Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1869-04-09
SELECTED STORY
THE SILVER TOKEN.

two semicircles of silver in the air, so that
they might be sure to make a sufficient
impression on Ernestine Cady's blue eyes,
and smiled with the exultant satisfaction
of one who feels that he has accomplished
his mission.
He was bright, earnest-looking young
fellow, with gray-brown eyes, square, firm
mouth-not handsome, but very manly: and
as he sat there on the green woodland bank,
with the hair thrown back from his broad
forehead. and the sunshine mirrored in his
eyes, you felt instinctively that he was one
who would make his way in the world, no
matter what obstacles might intervene.
Ernestine Cady stood leaning against the
gnarled, messy trunk of an immense chest
nut tree, with her little feat buried in plumes
Of nodding. fragrant ferns-a rural picture
in blue muslin and futtering azure rib
bons. She was very pretty, with the deli
cate bloom and the freshness of fower-a
flower that winds and frosts have never
touched.
Didn't I tell you I should do it, Tina p
Ernestine took up the little file that lay
on the bank.
Il thought it an impossible task with
such and implement as that!''
Nothing is impossible" returned Bruce,
sententiously, as he passed bit OF narrow
blue ribbon through hole in the broken
piece of silver. 'Will you let me tie it
round your neck Tina p
hat for?" But she stopped her pretty
head as she spoke, and let him tie the knot
beneath cataract Of pale gold curls.
"And shall wear the other next my
heart. They are amulets, Tina-charms, if
you choose SO to phrase it That silver piece
carries my allegiance with it, Tina, if ever
any cloud comes between us, if ever we are
separated"
"Bruce p
'such things have happened, dearest !;
but, nevertheless, in any event, this broken
coin shall be token and summons to me
wherever [ may be-whatever Fate may
have in store Don't look so grave, my lit
tie blue-bird Is it SO very wrong to min
gle bit of romance in our everyday life !!
Where are your flowers ?-it is time we we've
returning"
Through the green shifting shadows of
the woods, with blood-red streams Of sun
set light ripping along at their feet, and de-
licious odors of moss and fern and hidden
flowers rising up around, the two lovers
walked homeward. Bruce Midway never
forgot the brightness of that drowsy August
afternoon.
y *
''She will come-I am sure she will
come p
The dew lay like q rain of diamonds on
grass and shrub as Bruce walked up and down
the little pathway by the hidden spring,
watching the round red shield of the rising
sun hanging above the eastern horizon. And
then he looked at his watch.
The train will be due in nine minutes.
Surely Tina will not let me leave her with
out a reconciling word! If we could but live
the last week over again Hush that must
be her footstep on the moss"
He stepped forward. with glad, flushed
face, and then the chill Yhiteness Of despair
blanched every feature, as the brighteyed
little squirrel, whose tiny tread over leaves
and acorn. cups had deceived him, glided
swiftly across the belt of sunshine into emer-
aid shadow Bruce Midway stood an in
slant with his brow contracted and bis arms
folded on his breast Was he bidding fare
we'll to the bright summer that vas past?
And the shrek of the coming train sound
ed through the blue purity of the air, and
the last, little faint sparkle of hope in the
lovers breast died out.
Tina had not come-Tina had forgotten
him. Well, so let it be!
And what was Tina Cady doing in the
fresh morning brightness?
She was very rosy and pretty in her trim
ealiep dress, with pink ribbons at her throat,
ard pink yerbena hanging low in her gol-
den coil of hair-yery picturesque as she
reached up her hand to Freak off sprig Of
spicy honey-suckle.
Il wonder if Mr.. Bruce Midway has
come to his senses yet" thought Tina, with
toss Of her head. II shan't measure my
action by the rule and plummet Of his lordly
will, I can assure him, # want to firt
with Pierce Marbury, I shall do 1T"
$50 you're up, eh, Tina And as fresh
as rose, I declare p
Tina put her red lips up to kiss her bluff
old father in an distracted sort Of way. She
hardly saw him as he stood there
"Oh, by the way, Tina, forgot to give
you this note last night; it was left by the
hotel porter. Really, I believe my memory
isn't quite as good as it was"
Tina caught the note from her fathers
hand, and broke it open in fevered haste,
'sThe train leaves at seven p She saw the
words as wildly as if they had been written
in characters Of jagged fire, and as she read
them the old clock half way up the wide,
old-fashioned staircase struck eight.
It was too late--too late
The sharp thrill of agony at her heart was