El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-08-01
1THIE POIRTLR BAD I S


mother played at her knee. They were
as greatly blessed as were Adam and Eve
In paradise. But even to paradise, as we
remember, there came a serpent. So to
Margaret MERGERS home came one day
Elsie Grey, as fair serpent as one could
meet-a woman of whom one said, look
ing at her for the first time, She Is as
good as she is beautiful" She came as
governess for the children, and Margaret,
charmed by her sweet face, made Il COM
pact of friendship with her at once and
was we'll pleased that Matthew liked the
girl
That was in December. One day in
June in walked Miss Euphemia Jones
and looked straight into the wet eyes
turned. somewhat Indignantly. upon her.
..Ain't we'll, eh?' said the spinster.
.Not very said Margaret. And
tired. you know, and
'Don't tell me. Mrs. Mercer. And this
say: Get rid of that there sly boots of a
governess. or you'll hev more reason to
cry than you hev now Men is men, Mrs.
Mercer, and your husband
But Matthew is my husband painted
Margaret.
''Then he hadn't ought to go a-walkin
with Miss Grey" said the spinster,
'hodin her hand, too-he oughtn't. But
oughtn't to go out of town along with
her. We saw them take the cars, L and
Mrs. Thompson, only an hour ago"
Rewitched by the beautiful serpent his
wife's kind heart had warmed and nour-
ished until it had strength to sting her,
Matthew Mercer had left his home, his
wife and his children for her sake.
Margaret suffered in silence. She re-
solved to earn her own bread for herself
ia
success.
She could paint, and her first picture
told the tale, so like her own, of Queen
Eleanor in Rosamond's bower.
RoSamond was Elsie Grey; Eleanor
had her own features, and the portrait of
the king upon the wall was that of Mat
thew Mercer.
The picture was on exhibition. 1t hung
In great gallery set off by a dusky
proscenium; people went to see it, and it
was admired; critics praised it. rich
man offered a great price for it. And
mean while man, threadbare and rusty,
old before his time, with remorse so
stamped upon his handsome features that
a child could read it there, prowled often
about the door of the gallery where the
picture hung and looked in along the still,
echoing entrance, at the end of which
the man who took the tickets sat and
read - PAPER and smoked alternately. At
last l.. Ncntured in.
''LDok here" he said in a sort of shame
faced way to the ticket taker. Il want
to see that picture. l haven't any mon
ey, but l knew Mrs. Mercer once. Let
me look. won't you? 1t can't hurt you or
any one
He walked up to the picture and looked
at il. Then he pressed his hand upon his
forehead and ground his teeth together.
Margaret Margaretr he muttered.
'>Oh. God. Margaret" And then he sat
down. staring at the picture with eyes
thar saw those likenesses as none other
ever had.
He sat there still when a rustic of silk,
a sweep of velvet the high tones of
young voices filled the gallery. \ wo-
man walked up the room aid stood be-
fore the picture-a child by her hand and
q boy behind her.
The man gave one look, dragged his
hat over his eyes, and covered down
upon the bench. budding himself togeth-
er Il beGGar does-seldom any other.
The lady did not look at him, but the
child did. In moment more it had pull
ed its mothers sleeve. There's a man
just like the king" he said; lust such a
beard. mother" And Margaret turned
her head. Then her face grew white.
She took a step toward the man. He
started TO his feet.
"Matthew,' she cried.
He only turned his face away.
Matthew" she said again, "did you
come here to find me?'
NO" be answered; 81 am not coward
enough for that. 1 came to look at that
picture. l knew what 1 should see-that
picture, born of your grief with the story
of my treachery and your wrong stamped
upon it."
Il painted the picture" she said. "Oh,
Matthew! Matthew! 1 ought not to
speak to you; but you are poor-you are
unhappy
Il am as poor as l deserve to be- he
since l left you"
You have not asked me to forgive you,
Matthew" she said softly.
Forgive me, when you have painted
my crime down for all posterity to look
upon he said. rs it likely? Besides,
you are rich now''-and he looked at her
costly dress-"and l next door to beg
gar"
Matthew she said, 'does that pic
ture stand between us?"
Your hate-your scorn-that which
gave birth to that picture must" he said.
Have you a penknife?' she asked.
~ penknife?"
-'Yes."
Perhaps he thought she meant to kill
him. He took it from his pocket and
opened it as he handed it to her and
flung his coat back and stood, as it were, |
ready for blow And she, indeed, lift |
ed the knife, but the blow fell upon the !
picture, upon the painted face of the |
king. upon the golden hair of Rosamond
and the royal robes of Queen Eleanor
slit and tore them, dashed from the can |
sas all the toll of months in a few short |
minutes There was no picture left as
she turned from her work for critics to !
stare at or rich men to buy; but her eyes |
sparkled and her cheeks were aglow.
hot