Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-08-13
A Picture of a ShepherdeSs.
BY KATHARINE lyman

The cottage beside the sea was III rum
ous condition. The wind had stripped
oil the states winter after winter, anG
no enc had thought of repairing the dam
age. There were long streaks of damp
on all The walls over which fur OF mil
l,w had grown. The carpets had rotted,
he doors had warped and left gaps ut
top and bottom, the windows had had
their broken panes mended with sheets
of brown paper at the front of the house
where the spray of the sea drove furious
IL IN a west wind storm. At the back the
lrol en panes were left as they were.
10 be sure. The Cottage, a big place for
all It's mpretentious name, had dozen
rooms moccupied. As its owner, Miss
Marceia O'Sullivan Beare. would say. IT
was no Use wasting time i'll mendm2
windows of rooms where people ncver
slept.
the Cottcge was like a museum. Old
furniture OF the best Sheraton ard Chip
pcnd1lc period. French mirrors, high old
brass Tenders. Waterford glass, old col
bltu ttl-l ~ AiiNs blAt l'iN 'NAt'3 wa I'NNNN
old jewelry, old silver
4 mere glance round the room made
Hilary L'Estrange's bright eyes brighter,
his glance more eager, Tor he was Il bora
collector He had money. too, to gratliY
his tastes. ard he would have Travelled
noy distance and taken any pains to add
To his collection something that was real
~ good
He had a letter of introduction to Miss
MarcclIa from the rector, Mr. Nandeteur,
whose pupil he had been once upon Il
time.
NY dear fellow. She won't sell. Mr..
Nandcleur had assured him, so you Will
only be able to look and long. The
worst of it is that the things are going
to rack and ruin. Between the damp
and the rats. everything that can spoil
will spoil. There won't be much left for
Cecilia when the time comes.
Miss O'Sulhyan Beare was gracious 10
the rector's friends. He drank his tea
oddly fragrant tea--irOm Chinese cups
and ,aucers worth a small fortune. Miss
O'Sulliyan Beare's niece, Cecilia, poured
out the tea. She was a tall, pale girl,
with serious brown eyes, and would have
been pretty If She had had Il little more
color and animation. Her hands, under
her sleeves of Limerick lace, moved with
a certain grace among the teacups. 1t
was u wild. wintry day, and the sea
dashed against the panes. The room was
full OF portentous shadows, amid which
Cecilia, in her gray gown, glided like a
ghost.
L'Estrange spared her thought of
pity, remembering what the rector had
said
There is no Young society within ten
miles and the last thing that would
occur to NIarcella would be the POSSIBLE
ity of Cecilia's requiring Young society.
She il too mucn alone.
Hearing that Mr. L'Eetrange was IN
tere>ted in the old things, Miss Marceila
was eraciously pleased to display them
For Il couple of hours EEstrange sat
hi, head bent toward the lamp which
Cecilia had brought, inspecting lace, sill
yer. china, portfolios. Why, there was
a fortune in the place, at the mercy OF
the damp and the rats and clumsy peas
ant girls, such rs the one barefoot VIII,
had opened the door to him.
n, talked about the things calmly
with expert knowledge even while his
hear; was beating furiou~ly. Once II
spoke IN a dillident. small voice of TN,
value Of the things, OF what they would
fetch in a London ~alcoroom. Miss Mar
celia Immediately became cold. and SAID
lottly, that the O'Sullivan Bearcs ha,
not come. she hoped never would come
To selling their possessions
10, - fl,,g l., Z
they 90 after the manner OF murta
things. There have been good many
things lost and broken and destroyed by
rat, in NY time
They should be kept more carefully
IN glass eases under lock and KEY,
Lil.stIango protested, but without effect
Presently there was something Miss
Marcella desired to show him. a picture
which hung on a bedroom wall. and was
too big 10 be carried down. Asking
L'EStrangc to take the lamp. she pre-
coded him up the few step, from the hail
which led to a long corridor. with rooms
gong oil 1t at one side She forgot in
which room the picture va>. and went
from one to another. Everywhere there
WAS a damp and Wondering smell.
ENcrYW here beautiful thing, revealed
themselves ont OF the shadows, rotting
10 their end
After all, when the picture was founI.
L'EstraUgc was not much impressed
lie had noticed downstairs that Mis-
Mmccla did not ~cecm to discriminate
between the treasures and lesser things.
My grandfather, Sir Hercules O'Suli-
YAM She said, ran Col O'Flahertv
through the right arm because the col
oncl said that this was not q genuine
Rembrandt. hut a copy
L'E>uange had wiped the dust and
damp off the picture with his big silk
hich, truth to say. was
in desperate condition, having busted
50 many things this afternoon and in
-pcated it closely.
Nevertheless" he said. col O'F1a.
herty was right. 1t j. but copy. and
rot a good one at that
lie replaced the picture, not noticing
he old lady'> offended ain. aud. taking
lie lamp in his hand hc looked ahant
he room. In corner thcrc was pile
# hooks. lie could see the taolel o.,,a,s
i some catching the lampleht like
oWcl. and his heart hled at the nurl,
n h.ollfiftlI ii,i,4uS