Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1871-08-04
care you visiting New York ~ he ques-

| TONED.
enc; we are living here. Papa is dead
and we have lost a good deal of proper
} ty," faltered Sylvia. II keep little girls
school in Raven street, now-No.-
s.And Melissa p
"Melissa lives with me. We are alone
together in the w6fld. You will come ane
see Melissa, won't you, Walter 2"
"Certainly, I will" was the hearty res
ponse. ''May I come tomorrow eve
ning?"
The soft, pink bushes glowed upon syl
( Was cheek, as she thought of the respecta-
bic old brick mansion in Raven street,
where she kept the little school, and Melis
sa nursed the remains Of her faded beauty
and cultivated her "nervous."
..Why Sylvia, you look as natural as
ever" said Walter, looking kindly down in
to her brown eyes, a3la sA ~
-"And you, too. Walter. Where have
you been all these years?' A'S
Making my fortune" he laughed.
is it made p
"Well, yes [ suppose the world say SO.
Then [ may come tomorrow evening =
| ssTo be sure you may come" said frank
little Sylvia, and her heart gave warm
throb, half rapture, half strange inscruta-
BILE pang, as she read in Walters eyes a
something that made her almost envious Of
the happiness in store for Melissa.
And the next day Sylvia Dean, obedient
to her sisters behest, went out shopping to
do honor to the expected guests arrival
ga dollar and fifty CENTS" unused Sylvia.
"And I have only seventy five left. Well
there is but one thing to be DONE Poor
Melissa will be SO disappointed if I go home
without the collar, and Melissa is nervous
and poorly, and can't bear disappointment
as [ can A bit of black ribbon will do
lust as we'll for forlorn old maid like mo-
The pin always was piece of cxtravag-
ance.' ea}s4 e'9
And Sylvia Dean tlotted briskly dow
the street to jewelers., where she took out
the little gold ivy leaf that fastened her plain
linen collar.
eff you please, cir, I would like to sell
this pin. How much"
~ can't afford to give you more than a
dollar, ma'am," interrupted the jeweler,
cycling the old-fashioned ornament with con
temptuous scrutiny. %
"Well, I must take dollar, then," said
Sylvia, with meek, half-smothered sigh l..
And she received the dollar that seemed SO
poor an equivalent for the cherished pin and
went back to purchase the coveted collar,
bringing it triumphantly home, with yard
If narrow pink ribbon for poor Melissa's
shrunken throat. .s e.,.-a.a q.
"Walter used to like pink" said Sylvia,
as she pinned the bow upon the neck Of
Melissa's dress, and stepped back a little to
look at the effect. To Sylvia, her sister
was still beautiful as Hebe. Her allegiance
had never once swerved or altered from the
fond faith Of her youth.
.sTll tell you wba', Sylvia" said Melissa
carefully brushing her scant tresses-alas,
for their vanished gold lover the heated
curling stick. ''you had better lend me your
black silk dress Mine is too shabby to
wear, and you have kept yours so neatly
sAnd what shall wear p humbly sug-
gested the younger sister. ABB. 'a
.Oh, bingham is good enough for you.
Walter Rochefort won't notice what you
wear !" '']
.That's true enough" said Sylvia, with
a sigh, and she set to work busily altering
the black silk dress, which looked only one
degree less shabby than Melissa's own
And she took the little coral earring out Of
her ears and put them in Melissa's, and al
most wished she could reinforce Melissa's
thin, 'towy" hair from the abundance of bel
own shining brown tresses. ea
"You look very nice DEAR" she said soft
", when all was done ''and and how &c
I look ?"
"Oh, you look well enough said Melis
sa. without turning her head to OBSERVE
"Don't tease, me, Sylvia [ am just finish
ing my last curl"
So the two sisters sat down by their neat
Preside, to await the coming Of the ole
friend who had made his fortune. And thu
tears came unbidden into, Sylvia's eyes, a.
she thought how lonely that Preside would
be when Melissa was married to Walter
Rochefort, and gone.
s.But I am selfish to feel So" though
Sylvia. II ought only to think of Melissa
happiness"
Melissa's voice chimed in the very key
note of Sylvia's musings.
II suppose you will keep the school on
if I marry Walter, Sylvia ? It's nice
enough place for you. Of course you cam
expect to come and live with u.s." ta
emo certainly not, said Sylvia, feel
ing guilty conscious that she had though
how very nice such an arrangement woul'
be. "As you say, Melissa, I can keep o.
the school" a sosgaa H5a
: s.Theres the BELL" exclaimed Melissa. =
..Run to the door, Sylvia !; I can't be jump
! ing up and down stairs, like housemaid
Obedicnt Sylvia went and as the hal
door was closed, Walter Roehefort took he
! in his arms and kissed her. ,
! s.That's for old times, Sylvia" he sal
| paylv, "don't look SO astonished. Surel
YOU knew Of my love long before | wer
4, away" ''''1H
Il did not know Of it, Walter" sal
Sylvia, blushing like aJune rose at the III
expected kiss, but suspected it,"
1 aAnd now" said Mr.. Rochefort. with
: face of calm determination, 81 NUT hay
t this matter settled before we 90 up stairs
your sister. !" ...-
.sWhat matter, Walter ?"
"Whether you will marry me Or not
u 81, Walter p t-
: "You, Sylvia"
"But, Walter, thought it was Melissa
: "Not at ALL" said Walter, most decide
g ly. cit is you want. Can have you,
! ooh, Walter, somehow | can't believe i
Not very direct answer, but sufficient
explicit for Mr.. Rochefort, who straigh
way repeated the offence Of the kiss, ar
led Sylvia up stairs to Melissa.
u "She has promised to marry me, Meliss