Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-10-30

Now this was great advance upon our pre-
vious gains; and the tavern was by no
means bad place for the foundation Of q
theatrical reputation.
( Situated about half way between the west
end of the city, surrounded by densely
populated neighborhood, and lying in the
very path Of the omnibusses, the establish
ment was one of the most prosperous Of it's
class. There was theater and concert
room, and garden, where dancing, smo-
king and rife-shooting, and supper-eating,
were going on from eight to twelve o'clock
every night through the summer, which
made the place special favorite with the
working classes.
I Here then, we two were engaged, with
the promise that our salary should be raised
if we proved attractive, and raised it soon
was, for we drew enormously. We brought
out the perche and the ceiling business. came
down in the midst Of fireworks; from a
platform higher than the roof Of the thea-
ter, and in short, did everything that was
ever done in our line-aye, and did it well,
too, though perhaps it is not my place to
say so. At all events, the great colored
posters were pasted up all over the town,
and our salary was increased to ELS per
week, and the gentleman who writes about
the play in The Sunday Snub was pleased to
observe that there was no performance in
London half so wonderful as that Of the
Patagonian Brothers, for which | take this
opportunity to thank him kindly.
| We lodged in quiet street, on hill
I poor 7clin rfor Tho hnuco woc Eont bv
Mrs. Morrison, respectable, industrious
woman, whose husband had been gas fit
ter at one of the theaters, and who was
now left a widow, with an only daughter,
just nineteen years of age. She was very
good and very pretty. She was christened
Alice, but her mother called her Ally, and
we soon fell in the same habit for they
were very simple, friendly people, and we
were soon as good friends as if we had been
living together in the same house for years.
| / am not good hand at telling story,
as dare say you have found out before this
time-and, indeed, I never sat down to
write one before-so may as well come to
the point at once ana confess that loved
her. I also fancied before many months
we're over, that she did rot altogether dis
like me, for a mans wits are twice as sharp
when he is in love, as there is not blush,
or glance, or word, that he does not
contrive to build some hope upon So one
day when Grif6ths was out, went down
stairs into the parlor, where she was sitting
by the window, sewing, and | stepped in
and took chair beside her.
ssAlly, my DEAR" said I, stopping her
right hand from working, and taking it up
in both of mine. "Ally, my dear, [ want
to speak to you"
She blushed and turned pale, and blush
ed again, and I felt the pulses in the little
soft hand throbbing like the heart Of a
frightened bird, but she never answered a
syllable.
man. T am thirty-two years of age I
don't know how to fatter like some folks,
and have had very little book-learning to
speak of. But my dear, I love you, and
thong I don't pretend that you are the
first girl ever fancied, can only say that
you are the first | ever fancied to make my
wife. So if you'll take me, such as am,
I'll be true husband to you as long as |
live
What answer she made, or whether she
spoke at all is more than can undertake to
tell, for my ideas were all confused, and I
only remember that I kissed her, and felt
very happy, and that when Mrs. Morrison
came into the room she found me with my
arms clasped around my darling's waist
[ scarcely knew when it was that first no
ticed a change in John Grihiths; but that
it was somewhere about this time, I am toll
erably certain. 1t is hard to put looks in
to words, and to make account Of triAes
that after all, are matters of feeling more
than matters Of facts, but others saw the
change as we'll as myself, and no one could
help observing that he grew to be more 81
lent and unsociable than ever; he kept
away from home as much as possible. He
spent all Sunday out, starting the first thing
after breakfast, and not coming back again
until close upon midnight He even put an
end to our friendly custom Of walking home
together after our nights work was over,
and joined sort Of tap-room club that was
kept by dozen or SO Of idle fellows belong
ing the theater. Worse than this, he scarce
~ eACuduSCO d WOlu Will mG lIOll
till night, even when we were at meals
He watched me about the room as if | had
been thief. And sometimes, though I am
sure I never wronged him willingly in M
life. caught him looking at me from un.
der those black brows Of his as if he hated
me.
More than once I laid my hand on his
coat sleeve as he was hurrying away on Sun
day, on turning off toward the club room al
night and said, "Grifhths have you got
anything against me ?''-or .Griffiths won't
you come home to take a friendly glass
with me to night?" But he rather shook
me off without word, Or muttered some
sulky denial that sounded more like course
than civil answer, SO I got tired of peace
making at last and left him to 60 his own
way and to choose his own company.
The summer was already far advanced,
and our engagement at the Belvidere had
we'll nigh ended, when I began to buy fur
niture, and Ally to prepare her wedding
things. Matters continued the same with
John Grifaths; but when the day was fixed,
/ made up my mind to try them once again,
and invite him to the church and dinner.
The circumstances Of that invitation are as
clear in my memory as if the whole affair
had taken place this morning.
\ It was on the twenty ninth of July, q
| -. ....A.. ..i.. .t,o,YF dafn, o,,J 4l,a.a H. 4