Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1900-03-30
THE [P(D[R1 fIRA07 is

l u u u@ III u u VI W "
| Matthew Mercer should have been
very happy man, and so he esteemed
himself. Two children as pretty as their
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 hex Tor 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 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"-
"And unhappy said the spinster.
| Don't tell ME, Mrs. Mercer. And this
say: Get rid of that there sly boots of
governess. or you'll hev more reason to
5.
Mercer, and your husband''-
But Matthew is my husband" painted
Margaret.
''Then he hadn't ought to go a-wallsin
with Miss Grey,"- said the spinster,
''holdin her hand, too-~he oughtnt. But
there's somethin you ought to know-he
her. We saw them take the cars, l and
BeWitched 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
and family. and she met with a great
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 of by Il dusky
proscenium; people went to see it, and it
was admired; critics praised it. a rich
man offered great price for it. And
meanwhile man, threadbare and rusty.
old before his time, will. remorse so
stamped upon his handsome features that
a child could read it there, prowled often
about the door vi the gallery where the
picture hung and looked in along the still
echoins entrance. at the end of which
the man who took the tickets sat and
read paper ana smoked alternately. AT
last he vcuturtI in.
''L)oIl here he said in a sort OF shame
faced way to the ticket taker. Il want
to sec that picture. -! haven't any mou
ey, but ! knew Mrs. Mercer once. Let
me look, won't you? 1t can't hurt you or
any one
lie walked up to the picture and looked
at it. Then he pressed his hand upon his
forehead anal ground his teeth together.
margaret: Macgaretr' he muttercd
'Oh, God, Margaret:= And then he sat
down, staring at the picture with eyes
that saw those likenesses as none other
eyer had.
He sat there still when rustic of silk
a sweep of velvet. the high tones of
young voices filled the gallery. A wo-
man walked up the room and stood be-
fore the picture-a child by her hand and
a boy behind her.
The man gave one look, dragged his
hat over his eyes, and covered down
upon the bench, budding himself togeth-
er as beggar does-seldom any other
The lady did not look at him, but the
child did. In a moment more it had pull
ed its mothers sleeve 'There's 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 meY'
No." he answered; 81 am not coward
enough for that l came to look at that
picture. | knew what should see-that
picture, born of your grief, with the story
of my treachery and yonr wrong stamped
upon it."
Il painted the picture" she said oh.
Matthew Matthew! l ought not to
speak to you; but you are poor-you are
unhappy
II am as poor as deserve to be- he
said. Nothing has prospcred with NE
since left you.''
'You have not asked me to forgive you.
Matthew" she said softly.
"Forgive nc. when You have painted
my crime down for all postrrity to tool:
upon!'' he said. SIS it likely: Besides.
you are rich now''-and he looked at her
costly dress-"and l next door to Il 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 penknfe?" she asked.
"a penknifeT'
t'Yes."
Perhaps he thought she meant to kill
! him. He took it from his pocket and
| onopo1 II 10 hon # fO hor and