Year: 1873

dUILIII


The opening scene of our ao'e
true tule" is located in the City o
New York; and ere we proceed far.
ther we would remark that thil
sketch is established on facts, the
the chief incidents of which are de
rived from actual occurrence.


The brown stone front of Mr.
James Freeman was brilliantly il
Illuminated, and carriage after car
Iriage dashed up and deposited thei1
burdens. Gsyly dressed ladies, ant
Ifashionsbly attired young men
thronged the spacious par
Ilors. The magnet which at
tracted so many butterfys of fash
ion, to this particular point, was {
grand ball given in honor of the
eighteenth birthday of the fair AL
ma, Mr.. James Freeman's daughter
No expense had been curtailed t.
render this the most recherche event
of the season; and the universal yer
dict on entering the room was, 'Per
fectT'


The fair Alma never shone to bet
ter advantage, and the cold. sordiC
heart of her father warmed with love
and pride, as he fondly gazed on th'
bewitching face of his lovely child


There was one other in that gay
assembly who looked upon her al
something more ethereal than be
longed to this mundane sphere, and
that one was Bailey Stone. lie was
simply a poor artist. 1t was the
same old story. His father had beer
a rich and influential merchant, but
reverses came and he died a broken
hearted man. His wife had preced-
ed him some years previous to the
commencement Of our story.


Our hero had met the fair Alma
some months before, and with his
quick artist-eye, had thought her
very beautiful. At first he merely
admired her as he would beautiful
bit of scenery, but soon that insid-
ious god, Cupid, began his usual
pranks, and Bailey Stone swoke one
fine morning to find himself deeply
in love with Alma Freeman.


he knew that as long as he was
poor Mr.. James Freeman would
treat any proposal from him, for Al
mas hand, with contempt. Then,
again, he knew not if she was heart
free. She might love some one
else; it was not improbable. She
being so rich and beautiful, it was
q natural sequence that scores OF
lovers should flock to her side. But
he firmly believed that there was
not one among that throng who Low
ed her so devotedly and unselfshly
|as he did. If she had only been
poorl We are afraid Bailey Stone
was wicked enough to wish that by
some means, Mr.. Freeman would
become suddenly poor, and then he
would disclose his passion for Al
ma, and perhaps he made happy by
her promise to be his wife. His
wifei Whew! Baily, what an i'm
mensE air castle you are building.


Baily thought he had never seen
anything half so beautiful as Alma
appeared at this time. George
Knight had been fortunate enough
to secure her hand for the first
dance, and how Bailey envied him
From some unknown influence, Bal
ley had taken dislike to this George
Knight. He was immensely wealthy,
and quite handsome-this latter
fact Bailey acknowledged to himself
with q little thrill of jealously pass
ing over him. There was nothing
tangible in this dislike of his for
Knight; it was merely an instructive
feeling of distrust.


The dance was now ended, and
Bailey claimed Alma's hand for the
next set. She consented, and for
the next half hour Bailey imagined
himself in paradise. But like every
thing else in this world, the dancE
came to an end, and Bsiley retired
to an obscure corner where be was
soon Joined by Mr.. James Freeman.
After the usual salutations had been
Iexhausted, Mr.. Freeman said:


81 have something in your line fol
you to do, Mr.. Stone, if you think
you can do it."


"What is it, Mr.. Freeman" Bailey
asked.


"Iwant the portrait of my daugh
tier painted as soon as possible
Have you the time to attend to itp


"There is no doubt of my having
the time 'time,'" little bitterly
"but l am afraid it would be a hard
task for the best artist in the lanC
Ito do justice to Al-your daughteri
beauty, said Bailey, while great
thump of joy made his heart trembl'
at the prospect of seeing and having
Ia chance to converse with Alma TO
,days to come; for he intended if b,
took the task, to prolong it as Ions
as possible.


Where are all your fine resolve
concerning Alma gone, friend Bailey


Taken wings and departed, we sup
pose. But what young man Wit
has "been there" can blame you
Echo answers "Not one!"


"If you are willing to undertake


this business, l am willing to trus
Ito your artistic skill to produce
good picture. l will pay you any
thing in reason. Will you do itF
lMr. Freeman said, little knowing


how eager Bailey was to accept o
the offer, not from the pecuniary con