Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1871-04-21
SELECTED STORY.
---~-~~--~~------~
A SEALED HEART.
BY A. TRYE.

GOOD morning, Valentine p The speak
er came from the garden through the open
window, her lap full of flowers, her face
4impled with girlish laughter. and her pref
ty little hand held out in greeting.
''Am your valentine, Nellie p
{ The voice that answered her was sadder
than hey own.
eyes: you are the first gentleman have
seen to-day and, down in the West, we
still Say, as in the olden times, the first per-
son met is your valentine
But, in the old days. the valentine came
prepared with gift, aud have none so
I am a sorry valentine. Nellie
'sBut the gentlemen chose their valen-
tines then, as that old gossip Pepys tells
us in his. Diary and you did not choose me
= choose you SO, you see, I have no
right to claim a gift.
Then, in that case, nave the right --
What will you give me, Valentine 70
sob, I'll work you cigar. case, if you
like Will that do"
''No, that won't do, Valentine. because
| shall not be here to receive it."
'''Not here What do you mean p
81 mean, am going away to-day, and l
have called to say goodbye
All why that sudden tiZhtness Of the
heart-that chill, numb pain, and strange
bcwildermenT falling on her like terror ?
Yet, being woman, sue hides this griei, and
answers with careless ease
''Oh. how sorry every one will be that
you are g"ing SO soou And thought you
were to stay at Tho.ncombe till April ?"
~ thought so, too. but had dispatch
this morning, calling me home"
calling you home There is no one i'll,
[ hope p
mo one. thank you. 1t is only bust
ness takes me home"
But for pride, hot tears ould have rain
ed down now this held them back, and
made her say, coldly, ''Ah, forget how
soon the London season begins Once in
the whirl of all that gaiety. why should you
think of Thorncombe - .[S
What would he have said to this She
never kaew. for there entered at this mo-
ment two little children whose prim walk
broke into run al they saw Captain Bar
telot and Selling him. they cllmbed upon his
knee, with loud childish talk Theu came
the goyerness and, after her, the master
and mistress Of Sunnichayes and to al Of
these, Stephen, with graceful ease and hall
sigh, told the news of his approaching de-
parture.
Then he rose to go;a cloud, a something
on his face, held back, yet seen, like the
storm trembling and tossing on the waves,
while the sky still shines clear.
"Good-bye, Miss Norton" he said, ex
tending his hand, II wish I could thank
you tor all these pleasant days, but feel
cannot"
Hand in hand, and face to face, just for
one moment /; one beat of the heart-o
both hearts one glance through qaivering
eyelids, and the hands drop. and they arr
parted. ess
cat least, you viii come again in thu
Summer, when the fishing begins shcul,
be right glad to see you p
Who said that Dr. Norton Oh, how
good and kind of papa to speak Just at tn
right time And Nellie her ears to catcl
t the answer, spoken at the door, for he ha
got thus far now, and in an instant more
t will be- closed, and that face gone--shut on
Of her life. perhaps forever. ry
"a hundred thanks but I dare nc
promise. When the Summer co,res, fea
I shall be far away, yet will not give u
the honor Of seeing you all again som
other Summer, when, perhaps, Thorncomb
will have forgotten me-
! a"That can never be = said Nellie, ant
her eyes met his. a,...o l5eT
''Never, never p echoed the children =
$50 you'll come back one Summer, Cal
tain Bartelot, won't you p
at will be Summer to me whenever
come" - His eyes are on her sadly as b
says this. s'Ah. Dr. Morton these chile
rem little think to what winter go An
d at Thorncombe leave sunshine and sprin
n flowers. Farewell, friends will not TO-
e get the west" .t..
i Is that knell No, it is only the clio
y ing OF the door !; but it sounds to Nellie lik
the shutting Of a tomb, OF the passing-be
Of dying hopes and withered fancies.
The Bartelots were rich peeple-gran
people, moving in same sphere above hers
- and she, the retired Doctor daughter, VIZ
u not high enough for man who could dane
: WIKI cOuntesseS, or DOW at CourC Oh IL
\ hand Of a pale princess. This was the way I
Ar had gone away in such calm indifference
with courtesy on his lips and disconrtesy
his heart But she could not forget hin
He played a. poor part now before her eye
1t was not Doble--not a manly, not gel
erous thing to do, to vile with the subt
a. hattery of eye, of lip, of hand. silly CIR
tu untaught, foolish as the birds she wake
Fa among " aAA a7pa-a9s ssssi
r BE you Miss Norton p cried a Devo
| ! shire voice. breaking in upon her reverl