Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-03-16

ed that if health should spare me, l would
at once depart from my native village, and
some day return wealthy man-not again
to uaee nv suit. nor even to claim her as a
friend or acquaintance, unless it should be
her express desire. for | too had proud
spirit and could never consent to plead with
woman.
All these thoughts passed rapidly through
nv mind. as neared my fathers cottage.
and rcioiced to think uhat,i in part, my pur-
pose had been accomplished. l was rich
rich ever. beyond the fastidious acquisitions
of Isabel Hayne. richer than her father had
ever been,. and yet my stern resolve had
seen no change
I met my father, now silver haired with
age Ny mother had been lying in her
narrow, silent home for nearly two years. =
My sister, my only sister, whom had fond
ly hoped to meet, was married, and had
gone to distant place to dwell. The spir-
It of change had breathed upon every ia
miiar object The house, the fences were
Wondering away. / met the companions
Of my youth, who welcomed me back with
smiles which seemed but the distorted mock
ery of the smiles that lit MP their happy ia
ces in my boyhood's day. They were grow
ing old. !,
Yet some seemed apparently no older
than when had seen them eight years be-
fore. .iss4e*1 sE
| did not meet Miss Hayne, nor did | e.
ven inquire about her. She had probably
gone away. or what was quite probable, her
father might have. become so wealthy that
she no longer moved in the village society.
Perhaps she was married, and was living in
some other place. What was she to me that
should spend thought in speculation as
to the cause of her invisibility And yet |
could not eface her image from my mind :
IF ever in distant lands had succeeded in
nv effoi Is to Danish her from my memory.
| could not do so now The associations OF
home and familiar scenes brought back the
recolections of happy days-and her name
her form, just as she appeared to me then
was indispensably necessary to complete the
picture which fancy painted me.
+ There was social gathering at friends
but she was not there. Why should | look
SO anxiously about, hoping yet fearing to
encounter her beautiful face Why could
not forget at once aud forever.
Some one mentioned her name. "Why
was she not there 7" aff
.sShe does not 60 out since their mlstor-
tune
sWhat a pity Poor Hayne They
say that she supports him by keeping fe-
male school"
Eyes. she is engaged in the district just
beyond the village. 1t will be very Sc
we're and humiliating lesson to her, she was
very proud. T" ba .4
must confess I was interested, and de-
sired to know more, but | asked no, ques-
tons | could not forget the past. 5' ~,
Not long after this | learned that the
Hayne estate, which had passed into the
hands of some Eastern speculator, was again
for sale. purchased it, having no def
ME purpose in view unless it was the thought
that it would make comfortable residence
for my father in his declining years, since
his own cottage was fast going to decay |
at once sat about repairing the large man
sion on the Hayne farm, FOR shat too had
felt the Wondering touch Of time, for that
purpose frequently drove out to watch and
direct the operations Of the )aborers.
| was one day driving leisurely along,
when | espied at some distance before me
an old nan, bent with age and cropping his
tedious way along the road. Presently. he
sat down by the roadside to rest and when
came up I offered him seat in the bug
gy. J.,
Never mind" said he, ''its only little
way I have to go. just to yonder hill-top.-
I 90 there sometimes when the days are
pleasant like this to meet my daughter, and
accompany her home from school. She IS
you know"
disregarded the refusal of my offer and
sprung out Of the buggy, extending him my
hand to assist him to seat, as though 1t
was matter of course that he would ride.
.Well, we'll, since you wish it | will 60
with you. There are not many that are
kind to the old man now. | am not what
I was six years ago. was rich man then
very rich-but speculation did the mis-
chief. See yonder house, just beyond the
school it W IS mine. All, it was happy
home, butt never can be mine again.
And thus he babbled on, for the inirmi-
ties Of age prematurely induced by his mis-
fortunes, had rendered him garrulous. He
was indeed changed for among all had
seen since my return home. not one had
grown SO old as he.. He did not recognize
me, and as I drove slowly along, very slow
ly-for he said many things that were in
teresting to me-I learned more of his cir
cumstances and Of the sacrifices, conces-
sions, efforts, and flial affection OF bis daugh-
ter Isabel-the name affected me. | will
confess it, more than l had previously ascer-
tanned ,-1
had often passed the school house, as it
was directly on my way to the farm, but
had never, caught sight Of the fair teacher
AS we now approached observed the schol-
ars rushing from tho door Of the school room
and before we drove up she herself emerged
and stood before us. :,
= "Ah, Isabel, this Kind gentleman urged
me to ride in his carriage, and want you
to thank him in my behalf, because you don't
know how much it has rested me. ~
s IF I had remained unrecognlzed by the
father, I could not escape the penetrating
glance Of the daughter. Her quickly chan
ging color indicated at once that she knew,
or at least suspected, who | was, | turned
around my carriage, sprung, out and otter
cd to assist her in, saying