Dewey County advocate. [volume] (Timber Lake, S.D.) 1910-1913, 1913-03-21
.. y -.
!.
Painted
Lady
By Marion Gordon

Gladwin looked around the fins
old hall with satisfied eyes, hi:
dreams Of a home at last fulfilled
From his orphaned boyhood he had
yearned for four walls of his very
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 all almost ey-
tinct family. Samuel Gladwin had
made himself rich and successful al
forty-two.
Samuel, my boy" he said to him
self, "this is better than bachelor
apartments or splendid hotels-this
is home! 1t only lacks one thing.
must get me wife"
He looked a little wistfully
through the vista of untcnanted
rooms. His own money and cult
yated 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 lady-a sweet, fair, brown
haired girl, with dreamy gray-blue
eyes and rose-tintcd checks. Her
hair framed her face mistily, and
her white throat and arms were
yelled with some sheer black gauzy
stuff. At her bosom nestled a pale
pink rose.
Gladwin threw himself into a low
chair and blew a cloud Of smoke up
ward. Through the blue haze the
painted lady smiled terdcrly down
at him. So he would have his wife
look at him-so would ne have hel
gaze at their children.
Presently black Martha brought
some fresh logs for the fire, and hel
keen old eyes caught the expression
on his face as he stared up at the
picture.
"Kin I do anything more, Marse
Gladwin?" she asked, lingering neal
the door.
"N5, thank you, Martha-that is,
unless you can tell me something
more about the picture over the man.
tclpiece."
A film seemed to cover Martha's
cyes-she looked like a wise old tor
toisc as she drew her lean neck back
into the folds of her kcrchief.
Excuse me, Marse Gladwin," she
said drily, sseems like l done tole
you all about dat picture. It's de
pittur of Miss Rosamond Oily
she's daid and buried this twenty
year like all de Dillys 'cept old Miss
and ycdng Miss"
sWno is old Miss p"
"Aiissis Jedge Dilly-her as sold
you de house, sah," returned Martha
crisply.
"Oh, l never met her; trans.
acted all the business through her
lawyers. And who is young Miss? ?"
"Aliss Rosamond Mallory-grand-
daughter to Missis Jedge 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.
cts ha'nted."
Nonsense" he laughed.
Martha tossed her white turban
scornfully. 81 guess ole Marse
knew! He was sot aginst her mar
ryin' young Mallory-he was hand
sum but he was pore-and when do
baby was born Miss Rosanond 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' heah!
Martha swung out of the room,
and the door closed behind her with
a bang that Gladwin did not notice.
So his home was filed with menu
ories of other people! 1t was still
alive with old tragedies-old heart
aches. All there were left of the fine
old family were 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 he
extinguished it, sitting there by the
glow from the embers in the fire
~1o1o