Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1901-11-16

out at sea. and in his dreamy. appre-
cintive eyes is something OF the
speculation OF the artist calculating
perspective arr distance.
As he ncars the arch he glances MP
10 note the slime. The two hands Of
The clock are pointing directly over
head. as though ciaspesl in entreaty 20
the vertical sun. The young man fol-
lows the custom OF the place and takes
out his watch 20 compare time. As
he does So ne notices the white square
az his feet.
The address is up and boldly writ
ten:
Robert Leighton. artist.
Ecoie sc Z Art.
Rue ST Hiiairs.
Paris"
With a quick movement he rsscues
the envelope from It's position.
Strange -impos siblet" ne saws.
wondcringly. and. oblivious Of the PEG
pie who are passing him on the side
walk, he reads the superscriptiou
again and again. his face growing more
puzzled and incredulous with each
perusal
1T IS certainly meant for me" he
says, az last; "but how IN the name 81
al that Is inscrutable did IL happen
20 be lying here2 II was evidently on
IS way 20 the post Office. for it Is not
Postmarked; and q Is just IS evident
shat the writer Is some where Fin this
Interesting little town. wonder who
30 can be2 did not know thatThad
sn acqua iutance In an New England.
and certainly not one who knew nv
Paris address. I was svmpathizinr
with myself as being stranger I'm nv
own land; and lo. and behold here
sm publicly displayed on the sidewalk
or this enterprising resort. I'm less than
two hours after my arrival Wen.
c'est pour mol. 20 I viii open TT
he stands aside and raises his hat
as two ladies pass. He does not know
them BY name. but they were I'm the
same Pullman from Kingston. and one
% them had bowed In aclnowledrman-
% his services IN raising q car win
dow He waits untn they have gone
BY. and then follows as far ns the
shadow % The arch Asuall boy whirls
around the corner with an srmfuI %
newspapers. and he buvs one mcchan-
ically and thrusts 70 into his pocket
When the Sidewalk ls again clear he
takes ont a penknife and opens the
letter.
Il IS brief but does not 60 far 70
solve the mystery;
''SarrzgaEsett Pier. July 1871
Cousin Robert leighton Your uncle
directed Dr. his VII that an his paintings
sne euro, shouac Dc FORWARDED 60 you.
&C rot know your address. or would have
written before Please let me know hoprto
send Cordially
YOUR COUSIN CLARA"
The interest deepens.~ he thinks.
az he folds the letter and carefully
places - in an inside pocket. "vho IS
Cousin Clara2 Which OF INV uncles IS
4 who has made me custodian - his
paintingsf X cannot be Uncle Charles
for be has boys OF bis own. and would
scarcely bequeath his treasures away
from them Uncle VIII and Uncle Tom
are both sea captains, and would hard
y know a painting from a chrome:
and, besides, ] saw them 90 Liverpool
only few weeks ago. wonder n IL
can De the ola East Indian whom Aunt
Helen married? He never saw me. but
vas always sort % favorite with
Aunt Helen Perhaps she comrnunt-
Gated some % her liking 20 him. But
where does Cousin Clara come in. and
how did she get my address?
II Is q hopeless muddle. he tells him
self. with sudden irritation. and he VIII
forget the whole matter. But he does
not As he crosses Exchange place he
glsnces sharply az the different faces.
In the search he hnds himself watch
ing the passing groups OF ladies'. won
cering which one Of them NAV be
Cousin Clara, and II she has missed the
letter. He has half a mind 20 return
% the arch and keep watch.
Instead Of standing apart. As IS his
custom. he seeks the largest and most
taikative group and sldnfully absorbs
himself into 81. He IS good converse
tonalist and sympathetic listener.
and the coterie cordially accepts him.
Now and fhen fresh material ia added
20 the gossip. a. new arrivals take the
places Of those who fan away. He
listens attentiveiy 20 the introductions
and tries 10 catch each name. At
length he hears some one say "Clara. ="
and he thinks his quest f. 70 be re-
warded; but 20 his disgust the owner
% the name IS dumpy little girl %
ten, end he turns away in vexation.
OF course, be tells himself. impaiiently.
there are probably hundred Claras in
the place
The heat has called out an unusually
large number % bathers. and the tents
scattered along the beach and the
chairs IN front Of the lighthouses are
DRY SMOKING.