Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1870-03-11

W ulLll6ClA ~ Wl&C3 oNNAOSo INV
Spencer, bachelor, to send to San Francisco
to advertise for a person whom nobod'
knows! wonders will never cease. Why
Fred, do you think that [ am going to max
a greater fool of myself than | have alread.
done :? I guess not"
sBut you can easily write a note to tina
name, if there is no such person, no harm
is done if there is, why"
81 can write and say: My dear Miss
it is my destiny. and also yours, that We
should be united in the holy bonds of wed
lock. Come right up here and fulfil YOU
destiny After all, Fred, you may be right
|. will send to her and Tom drew hi:
writing desk toward him, and scene secono
closes with nearly the same position of the
character as scene first, the difference in the
scenery being, in tho first, Fred Seaton's
library, and in the second, Tom. Spencer's
bachelor rooms.
"Well, have you heard from Amy ?"-
was the question asked by Fred OF Tom fol
several successive mornings after this event.
This answer was always 'No," until at last
the friends were convinced that no such
person existed, and the subject was gradual
" dropped. One morning, however, Tom
came into the Office, and slapping Fred,
who was seated at the desk, on the back,
exclaimed !:
II have received a letter from Amy J"
'sTom, is there such a person, or are you
only jesting|
"Look for yourself, and he thrust a letter
into his friends hands.
Fred opened and read it.
$50 she is willing to correspond, provid-
ing you can send satisfactory references
Very particular /; we'll, | rather like that.
She has underlined, merely for sake Of
mutual improvement" She gives you fair
warning that her heart is not to be caught
by the name of Thomas Spencer, Esq. Do
you intend to keep up the correspondence,
Tom ?"
"Certainly, if only for the sake, as she
says, Of mutual improvement. Who knows
what may happen? if she is half as good look
ing as the picture, I don't know but"-Here
he thrust the pen into the inkstand and
commenced writing his second letter to Miss
Amy Wetherall, while Fred looked on, and
BY the smile which twinkled in his eye, we
may presume that he enjoyed the joke as
much as be would have done before he took
a wife and was endowed with wisdom.
Weeks passed on /; the correspondence
still continued, with strong signs of mutual
improvement, if we might judge from the
heading of Toms letters, which from Ere
spscted Miss gradually became Dear
Amy" He had also sent his likeness ; did
he not have one of hers and of course it was
nothing but right that she should have one
Of his.
One morning, after the receipt Of a letter
Tom suddenly exclaimed
Erred, | am going to San Francisco to
sec Amy"
every well said, but how are you to find
her; San Francisco, although not so far from
Virginia City, is not SO small a place that
you can go down, inquire for Amy Wether.
all, and have her house pointed out to your
ooh, I shall write for her address first.
"Do you think that she will give it tc
you ?"
"I'll try at any rate y and he did try
receiving an answer to the effect that Amy
would be happy to see her unknown friend
So in due time we find Tom in San Fran
cisco, looking intently for Woodward
street. At last he found it. Surely there
was some mistake, for the name of Bertop
Was upon the %door-plate. He looked again
at the direction no there could be nc
mistake. Amy was probably boarding there
she might be a relation Of the Bertons,
living with them or, she might be, and
his heart sank, some servant of the family
but no, her letters, showed refinement and
taste. Then again be thought she might
be a relation, probably a poor relation, de-
pending upon their charity. What his
Amy a recipient of charity he would know
the worst at once, and he gave the bell q
vigorous pull. Was it fancy, or did he see
a smiling face at the window above =? If he
did, it was Immediately Withdrawn, and
soop the door opened and a young lady
J stood before him. She was no servant, as
was plainly to be seen. 1t was not Amy.
for had he not her picture engraven upon
bis heart, never to be erased Who could
she be? He half wished-but there was nc
time for conjecture. She was waiting te
know his Grand He must speak, and fol
the first time in his life he could not speak
freely.
"Is-ls-Mlss"-Ae was surely going te
choke, and those eyes looking at him all the
while. He could feel that they were look
ing at him, but he dare not look up to see
But an effort he must make; so clearing hi
voice, he said
els Miss Wetherall within? :" There, /
was out at last.
"she is will YOU walk in ?" That coo
collected voice seemed to calrAins to hlmsel
and handing her his card, he said, "Pleast
tell her [ wish to speak to her" The self
possession which he had regained was sud
denly taken away when she replied;
II am Amy Wetherall."
Impossible Miss Wetherall-is-is,
words failed. Surely he was making
great fool of himself. He wished himself
, thousand miles away. Miss Wetherall, Xix
a true woman, came to his rescue.
"Elease be seated. / believe there is al
explanation due you !" and after he wa
seated she began:
"some time ago, induced by a spirit o
mischief, I sent to one protesting to be
%clairvoyant for the likeness of my futur
husband (here a slight blush was visible.
and received in return a likeness purport
Ing, (here the blush decpens,) to be yours
that she should send me the name of per
son actually residing in Virginia City 'dl
, not surprise me in the least, as it was no
impossible for her to become acquainte
with the names of business men in diferen
, cities. so I let it pass, thinking no more Q
l it. Soon, however, 1 received your letter
The plot was all clear now; I had write
under an assumed name, and your letter va
r directed to that name. The Madame ha