Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-08-05

your friend, I wonder you could have done
lit so calmly l
.Oh' said Harry, knew could drive if
you conld'nt. Selim and are old acquain-
Itances'' @ ss sM
perhaps you would like the reins now, )"
said Tom. IS #a
oh no, Tam perfectly satisfied to leave
them in the hands Of the gentleman who
holds them now since he has already proved
himself an adept in the use Of them
And BY a well timed and judicious COM
pliment, Harry smoothed down the ruffied
vanity Of her escort; having done so, she ex
erted herself to be agreeable.
No one, to have seen them, would have
supposed that these were thetwo people who
acted as extinguishers On each other. In
fact both were unusually brilliant; the drive
proved altogether too short for them, and
they parted on the best terms with themsel-
yes and each other. see-
Tom drove off chuckling at the success Of
his first move in the game and Harry look
ed out of the window after him, and laughed
. low melodious laugh in the solitude Of her
own apartment.
| The Irritation progressed rapidly, greatly
to the annoyance ofpoor Kitty. She lost no
opportunity Of accusing Tom Of being firt
and Of relating his previous achievements in
that line to her friend, hoping thus to give
her an indirect answer! But Harry took
a mischievous delight in defending Tom
from his cousins aspersions.
You don't know him as we'll as do
Kate would conclude sadly.
oh yes. I do Harry would reply -
! You are the one who doesn't understand
him; its strange but true, that the nearest
relatives are the very farthest from knowing
each other
Kate shook her head sorrowfully. Warn
I ing, she saw it would avail nothing. She
must let the matter take its own course, and
look on with as much composure as possible
while Tom read, walked, drove, sang and
talked with Harry.
They were together almost constantly
but Kate had no hear to enquire, as she
had at first done jestingly, what his pros
poets were and Tom no longer, as former
ly, boosted of his success.
Hates only hope was that be would az
tually be yet caught in his own trap and
fall in love. rs
She watched both parties narrowly, but
even her woman's penetration was at fault.
Whether either loved the other, she could
mot even guess.
The three months were almost passed
when on bright and beautiful morning
Tom took Harry out for drive. She was
in the best possible spirits and for some
time they chatted gaily Of all subjects. ~
But at last they relapsed into silence, which
Tom rather abruptly broke by declaration
|of love, which, if it was not dictated by
genuine feeling, proved him to be a most
consummate actor. w se
Harry listened to him with downcast eyes
and varying color but when he concluded
by asking if be might hope for return Of
his affections, she replied cold and decidedly
in the negative. &
Tom was evidently not prepared for this.
He looked at her in amazement
/ Can it be possible that | have been mis-
taken 2 he said at last. That you do not
love me can hardly believe it,
Harry's eyes flashed. a m
Incredible as itmay appear to Mr.. Lati-
mer,' she replied, that any should be in
sensible to his merits, such is nevertheless
the case. It only proves my bad taste I
suppose
The blood rushed to her companions face.
Then you have treated me in very
heartless manner! You have trifed with
me most cruelly-you have accepted all my
attentions-you have appeared to like my
society you have given me reason to think
that you preferred me to all others Oh
how you have done would never have
believed that you were capable of such
heartlessness. have been greatly mista-
ken in you h
You are angry with me nowv replied
the girl, 1 have wounded your vanity and
you cannot forgive mep Sd M
No, Harry, [ am not angry. ! am
grieved and disappointed to find that one
whom ! had imagined the very perfection
of womanly character, should fall 50 short
of it. No true woman would have been
guilty of such heartless conduct rs Hat
! In other words, no true woman would
have refused Mr. Latimer. / am glad to
see that my conduct has not destroyed your
faith in yourself or in my sex. Very prob
ably you will soon 6nd some woman who
will add to her other virtues the crowned
|excellency of approaching you as you de-
serve, and who will fully restore your con-
fndence in women, which have sorudely
shaken $50 sd v in44w tuTgs
Tom looked at her sadly. an s#tsas +
!. you speak very lightly, Harry as if it
were trifing thing to transfer ones affec-
tons. But you little know what a parting
with you will cost nc. ra e
! perhaps do better than you imagine
It will cost you your diamond ring or your
mothers picture H sseasA sie
i Tom started in establishment. aa I
! 'Ha Kate broke her word, and told you
Of that foolish wager, did she 2 sis wv slte
1 No, CHANGED to overhear your very
complimentary conversation three months
since when the bet was made r 3
Then, if you heard that conversation.
you know I reserved the right of withdraw
ing if chose:' $3.50 ae3i 4AE
'At the sacrifice Of the ring and the pic
ture,' interposed Harry, provokingly
Don't speak Of that folly exclaimed
Tom, coloring violently. Harry you were
fright to be Indignant. It was not only
foolish but decidedly wrong in Kate and me
to use your name 50 lightly, but though I
honon * ,ov Won ottantiOn IN inct I mas