The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1870-10-06

IL IS my oHly uduRHtcT. SIT, lCIt W ule ny
| my saintcd wife. who has assembled, and
awaits my coming"
| II infer from your garb and address, sir
that you are a clergyman"
| I'm the cities" said the old man, gravely
II would be called by that name Indeed
at one time I held the occupancy Of Holy
Trinity Church, Philadelphia; but my fail
ing health rendering me incapable Of perfor-
ming the arduous duties of a large parish,
resigned my post and came here to assume
control over a, small flock, and attend to the
| health of'my daughter"
There was something indescr;bably solemn
uttered these last words After pause, he
continued:
| MAY ask to what am indebted for the
honor Of this visit p
With more vehcmence than he had ever
manifested in his life, the young lawyer rap
idly related the events of the day before,
winding UP by the statement,
II propose immediate marriage to your
daughter, provided the young lady will have
me'
The father bowed his head and looked
sad.
"Mr. s." he said at length, .'do you
know that my child has not penny in the
world p
II want to marry the girl for herself, not
for her money said the lawyer.
DO you know" said the sire, s'that my
daughters maternal grandparcnt was hanged
during the Revolution ?"
"Why do you tell me Of her grandfather p
said the lawyer, angrily. 81 love the girl,
aud would marry her if all her grandparents
had been hung since the food y
| Now there was shade of pain, like the
fit of disturbing cloud, over tho old man S
face. Twice he placed his hand on the red
spot on his sad face, sighed deeply, and, after
an effort, he looked long and solemnly in the
eyes Of his visitor, and in solemn tones re-
marked:
Your language, your letters and your
earnestness, satisfy me that | am addressing
a gentleman. dare not treat your honest
love rudely." 8s33.,
| The old gentleman paused, and again the
solemn flashes of sadness came to his face.
while he looked as If he were surveying the
long shadowy past.
" have not always, young man, been bu
| ried, as you see me, in this remote place l
loved once. and the woman loved now wears
| the crown Of martyrdom. At the bidding of
the Lord she sacrificed the Injuries of her
| elegant home to follow the footsteps OF poor
priest. who followed his Master. And in the
labors and loneliness of this place she lad her
life on the altar OF sacrifice, leaving me with
desoate heart and this girl whom you love.
have never doubted" added the old man,
with fervor, +" that He would care for her"
II will give her position, wealth, and ev-
erything that money can buy" exclaimed Mr..
s..
do you know that my daughter is an idi
OF? Come this way young man.
The lover followed his future father-in law
up flight Of stairs.
| Look at your bride" said he, pointing to
figure upon the floor Half reclining upon
the floor and playing with doll was the OBJ
ject Of his attraction The lawyer approach
ed the girl, and, with the familiarity which
sincere love only can give, reverently lifted
| the mass OF beautiful but senseless beauty
| from the floor, and placing it reverently upon
| chair, and placing his hand upon her fore
head looked long and intently down in her
deep blue eyes. Alas she returned one
look, as men look at things they do not under
stand 1t was all too true. The barrister
was looking at vacuity.
| For moment the lawyer sighed, as strong
men sigh but once in their lives.
| IL wish to speak with you moment alone, y
eve can speak here she will understand
no more than the dead"
/ The two gentlemen parted late that even
ing, the faces of both pale and wet.
When the SHOWS of the next winter were
whitening the Potomac with foam, s. and
his bride stood before the altar Of DR. OBri
ems Church, in Washington. He looked ten
years older The sense of an unearthly trust
and responsibility was consuming him. When
deuteronomy was over, the bridegroom took
his wife in his strong arms, as a father would
take child, and wrapping his cloak about
her tenderIy, placed her in the carriage. He
stopped over her and imprinted one kiss upor
her forehead 1t was the first" said he
" and it will be the last !" He had loved bu
once, and it was the last
The traveller who loiters for an hour in the
quaint old town Of Fayette, may see the re
mains of an old garden at the rear OF one o
the most comfortable houses, and he may SEE
the slight bars which surround pretty win
dow at the rear. Here, surrounded by al
that money and love could buy, lived, fo
forty years. the child wife of brilliant law
yer-the wife OF man who was appointed
District Attorney by President Monroe, ant
who from 1921 to 1927 from 1881 to 1885
aud from 1843 to 1847-eight terms in all
served as Representative in the Congress o
the United States. Strange that ia his strone
honest heart, at a time of life when passion
and desire hold ascend.ncy, that this mai
should devote his tine mind, his money, hi
all, to the care of beautiful idiot He Sc
cured the attention of two christian ladie
Zone Of them an old fame of his.) and moth
ing that could add to the comfort of the sin
gular wife was withheld During his labor
as statesman, the husband always hastene
back from Washington his hands full of toy
and trinkets, and would sit upon the grass an
amuse her.
Some years ago the child wife-now grow
old and gray, but still pleasant to look upo
was carried from her home to the plac
where the grass grows in the village church
yard and often, at eveatide, the villagers Sc
an old man with STOPPING figure and furrowe
| face bending his steps tovar6 tho Ettl