The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-07-22
A PAINTED LADY

ia girl gowned in gauzy black. A pink
| rose nestled in her bosom and her
fair face set in its frame of misty
| dark hair looked like another rose.
SO Martha's story was true The
fair Rosamond of the picture had
stepped down from her frame and
come to rcproaCh him--for what7
For buying her old home. of course.
he told himself as he stared at her
with fascinated eyes
All at once he realized that she was
| staring back at him in a frighten-
t I'D way Her ffarftf moved 1T few
up to her white throat with a ges-
ture of great fear,
| Ills picture was alive.
Don't be frightened, Miss Rosa
mond.' he heard himself saying gent
lly
Oh" cried the appariti1n turning
as if to flee
Please stay thought YOU were
| a ghost or something" he went on.
still sitting there, "old Martha has
been telling stories to me-
| The girl sighed audibly.
apologize most humbly." she
said in low, sweet voice that thrill.
! ed him. You must not blame old
Martha begged her to let me come
! in for few minutes. There was no
/ light and we thought You had gone
To bed. Her voice shook slightly for
she had been startled at finding him
I there.
! Gladwin arose and wheeled another
chair to the fire. He tossed on some
pine splinters and another log and
turned TO her with charming gesture
Of hospitality
/ Il am sure YOU will rest little
while" he said courteousIy.
On, thank you" she hesitaied, and
/ then swept forward and sank into
the chair.
Gladwin saw that she was indeed
| flesh and blood He easily guessed
that she must he the daughter of that
fair Rosamond Oily, who had eioped
with her lover and displeased her
stern parent
Il am Rosanond Mallory" said the
girl with quick upward look at
! the portrait, Of her ineshsr now s.sef4~
bic in the candle light GIadwin had
produced. To-day is my birthday----
and l wanted to come back 10 the
Old home and look at her picture Just
once more. Grandmother does not
know---she would be Mortified at such
an act She doesn't understand how
| feel about II never knew my
mother, but l love her memory so
dearly"
Gladwins own eyes dimmed He.
too, had never known his mother and
he understood the yearnlng for moth
er hands and a mother heart to lean
upon.
= know he said hoarsely. and
she glanced at him and knew that
he understood 1T is very good Of
}ou 10 tell me all this. and now. IL
you viii honor me BY remaining here
as long as you please. | Will send
/! Martha IL YOU at once.
She held out her hand. p drmpink
flesh and blood palm that ne covered
IN his own large grasp
II think yoH sincerely. MIR Glad
win :" she said simply Il am sure
era ndmother will he glad 10 meet
YOU. of course, YOU know ii hurt
rs 70 Part with the old place. but
feel quite differently now that / have
met YOU
You are W. good. murnured
Some DAY. when Mrs oin ia able
to receive visitors, ] viii ride over
to Fairlawu
When he left the room Rosa tnond
was looking al the portrait Of her
mother with tha same tender gaza
that the painted Rosamond bent upon
her daughter
He found aadly frightened Mar
tina lingering outside the door. bat
when he treasured her and gent her
into the library with n tray Of re-
freshments for the unexpected visitor,
she smiled Erately at him and there
after Was devoted 10 him
In time" Gladwins other dreams
came true. Into hts lonely life there
came a beautiful love story. and the
painted lady i'm the picture smiled
tcnderiy down upon Gladwin and his
wife. Rosamond. and their children.
and upon the white haired grand.
mother, who came back into the old
home tc part&ke Of their happiness.