The Huttig news., 1910-02-12
SAINT ELIzlAbEI
By ANNA B. EATEN.
Copyright, by shortstory Pub. Co.

Oul merry HOuSe party, lHdl sent HlS to seek amusement in the portrait gallery at Redfern hall. From the time of my arrival week before. mad loved to stroll laily. specu. lating over the history Of those knights in 4nd beruffled danes of the past. My special favor ite, however, was the portrait of lovely young girl kneeling before her prie dieu, telling her rosary. She was not strictly beautiful, but her face wore such sweetly pensiye expres- sion, with so rapt and tender look in the eyes, that she seemed to lack only the halo to become a saint
 It was before this picture that I stood, absorbed in admiration. when the housekeeper passed through, on her way to her quarters. took the opportunity of gratifying my curiosity
 That picture? Oh, that is Saint Elizabeth" she announced. in reply to my inquiry Poor thing," brush ing her apron across her eyes. its a sad story-the tragedy of the house, yon know"
 l did not know, but was so anxious 10 learn that Mrs. Fairbanks was finally prevailed upon to return with her sew ing and relate the history of my favor ite portrait And a long story it is." she preluded, as we settled ourselves in cozy alcove where we could be free from interruptions, yet within sight of Saint Elizabeth at her devo- tions. "A long story, though her life was short enough, poor dear, There's very few people as knows of ii but me. My mother was housekeeper at the time, and she told me all the facts of the case"
 After brief silence, during which Mrs. Fairbanks dropped her work ! and gazed pensively at the Madonna like face. as if questioning whether she should divulge it's hallowed lis tory, she continued:
 Tt was in Master Rupert's time. He was a queer piece, I should judge, from what mother said-a sort of mixture. His mother was a Spaniard and he got his quick temper from that side of the house. but he was cold and self-contained on the surface, like all the Redferns: so, you see. when he did give way to his anger, 1t was something fearful. Mother said that al such times everybody got out of the way who could possibly do SO Still he was fiattered and made much of. for he was rich and titled and the young ladies they smiled on him. and | their mammas entertained him, but it | was all of no use He cared nothing l for any of them. He just buried him. self in the library with his books, or up in the studio with his pictures, for he was fine artist and could have made a fortune with his brush if he had a minded to- which only goes to prove that the Bible tells the truth when it says: TO him that hath shall be given. Mrs Fairbanks paused to take breath after this bit of Scrip tural philosophy.
 So you see, after awhile the gentry folks they sort of gave him up. They all came to the conclusion that there never would be mistress at the hall but. bless me, they made a mistake, One summer Master Rupert flew off on a sketching trip-he was always doing that way, starting off without moments notice, and expecting his things to be all packed up and ready We'll, he met her by accident, in some out-of-theway place in the mountains, and it was all up with him. He made up his mind to marry her on the spot Every one wondered afterward al his choice. To be sure she had a lovely 1 face, but then she was only a slim bit of a girl, with shy, shrinking ways; not at all the grand lady you'd think he'd have picked out for the mistress of this great house.
 AS for the girl, poor little thing, living there in the wilds, she had noth- ing to say in the matter except her "yes" at the altar. It was all fixed tip between Sir Rupert and her moth CT; she simply obeyed her mother now, as she had done every hour of her life. It probably never occurred to her that she could do anything else.
 "Ah, but it was gala day they say, when the master brought his wife home, The bells were rung, bonfires were built, aud fower-girls strewed blossoms in their path. She seemed awed by all the splendor, and little frightened at being the center of so much attention. She shrank closer to her husband and glanced up at him timidly, but instead of cheering her by a sweet word of encouragement, he just spoke stern like to her, as if ] to remind her of her dnty. Oh, yes, he was fond of her; you could see that by the way his eyes followed her 1 from place to place. but, like all the Redferns, he didn't believe in show ing 1t.
 Well, there were gay goings-on for a time. The house was full of guests, and my lady was made much of, aud some of her timidity was beginning to wear away; but now 1t was the masters turn to grow uneasy Ii al most seemed as if ne was jealous of every look and smile she gave an. other, You see he knew he hadn't