Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1871-11-10

aunt Wallingford says, and dare say sh
knows
Mr.. hurry laughed, and made som
pleasant response, which Claribel failed t
hear, for she started mp, exclaiming.
But, dear me, I had quite forgotten J
You called to see my cousins, no doubt
and here sit appropriating your visit t.
myself, Pray excuse me. Here, San
ford, take this card to the young ladies
and tell them Mr.. Murray is in the draw
ing-room
MY dear Miss Willoughby,' said Cliff
ford. as the servant left, you mistake-if
had dreamed of finding you here
But Claribel cut him short.
Not bit of compliment, please, Mr.
Murray she laughed. I don't appreciate
il at all, and we are old acquaintance,
/ too
SO we are, responded Clifford, heartily,
and on the strength Of that am going to
ask favor. Will you sing for me the
ballad you were singing when I came 2
She went to the piano without word,
and began to sing in voice as sweet as the
note of nightingale. Clifford was enrap-
tured, but his pleasure was of short dura-
ton, for she had scarcely ended the first
stanza, when Mrs. Wallingford came bust
ling in, with look of such utter surprise
on her face, that the young man found it
hard work to maintain his gravity.
Why, my dear why, Claribel ? she be-
gan, as soon as she had given Mr.. Murray
gushing welcome, what is this You
surely
Oh auntie, cried Claribel as she rose
from the piano, I used to know M Muir.
ray when he was at college he was a
friend of dear papa, that's ALL
But your dress, my love-how could
you 2 continued the lady, with an anxious,
angry light in her eyes.
Claribel glanced down at her neat APP
paral with artless surprise
I did not think of that she said, limo
Gently But it doesn't signify, Mr., Muir.
ray called on my cousins, you know. bid
you good-morning, Mr.. Murray
She left the drawing room with grave
courtesy as she spoke Clifford Murray
was guilty of the gross impoliteness Of STAR
ing after her, to the utter neglect of what
his hostess was saying.
Mrs. Wallingford grew very red, and
the angry light in her eyes deopened, and
just at that moment her daughters sailed
ill., Fresh from hurried toilet, as the
most unobservant eye could see at glance,
and over-dressed for the occasion, yet very
handsome and snowy girls withal. Mr.
Murray did the devoted gallant to the let
ter, and expressed his pleased anticipation
in regard to the approaching ball /; but de-
spite his pleasant manner, he was heartily
glad when the call was ended-and walking
back to Murray House, he found his memo
ry wandering back to his college days, and
to the quiet evenings he was won't to spend
in the little library at the old parsonage !:
and he maryeled within himself that he had
not sooner recognized Claribel Willoughby,
having thought SO much Of her in the inter-
vening years.
The Wallingfords' ball was great sue
cess. The Misses Wallingford were abso-
lutely too dazzling for description. To play
the agreeable to both at the same time,
thought our hero, would be rather a weari-
some task. But mamma Wallingford was
too skillful a diplomatistto put him in such
dilemma.
L shall leave you to entertain Mr.. Muir
ray, Clara, my love- she said, when the
salutations Of the evening were over. Come,
Augusta, I promised to present you to Mr..
Falkland
| And fairly white with anger and disap-
pointment, Augusta was forced to obey,
while her elder sister sailed off with the
prize. Mr.. Murray did his utmost to be
agreeable. He waltzed, be promenaded, he
talked all manner of pretty nonsense-and
Miss Wallingford was in the third heaven
of triumphat bliss. But not so her com.
panion. His eyes wandered, and his heart
belied the words his tongue spoke. AT
last, when patience began to desert him, he
ventured to ask if Miss Willoughby was
well ? She was quite we'll, Miss Wallingford
? said But I do not see her. hesitated
Clifford. The young lady arched her love-
ly brows in well-bred surprise mo, mann
ma could not induce her to come down she
has an idea that it isn't proper to dance SC
soon after her bereavement She's an odd
kind of child, you know, Mr.. Murray,
added the beauty, confdentially, Mamma
:, is really worn out with efforts to improve
| uef Uub luoy ScSiu W GHGCt uolullIS
The ball went on, with its glittering
throng of dancers, and its bewildering mu
sic, but, for Clifford, much of the interest
and enjoyment was gone. Other girls than
Clara and Augusta strove to attract his at
tention But, though he was well-bred tc
, all, he was impressed by none. Every face
, had the same stereotyped look, of which he
was already tired that look, half Of discon
tent, half of envy, which prevails SO il
! fashionable society. The fresh, sweet, in
: nocent face of Claribel rose up before hin
continually. He remembered how it hao
9 fascinated him in other days. In his mem
= ory, all through those long years, had lived
. portrait. It was that Of a young girl
dressed in white, sitting musing He hac
surprised her in that position, one day, ano
he had never entirely forgotten the picture
It was innocence and loveliness enshrined il
one Often and often it had come up tx
y him, in his student-days abroad. It wa
the same face now, only more matured, and
q therefore, even more beautiful. Full o
this memory. DO stepped out into the gar
> den, for the glare and noise of the ball be
p gun to jar on him. Pacing up and dowl
the fragrant walks, he saw an open case
y ment high above him, and a fair, sweet face
= and still girlish figure, dimly defined in tn
: uncertain light. 1t was Claribel, he knew
But the figure disappeared Immediately, ant
the light was put out.
It Clifford was punctual in making his par
ty CALI at the Wallingfords.' But he faile'
to see Claribel. He had asked for the la
). dies as was proper, but only Mrs: Walling