Dewey County advocate. [volume] (Timber Lake, S.D.) 1910-1913, 1913-01-03

"A
Painted
Lady
By Marion Gordon
Copyright. 1912. By Associated Literary Press.)

Gladwin looked around the fine
old hall with satisfied eyes, his
dreams of home ct last fulfilled.
prom Ills orphaned boyhood he had
fyearned for four walls of his very
J own to encompass him with friend
" warmth and affection, and now he
found them here in this fine old
mansion purchased from the i'm
poverished members of an almost ey-
stinct family. Samuel Gladwin had
made himself rich and successful at
sforty-two.
Samuel, my boy" he said to him.
self, 'this is better than bachelor
apartments OF splendid hotels-this
is home! It only lacks one thing. I
must get me a wife"
He looked little wistfully
through the vista of untcnanted
rooms. His own money and culti-
waited taste had perfected the shabby
interior, which still retained its fine
old mahogany and china. in the
library, which was his own especial
den, hung several family portraits
that had passed into his hands.
Over the fireplace hung the por-
trait Of a lady-a sweet, fair, brown
haired girl, with dreamy gray-buc
eyes and rose-tintcd cheeks. Her
hair framed her face mistily, and
her white throat and y arms we're
yelled with some sheer black gauzy
stuff. At her bosom nestled pale
pink rose.
Gladwin threw himself into low
chair and blew cloud of smoke up
ward. Through the blue haze the
painted lady smiled terderly down
at him. So he would have his wife
look at him-so would ne have her
gaze at their children.
Presently black Martha brought
some fresh logs for the fire, and her
keen old eyes caught the expression
on his face as he stared up at the
picture.
"Kin I do anything more, Marsc
Gladwin!" she asFed, lingering near
the door.
"No, thank you, Martha-that is,
unless you can tell me something
more about the picture over the man
telpiece."
A film seemed to cover Martha's
evcs-shc locked like wise old tor
toise as she drew her lean neck back
into the folds of her kcrchief.
"Excuse me, Marse Gladwin," she
said drily, Seems like done tole
YOU all about dat picture. It's dc
pietur of Miss Rosamond Oily
she's daid and buried this twenty
year like all de Dillys 'ccpt old Miss
and young Miss"
! "W}o is old Miss? p"
"Missis Jedgc Dilly-her as sold
YOU lie house, sah," returned Martha
crisply.
+ "Oh, never met her; I trans.
acted all the business through her
lawyers. And who is young Miss ?"
"Aliss Rosamond Mallory-grand-
daughter to Missis Jcdge Oily
that's Miss Rosamond's ma befor
she was married. Martha pointed
to the portrait above the mantel.
"'Tain't considered lucky to hev
dat pictur' around sah," she said as
she opened the door.
"Why?" he asked quickly, SCENT
ing story.
otis ha'nted."
"Nonsense," he laughed.
Martha tossed her white turban
scornfully. 81 guess ole Marse
knew. He was sot aginst her mar
ryln' young Mallory-hc was hand'
sum but he was pore-and when &c
baby was born Miss Rosamond died
and her pa never forgive himself
and he useter say she cum down OUT
er de pictur' and talk to him when
he sat smokin' hcah!
Martha swung ont of the room,
and the door closed behind her with
ii bang that Gladwin did not notice.
! So his home was. filled with men,
cries of other people! 1t was still
alive with old tragedies-old heart
aches. All there were left of the fine
old family we're the grandmother
and the young girl who taught
school in Fairlawn..
The clock, striking the half hour
eleven aroused him to the fact that
the lamp was burning low, and ha
extinguished it, sitting there by the
glow from the embers in tne fire.