The Argosy — page 329: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

310 Letters from Majorca. difficult in a mere sketch to do justice to them. You catch the out- lines tolerably, but the charm of life is wanting. You cannot see the soft brown eyes as they beam and grow tender when gazing upon H. C. or upon A.; and you cannot hear the liquid accents of voices that to us are certainly sweet and low. Well, the old mother was so charmed with the result of her daughters’ photos, that nothing would please her but she also must be taken. For our part, with less admiration for the subject, we were only too ready to oblige the old lady ; for she is really a very nice and good old woman, who has done her best for us: and, as I have already remarked, does not appear to have had too much happiness. in life, if one may judge from her expression. She promised to be ready by twelve o’clock—the time at which our lordly barouche was due. We returned as the clock struck the hour. The old lady was in her best. Rustling black silk, heavy gold chain and earrings, a white lace head-dress of the peculiar and unbecoming fashion of the country: all finished off and completed by the inevitable fan appoint- ment. ‘That was the only thing I quarrelled with. She could not hold it gracefully. The fingers were too thick and clumsy for their office: for the old lady has grown to embonpoint with the passing years. She saw this herself, and tried to dispose becomingly of hands and fingers, but it wouldn’t do. She gave up the attempt and went back to her usual look of half-fretful resignation. She, too, was taken amidst the vine leaves and the pantiles ; and it the surroundings had lost a little of their beauty and romance, it was nothing more than was to be expected. ‘The decline of autumn can never to my thinking equal the freshness of early spring. There was no time to develop the photo and see the result, and so we brought it away with us to be developed in Palma. It is certainly not so satisfactory as those of the girls. Whether the sky was too clouded, or the exposure incorrect, I know not; but whilst the girls came out full of life and vigour, the old lady, though perfectly distinct, appears pale and faded. She looks more like one of those shadows to whose realms she is hastening. From this point of view it is a success: to her daughters the land of shadows seems afar off; to her it is becoming a reality. But I have an idea that the old lady had no wish to point a moral or adorn a tale of this sort, and that she will not be at all satisfied with the result. And I am sarry, for we had a great wish to please her. However, she will have to take the will for the deed. Our intentions were honourable. Twelve o’clock had now long struck, and still our lordly barouche had not put in an appearance. I told you in my last of a presentiment that something would happen. Some people are always having pre- sentiments, and they never come true. It is not so with me. I once had a presentiment that a rich relative from whom I had great COMICOOOKS.G©