly," 1 answered, wishing had
had the wasted opportunities of the flsh.
Mr. Vernon was now standing in front OF
his carving fidgeting impatiently; though
he loved his daughter, | could readily be-
lieye that he loved himself better; he
wanted all the attention for himself ana ms
SculpturingS. .,
II have not progressed very far, you see"
he said, turning to me, but you may per-
hapS see a change.
1t was a classic head that Mr.. vernon
was working upon, head that in its rough
outline was stern and fOrbidding.
/ told him that [ had noticed a great
change, and then asked If l might watch
him working. This request seemed to please
the old gentleman: he settled himself on his
STOOL, selected his malet and chisel, and the
sharp chip, chip of the chiSel on the stone
resounded through the silent room.
Phyllis leaning back in her chair and with
her face resting on one hand watched her
father thoughttully. L stood watching also,
and the time went quickly.
At last Mr.. Vernon ceased working, ne
laid down his mallet and chiSel, and turned
round.
Would you mind telling me if the ex-
preston on the face has changed at ALP
he asked. Il trust to fresh eyes far more
than to those that have watched the work
from the very beginning; if you step back
a few PAGES you will see better.
l retreatcd a couple of steps until table
brought me to a StandStill.
II think the mouth has a more gentle ex-
preston now" l suggested.
VERY good, very good, that is as it should
be-" approved Mr.. Vernon, and then he con-
tinued his work.
/ was leaning against the table while I
spoke, and as l did this it creaked. looked
round and q strange thing occurred: bust
stood on the table behind me, and the cloth
that covered il began, as / turned round, to
slide slowly of-lower and lower until it
fell in heap on to the floor, leaving ex-
posed to view the white face!
Neither father nor daughter noticed this,
but as / stood gazing at the head, faScin-
ated by it, had weird feeling that be-
fore l came to Dormerly had known this
head.
1 glanced at Phyllis the likeness between
her and the carving was remarkable, and a
strange idea occurred to me; | seemed to
have discovered something that l had once
lost / took up a mallet and chisel absent
mindedly and looked at the white face, then
at PhylliS'S fair face, and once at her like
ness. Another thought came to me, and |
found myself wondering that I had never
imagined it before. and feeling puzzled
that Mr. Vernon was still sitting in front
of his carving; surely he must have been an
exceedingly long time in that position.
Phyllis still leaning back in her chair
raised her eyes to mine. 1t all happened in
a flash; a, veil was lifted from my eyes,
thought after thought, scene after scene.
came crowding back to my mind. A flood
of memory swept like a. mighty wave
through my brain; it was light after dark
ness, and now saw all clearly.
In one second the scenes that had been
in oblivion returned to me- / knew that
the head had been carved by my own hand,
that / had been made happy by Phyllis S
love, and most miserable by fathers re-
fusal to part with his daughter. 1t was l
who had said, place the head in the win
dow, dearest if he should relent," and the
story that the farmers wife had told me
was my own rOmance-my own! and | had
not known it.
In my intense happiness 1 did not wait
to- think why my memory had failed me.
nor why it had returned but afterward |
low had swept away all power of the re-
membrance of events that had taken place
shortly before until the scene in the
studio-being a curious coincidence the ex-
act reproduction of one a few months back
Mr.. Vernon sitting at his work, Phyllis
leaning back in her chair in front of me,
the white face close by-had in some
strange way brought back my lost mem
DRY.