LITERATURE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7813, 4 May 1905, Page 4

LITERATURE.

A BARGAIN IN ANCESTORS.

i.' " Emily," Said Miss Stuart's aunt, *T The girl laughed. ?"*"" ; "That is -why the idea, attracts %A «n«," she said, perversely. " I reals' ise that one can never live in Philaft -dclphia without ancestors, and so I S" have invested in seme. You cannot t deny that they are a very good- ¥■ looking lot. Aunt Elizabeth." E* Tfca old lady laoghed, herself—in *C Tact, ahe had to when she looked at kr>.,,4he aix portraits Emily had bought I" 'at auction. Emily was a■■ most unK? * jMuoi person. When the necessity conr fronted her of earning her living, she had already begun to study art.

'- which, as a source of revenue, is ." not always reliable. To eke out the ; necessary income for current expen- , sea, she had taken one of the old colonial houses at the lower end of " Pino street, and advertised for lod- -" gers.

IK" It was a lonely old honse, and Em-. K:, ily had conceived the idea of creatIF' ing out of what she called a •' colfe,j.:OuSal restoration" a residence furW nished throughout with relics of the |sr 'old Philadelphia period, which she gfe/,"had picked up at auction and «r----k" '..ranged with artistic discrimination:. Ey.-"It was her aim to attract an exEh elusive class of people ; people with ifc*',' .whom she could maintain a more «*• t agreeable relation than that of a -• . mere house mistress: Her aunt, Miss [' Elizabeth Stuart, was a great help, iVjfor she was a picturesque old maid t :with a distinguished manner, out! the Jr.fitted very well into the t;-oci.a env* arironment which Emily had created. The final touch to the Pine street • establishment was a collection of * , family portraits purchased at Harris but highly creditable persons whom tjJt - Emily proceeded to name. fap " It's odd, isn't it," she observed, ■. " how they ever came to be sold at gr*- a public auction ? The family must £4 J -have «Lcd out entirely. I hope they gr "do not object to their adopted pos--s|b. terlty. There-is only one thing that Eggi troubles me. Aunt Elizabeth, and Ig, ' that is the difficulty of living up to ;~ their standard." : f \ Emily had given them bona fide s . rallies, that, had really belonged to >, fcer own ancestors—names of certain r _ t ' B r «at grand people of whom she was r - justly proud, but of \&om there had - not been preserved in the Stuart v.>, family any authentic likeness. Her %*• S?* S ual ms of conscknee, but E -. Emily appeased her mind. §T-' "} *> not intend to tell anvbody £_j- that these ore our own family" por- % " J™?' 3 '." sh £ said - " In of fr, fact. Aunt Elizabeth, the whole house is an ancestral fiction. I suppose ttftat the people that come here will .JUturally infer that all these old Ufcngs have been inherited, but I "Bon't think we are called upon to explain the facts." ' lie house was charming, a fact .-.which Randolph Morris fully apprecif Ated when' he rented the third story front room. The parlour where he -interviewed Hiss Elizabeth Stuart ' ma* very large, with walls of line colonial jellow, tall rosewood doors g5« -ana silver-plated hinges, a nd a beauK --tHiil fireplace. He noted with plcasP= „ure the polished floor and the rich B< A*"*)* of . *** *"&*• the brass andirons -?.' IW daw-footed furniture. There W' some Wts of bric-a-brac which !>:* traits which seemed very mnch at & „ Some. Bandolph noticed them only IN" at firat ' as *° noticed Hie Bfe „£ther things which hung out in the K ~ftaUana In the dining-soom, of whose P? = rtately interior he had caught a passfc '£? 8 ,,8, P*- His first impressions gr. jswe general W* *,'r^ S '" , hC < *! erv *». " » just the h- £?' P nav e been looking

K Tins impression was confimned afR L £f £ e hßd be * n there a f.-w weeks. *' '*Si?S? Cool ?, to Mmadctfila to ,r tebhsh a publishing honse, and he £ 21 »k o ** l to"*"* with apprehenP ' 0 the life ol a Wger. it wonf> S r^r t J i,nCS ', h ° W hc r? k }?■ &nd a P lace the air oi p Hereditary affluence completely do- ; . minatcd the usual atmosphere 'of an |, apartment house. One morning, as ho | paused to get his mail which was alJr .Ways loft on a queer ■ little com., * .' port corner of the hall, inadvertent'i.' *.. W8 ei<a feu UDOn a slip of papir a .which lay open on the top of a bundle »f sketches in black and white. ,* " The editor of the Idler's Magazine declined with thanks the accompany- ; ing illustrations not a present available. II was impudent of him, but nice people sometimes do such things. Bandolph looked at Emily's sketches and came to a conclusion— a confus- - ' ion fused with the immediate consciousness that he smelled coffee. Miss ~. Stuart had opened the dining-rfiom

"»" 1 wjsh," observed Randolph with S| perfect sang (roid, •• that I knew *" W S® 4 a CU P ot coffee that like Uat{ "■■ f- E"Mfc'. wag vexed with her aunt - tor asking him ; n ; yc t. will a ll his impudence, Randolph, was a chariu- ' «£ JUS"*, i"™ 1 u h ° '"">' appreciated -- ! Cra^ b,cd mt u ° «*»t nUto of vellow V 2? B^ W ? **? I™ 1 to °w Wak- \ sm,5 m, . he , b , oW, y a «k«l theni to' let p Wm breakfast there regularly, Emily gave m, for she was in need of m „„- f- . „ "t eScion s of the American Rcr* .volution arc publishing a book - "f £ nounoed Randolph one day Ef* "Mercy ; " exclaimed Emilv. f? -immJS™*"*- l"?. Randolph remarked, passing his cup to Miss Btuart. who smiled indulgently. "It » about the ' Portraiture of the Coiontal Period.' r mentioned vour * portraits. Miss Emily and I fc LHnton will call upon you. You R^-would, not object. I presume, to have R tmom reproduced ? " Pc. _ Ml<* Stiiart looked at Emilv ,„ gr. doubt, noting the sudden ' rush of colour in her face, and the expres- ' g. Ron of quizzical humour with which I i Kandolph glanced enquiringly across ' = the table. ' , $& promptly. " And I think the porK. traft of Judge Waimvright is especK dallj fflne, aad I am very fond of K~ thai beautiful woman in the green ' Wf brocade." j BT ." Mw Van Kensclioten 1 " Ran- '■ B& dolph remarkeJ. •■' Yes, Yes, I a l- i BgLgays liked that, loo." ' name is Stuart," Emily <Je- ! B>3K S(1 wi,nout *•» 'east conscience. • ■SlSWarßaret Arabella." ' | choked. looks the part," he said, I 1 with ceremony. " I hope she ■'. Magy "* '"teres! tag career, 'nicv otv BP|g»g to publish little sketch?* of whoso portraits were reHE" *.."!!? not ash amed of mv gpftJW,. Emily declared. l„,t her aunt I ■EegWB growing very uncomfortable. il RtoL I J'* m P l - v won't see her.- Miss P stated when Mrs Clinton call- j] K&ff'W''■ T tbinK yo " ousht to r Ipjpfr -- tear Auntie,"- lEaijiy J

placidly, "1 won't do anything of the kind, lie Scions of the American Revolution simply dote on Imaginary traditions. The portraits arc all right as portraits go, and this is just a proof that ' a rose by a ny other name would smell as sweet.' " I So the portraits were photographed, as a Hot of others were, by penmission of certain old Philadelphia families. i It was BeveraJ weeks after when, Randolph was 1 loitering over t!ie breakfast labia, in a fashion that had grown habitual anrl was juiiU' to his taste, that Emily received tho following note : I •' My dear Miss Stuart—A most peculiar thing has happened. Among, the. photographs we have obtained of genuine colouial portraits there are thrcs with duplicate names. Of the six 'portraits in your possession, three |bear the same names as are assigned to three other portraits that arc owned by another person. Major |olnisieJd has sent us photographs of portraits of Colonel Wainwrijjht, Mr.; Margaret Arabella Stuart, "and Colonel Effingham, all of which he certifies as authentic. Ho state*, moreover, thut the photographs you have sent are not taken from por|traits qf those same persons who ,are his oan ancestors - r that there arc not in existence to his certain knowledge any other portraits of .these same persons, lie thinks, therefore, that you have been imposod upon in seme way, and lie has announced his intention of calling upon you in relation to the matter. Trusting there may be an explanation of this curious dilemma thut wjll be satisfactory to you, I am, I yours sincerely. I Sarah Ormc Clinton." ■'•' Emily," Miss Sturat said severe ly, when this letter was read to hei after breakfast, " you simply shal not keep up this deceit any long ,er ! •-•■

True to her nature, Emily burst into a fit of wild hilarity. " I simply can't keep it up anylonger, Aunt Elizabeth ! " she replied, shaking with laughter. '■• Of course, I can tell the—the truth—[when I havo to. Who is this Major ■Olmstcad, anyhow, and where did he get the portraits of your grandfathier and your aunt and uncle ? " Miss Stuart sniffed pecopttbly. "He is iny second cousin," she admitted, reluctantly. " The Olm- ' steads and Sturats have Hot spoktn to each for twp.generajSipns.'' " That's a-'flne'yecoidT'' said Emilv [•with dry humour, **'Pfear that this little—tr—incident will not go far to 'cment the family differences." Just then the doorbell rang* and it was the Major. Miss Stuart reI treated on her dignity, " You can talk to him, Emily," she said shortly, " I won't." | '•• Miss—vr—Miss Emily Stuart ? ' he inquired with a smile as pleasant jas it was unexpected, and Emily .found herself shaking, handsi with a Ivory courtly old gentleman, who I bore a curious resemblance to her 'Aunt Elizabeth. " Has Mrs Clinton written to lyou ? " ho asked, ldoklng at her in 'an interested way over his glasses. He hod a mind to say something about the remote relationship bajtween them, by way of introduction, 'but it was an awkward thing for an Olmstcad to broach to a Stuart, jnot knowing how the overture might be taken.

| '■' Yes, Mrs Clinton has written to we, Major," said Emily, taking tho Situation in her hands in her own , sweeping fashion. ''There'is a portrait I christened Judge Wainwright |— the one over the mantel—and that is Aunt Arabella over there, and the rest of the family are distributed I around in the ball and in the U'in-ing-room."

'" Hut, my dear Miss Stuart ! " said the Major, eyeing the "Judge" over His eyeglasses, " I am.sorry to teill you that that isn't a portrait of Judge Wainwright at all ! " " No," said Emily, meeting Ms gaze with utmost serenity. "1 bought it and all the others at auction ; but as I didn't know who they were and as I thought they would do the family credit, I christened thera in honour of my ancestors. lically you know," she added, " there is just as much chance of their having resembled these portraits as that their own portraits actually resembled them."-

| The Major dropped his eyeglasses and stared for a moment, and then | he twinkle in his own eye answered .the twinkle in Emily's. The family temperament came out in both of them very strongly. He sat down and roared with laughter. | '•' You are Charles Montgomery Stuart's child, arn't you '? " he cried shaking with laughter. " How's Elizabeth? -'i

I " Hoppiag' mad ! " Emily rejoined. I'' She thinks I've disgraced the famiiy/'-

I The Major's face lengthened. " I shall report to Mrs Clinton," he said hastily, " that these are | genuine old colonial portraits—and so j.they are, undoubtedly. But 1 shall tell her they have not been properly identified. In the imposition of J large family estates—ahem .!>—4,hat often happens. I have on old miniaturo of my grandfather's first sweetheart, and it has enabled me to inform George Hamilton that the lady, he calls his great aunt is his grandmother's cousin."

" You are very kind, I'm sure," Emily said, laughing in spite of the seriousness of the situation. " 1 nevor could have owned up to Mi|6 Clinton."-

I" And you bought them at auction ? " said the Major, who had begun to laugh again. "It is odd I that such portraits should have boon, iput up to public auction.- But—what on earth possessed you to buy them, ? I beg your pardon* Miss Stuart, but you must admit that it was an odd thing to do—just the strt of an odd thing to do—just the sort of thing I should have expected!, though, of Montgomery Stuart's daughter] " Emily liked the Major's mannerhearty and frank, yet with a fine Quality of courtliness that made him' agreeable. They were soon 1 lunched into a chat, ai,d when he asked more about his cousin Elizabeth, Emily summoned her, and the awkward situation ended agreeably.

" Well ! " said the Major, who left in very good spirits, "and I shall

I ry and find out whose portraits .these really are—if you care to .know, Miss Stuart. And, since you seem to care so much for this sort jot" thing, perhaps some day you may actullly own the real portraits of jthe Judge and the Colonel and Mrs Arabella. There are no Olinstcads a J jter me, you know," he said significantly, " there arc no other I Stuart's but you and cousin Elizaibeth."

But the real denoument came when Emily met Randolph in the evening! at the bottom of the stairs. " I—l beg your pardon," he began, " but I heard some gentleman remark in the hall this morning that he would endeavour to find out for you whose portraits these are that you purchased nt auction. I—thought you said they were family portraits ? " " So they are ! " said Emilt stout»y_. . ..

I ' Did I c ? " Well, I must have lied. imore extensively than I intended." I Emily was irrestiblu, and ltandolph had to laugh. 'I " T happen to know—in fact I have known all along—whose portraits | they really arc," he said finally. I " You mean thing ! " Emily ejaculated. " Only a man Could have act--1 cd so deceitfully." | | "I don't know about th"at ! " said 1 Randolph, glancing over the alleged ■■portrait of the Colonel. | " Oh, well ! " said Emily in a vex,ed •fohe. " I suppose I did deserve it. Who arc thoy, anyhow ? " I " They belonged to an old estate," Handolph explained. " There wsrte a 'number of heirs and they all-want-ed them, so they were sent to auction to he bought by the highest bidder. But there was some stupid mistake in advertising the sale. Tho itfrte was misprinted, and when th& [pictures were sold there wasn't a single member of the family pre.'ent. ,They were knocked down for nothing as ypu know." "Whose portraits are tKey ? ". Ein.ily persisted, " They are ," he paused a mojment and looked at her with a merry twinkle in hiu eve—" they are the poHraits of the 'Randolph Morris fainilyV' " Your family ?»" she cried in ;iktonishment. " My family." he replied, »nd then he leaned against the ncvel p,.st. ■ looking up into Emily's eves, which |wero wide with astonishment. " Hut jl should be glad if you would adopt them legally, dear," he added. |. Whatever tho arrangmncnt was, the Jlajoi' was vastly pk-ascJ, 'or ha

"Your familv portraits?" lie per i*lcd.

| " I bought them at auction," Emlily answered coolly. " But you gave me to understand hat these were portraits of the .Stuart family," hc said a little hot-

made his will and bequeathed all his considerable wealth, including the ancestral portraits, to his <:ounin, l.in-i ily Stuart Randolph-Mbiris, as she became thereafter,—Eleanor M. Heistaad Stoore, in tiho Pacific Monthly I ? r f i 3 C n >! a u It Lt ), 0;r 11 B-