Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-11-18

$50.
In spite Of the afectionate pressure in
Mrs. Beddington's postscript, twas not un-
til quarter to seven that he stepped into a
Hanson cab and drove off to Hyde Park
| Gardens.
I When the page threw opon the battants
and Flinders, who was in waiting at the hall
caught up his name and marshaled Angus
tus in, he could not help experiencing some
thing of nervous sensation, which was GER
tainly not diminished as be caught sight Of
the stuffed tiger in the little passage leading
toward the conservatory. However. he put
the screw on his feelings, gave his hat to
| Flinders, and entered with the easy assu-
rance of man who knew it was all right.
! There were more persons assembled in
the drawing-room than he expected, ard ii
struck him that Mrs. Beddington was as
little to be trusted as most people when they
say they have family party" or that the
members of it were more numerous than he
had imagined But he was treasured when
Mr.. Beddington stepped forward, and, sha-
king him by the hand, said, RELATIVES Of
ours-happy to make you known to them
and after making bis bow to Mrs. Bedding
ton, he was formally presented to Mr.: and
Mrs Skrimshire. Ia very stately couple
Mr., Mrs. and Miss Sharples, Mr.. George
and Mr.. William Shanks, and Mr.. Peter
Buzzard, ''not relation, absolutely, but
one of our oldest friends, in fact" pursued
Mr.. Beddington, lowering his tone, my
legal adviser-settles all our family mat
ters."
$780," thought Augustus, ""quick march
is the order of the day here-a lawyer on
the move already. Deuced nice house this
old B. must cut up well. I'm in luck. :"
| The relatives" seemed pleasant set of
people; they were, in fact, all laughing hear
tily when Augustus entered-at some good
thing that Mr. Buzzard was narrating. all
except Mrs. Skrimshire, who had fiery face
and wore d cap Of light blue something,
which either did not suit her complexion,
or developed her temper unfavorably. Au-
gustus looked round for ''the young ladies', :"
but he was too recent a guest to be aware
Of the "dodge" We have already mentioned
Of appearing last and all together. He had
not, however, got farther in conversation
than sthe late hailstorm," when they came
sailing Ia. like swans, in white muslin and
cherry -colored riband-a costume which they
not the swans-very much affected. a
good deal Of affectionate intercourse took
4 place between them and sthe relatives
and then there were courtesies bestowed on
him, accompanied by glances half timid,
half tender, that put him quite in futter,
particularly as he felt at loss to know
whose tenderness he was most called upon
to return by the same species Of electric tele-
4 graph. Fortunately for his embarrassment
Flinders entered and announced DINNER
The pairing IF began, and Mrs. Bedding
ton, who had secured the arm Of the family
friend. motioned to Augustus, with sig
ni6cant nod, that he was to offer his to ont
of her daughters. He put out his elbow q
} venture, looking straight before him as hi
did 80, and making sort of inarticulatt
growl, such as the stuffed tiger might have
uttered; -somebody hooked on to it, anc
, when he got into the blaze of the wax lights
in the dining-room, he found it was Matilda
Beddington She made her way to an up
per seat on the right hand of Mr. Buzzard
SO that he felt himself mas en- euidence rath
, er near than he desired, but it was the pos
Of honor, and therefore not to be eschewed
AS he turned round to sit down, he percei
, we'd that Miss Charlotte Beddington was pla
ced next to him on the other side. He wa
. thus not only between two fires, but two
flames, for the sight of these young. ladie
brought wildly bnck to his remembrance
every syllable he had said to each.
"INock turtle, sir" said Flinders, in al
emphatic tone, just as the thought Of his du
plicity was beginning to make him uncom
Portable.
He took it, for anything was relief a
the moment, and with burning face bur
, led his head in the plate; half choking him
self in his eagerness to avoid hearing 10
cose remark from Mr.. Buzzard- Whom b,
, suddenly began to detest-on the difficult,
of choosing between 'reaf' and mock"
, It was now that, for the first time, he per
ceived the full extent oft the false position il
which his ridiculous conduct had place.
him. He would have given worlds if be hal
sent an apology, an explanation, a confes
, sion, anything rather than thus find himsel
[ gibbcted by his conscience between tw'
, pretty girls whom he knew he had ill-trea
! ted. and was afraid to look at or speak to-
They also who, when he last saw them, ha,
done the honors Of the house SO gracefully
were equally silent with himself How t.
, address either he knew not, for no intima
ton had reached Him from any quarter as t
which was the true 6ancee, and he feare,
to make some blunder that would spoil all b,
speaking to the wrong one. To talk com
, naonplace after the burning words by which
J he had committed himself would, he felt, b
adding insult to injury; but something. a
, all events must be done. Without turnin.
, his head, therefore, to the right or left, blu
as if he were making confidential commu
,nication to his own waistcoat, he got out tn
words:
"a delicious evening, last nightr'
4 A sigh from each was the only answer
They might mean great deal, but they ex
planned nothing. He was still in the dark
The coincidence might be accidental; h.
would try again.
}, Addressing his waistcoat as before
''You remember last nigLt?'
'How can ever forget it".' murmured
, voice on his left hand
Remember it!-yes.' echoed anothe
on his right.
l