The Cairo bulletin., 1905-09-20

est IN her was the most mOlDentous
thing IN the world, / was fated. how
ever, TO have a lively interest in de-
ceased Tyne. and 1t came about In
this why: AH
Fanny lived at Tyneport, twenty
miles from the city, in the old home
stead with her father and her Aunt
Coriantha. lived In the city and was
50 busy from Monday morning until
Saturday night that my hours With
Fanny We're far fewer than liked and
very far fewer than / hoped she liked.
My object In going out 10 see her every
Sunday noon was TO make, ii possible.
long sabbath afternoon Of our lives.
Most people say if you love girl and
want to find out if she loves you, ask
her. But there was the rub, and that
IL what made me SO interested in n de-
parted Tyne
The homestead, an ancient colonial
mansion, had a peculiarly depressing
effect upon me. Perhaps this was due
to my anxiety as to the state of Fan
ny's affections, perhaps to the dyspep-
sia that was closely intermlngled with
1t. AT any rate, everything about the
place made me very sensitive. Around
the big parlor hung portraits OF the
Tynes, all in walnut frames and
watched over by Aunt Corlantha as If
they We're children. The only atlmira-
bic thing saw about these ancestors
was that they were the causes that had
produced as exquisite an effect as
Fanny.
Over the wooden mantel hung the
portrait of the Tyne | was to be inter
ested la. IL was more than hundred
years old and was painted so that the
eyes looked straight at an observer
wherever4he might stand In the room.
had paid no special attention to this
fact before one Sunday night when
Fanny and i were alone in the parlor
Our affair had been going on then for
fully seven months, and felt reason
ably certain that 1t had passed the
period when ats ieast an effort to dis
cover my standing would be prema-
ture. | had endured sainc thirty inter
walls from Snnday Night until the next
Sunday noon LII twice that number Of
kinds and degrees of anxiety, and !
could not face the. thirty first Without
some hope,
began by 0Alling IanDys attention
: to the length III our friendship, ana
was Just abol&pto make frank dec
laratl0n Of my love when ! happened
to look up and found the eyes of the
Tyne over the mantel looking straight
at me not looking In the placid, i'm
meaning way Of a portrait, but forbid
ding me. as plainly as the eyes Of a
person could, to make my declaration
tried to resent the interference of a
man who could not be hurt on helped
BY my success or failure, whose state
could not bee changed by either and
who could have no valid objection to
my suit, but 1t was useless The face
was commanding, and around the thin
lips plainly saw the contempt a Tyne
weuid have fora coward.
Fanny was looking at me, thought
expectantly, even eneouragingly, but
could not say the words any more
than II had forgotten them. | sup
pose | got pale, for Fanny asked:
why. Elton, what Is the matterP
Il felt iii aihof a sudden" | answer
ed desperately, for | would not have
told her Of my weakness for worlds.
Perhaps you have been working too
hard"
"I'm afraid have, but feel al
right now. Don't think any more
about 1t. BY the way broke in up
ON myself. MS IL only wished to cal
hor mind from the subject, Whose
portrait Is that over the iaantel1''
10 my surprise she grew agitated
blushed curiously and inquired:
why do you ask"
well, LII just happened to remem
1'',ber had never asked about him. II
w fact, I'm afraid haven't paid enough
attention to your ancestors. But i
there IL anything about him you don
wish to toll ne-any family reasons
you know--I beg your pardon for ask
Ing %. @
.'Oh, there isn't He was queer, tina
Is ALL He was Bartholomew Tyne, m.
great -great.uncle. He made the for
tune OF our family. But he never mar
ried and left 1t oil to bis brother m.
-great-grandfather."
HE never married." repeated, com
miseratingly.
mo, he was savagcly opposed to mar
riage and was always trying to kee
other people from marrying. It SAT-
that he separated no less than ST.
couples, and three Of the young wome
died Of broken hearts and two Of til
young men killed themselves. 1t Is
dreadful story. and Iwish Aunt Coriar
tina wonld not keep him In 50 conspit
nous a place. Cor !. hate him. M
Gould lover have had better oppol
tunity?F Her Voice was full Of scor
for%ia man who opposed marriage
What clearer deduction than that sh
wasebeartily In favor Of a young ma
whoardently desired It. ! ardently d'
sired It, but could not tell her 50 an
more thnn II had not. Bartholomew
eyes were fastened upon me. .contemr
curleds his thin lips, and he was threa
anin0 all. manner or thInUa II II Az