Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1869-04-09

ErneStlne 1olded IL quletly Wlthiu oianA
envelope, without breaking the seal, and
sent it back. .a8 s.
Verify women are strange enigmas, even
to themselves Ernestine herself could
scarcely have told why she kept the broken
silver CONDUIT she kept it.
X x x 81 x
The short threatening October was draw
ing to close the fiery belt across the west
ern sky was flaming sullenly athwart the
skeleton woods, and shedding a sort Of au-
reole round Ernestine Cady's slender figure
as she hurried on through the yellow, rust
ling drifts of fallen leaves, carrying the
heavy basket on her arm.
Just as pretty as the rosy Tina Of two
years since, but paler, graver and more Sc
date Trouble had besieged the family
since their migration to the grand dominions
o fthe Far West. Tina had learned the Sc
rious part of life's lesson, and she had learn
ed it well.
She lifted the latch Of the rudely-con-
structed log house and entered, with assum-
ed checrfulness on her face.
How are you now, father y
Better, I think. Come to the fire, Tina;
you must be cold p
''Not bit Has mother come back p
s'No, it's very strange she stays SO long.
suppose Mrs. Ebbetts has great deal to
say though [ don't wonder your mother
is glad to get away from sick room for a
while.
He spoke little bitterly, and Tina WINGED
as she listened, knowing that her mother
had made an excuse of some neighborly er-
rand to dispose, in the nearest village, Of such
poor little odds and ends Of gold chains,
pins, and rings as yet remained to their di-
minished estate Was there anything wrong
in this pious fraud 2 Tina almost felt as if
there was >J
1t was not pleasant to be poor. sd
'She will be home soon, father" said
Tina. "Only see what basketful of cram
berries have gathered out in the swamps !
This will make the barrelful, and Mr.. Sig
net has promised to send it to New York
with his. Don't they look like red jewels,
father =? And the money will buy you a
new coat" 4...s
He smiled family.
II think it had better buy my little girl
a new dress. Shall I help you to pick them
over 2"
II had rather do it myself, father, and
you must try to sleep awhile"
Half an hour later Tina came through the
room with scarlet shawl thrown over her
head, and a wistful, scared look in her eyes.
"You are not going out again, my child. :"
"Only up to the cranberry swamp, father,
it isn't dark yet; II have lost something"
"a ribbon or collar, suppose" said
Mr.. Cady to himself as he lay watching the
crimson glare of the October sunset; while
Tina, putting aside low tangled bushes, and
searching bits of rank, swampy grass, was
repeating to herself, in quick nervous words {:
"How could I lose it? Oh, how could [
be so careless 2"
But the search was all in vain and chill
twilight sent her home, dispirited and I'M
successful And Ernestine Cady cried her.
self to sleep that night, just because she had
lost the broken silver coin
you'll be sure to come, Mr.. Midway :?
1 want to introduce the successful author to
my friends. You are to be my lion. You
will certainly come ?"
eyes, I will come, if you wish it!
Bruce Midway went dreamily on his way,
and Mrs. Lyman whispered to one of her
fashionable friends that 'sshe was quite sure
Mr.. Midway had been crossed in 'love-he
was so deliciously melancholy!'
The table was supremely spread-Mrs,
Lyman's dinners were always CONNIE II faut
and, through the sparkle Of cut glass and
translucent glow of painted china you saw
baskets and epergnes and pyramidal bouquets
of magnificent dollhouse flowers. As one
Of the Beau Brummels of the day had said,
1T was like looking at beautiful picture
to dine with Mrs. Lyman"
The desert was in its first stages, when the
pretty hostess leaned coaxingly across to
Mr.. Midway.
"Do try some of these cranberry pates,
Mr.. Midway; { have just received 2 barrel
of the most delightful cranberries from my
dear old Uncle Signet, in Iowa" M
Bruce was idly striking his fork into the
little crimson cirolets, quite unconscious Of
what he was eating.
eyes, they are very NICE" he said, me-
chanically. And then he bent down to see
what bit Of extraneous white element was
glimmering through the ruby translucency.
Only broken silver coin III
He took it out and looked at it, the ia
miliar die and date, all unconscious Of the
buzz Of voices and ring of idle laughter all
around him-looked at it with vague SUI
;p;erstitious thrill stealing over all his nature
and he could almost hear his pulses beat
under the self pressure Of the other half Of
this silver piece, for he still wore it next his
heart
"From Iowa, did you say, Mrs. Lyman ?"
'From my uncle, Squire Signet. who
lives in the Far West"
"What part of Iowa is it that-that pro-
duces such harvest of cranberries.
"Datersyille, I believe, near the Owasca
River" And then the conversation branch
ed off into some different channel. Bruce
Midway had found out all that he wished to
ascertain on that one OCCASION.
"a token and summons to him, where
ever he might bel" Bruce remembered the
words he had spoken two years ago, and his
loyal heart gave great leap as the memory
flooded it with warmth and brightness.
X X x 4
"cranberries l--yes-l remember 'em,"
said old Squire Signet, biting the end of his
cedar pencil, Crop was uncommon good
this fall; old Cady'a darter brought 'em here
to sell by the peck"
To SELL Bruce began for the first time
to appreciate the tides Of trouble that had
eddied round the serene little islet Of En-
estine's heart.
"Where do they live-Mr. Cady's family,
7 mean p
''See that ar old blasted pine down in the
boiler? Well, just beyond there a road
leads down past Cady's. Won't stop a little
InNOar? Wall nood ououio' Suuiro Ps-Fts.