Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1872-06-07
SELECTED STORY
In TWENTY YEARS.

Gus in Margaret's naughtiness, my dear sir y
said fashionably dressed lady of five and for.
ty summers to gentleman fifteen years her
junior, who stood behind the open library
window, regarding her with an amused
smile.
Nothing at all serious, my dear Mrs.
Gray" said the gentleman quietly
'And what do you think I had better do
with her %
"Send her to me, if you like" was the
negligent answer.
The lady's anxious face cleared and
frightened at once
"Would you really take herr"
eff it will give you pleasure l will be
happy to do So"
s'Oh it will be such a weight off my mind
Mr.. Strong I cannot tell you what I have
suffered from the girls peculiar ways since I
came into this house to live. Fond as was
of Judge Gray doubt if I ever could have
made up my mind to take him had I known
as much Of bis only child as I know now
And, since her fathers death, she has run
wild-positive!y wild, Mr.. Strong. I have
not the slightest control over her. In fact,
she sets every one at defiance, and what"
"Yes, my dear madam" said Mr. Strong,
bowling politely, as if he thought she had
completed her sentence. II can easily I'M
derstand it all. But send her to me and
we will see what can be done. have had
some wild patures in my time Good after
noon, madam
With these words human destiny was
decided
The next day saw Margaret, the only
daughter and heiress of the late Judge
Gray, sitting quietly at desk in the village
academy among group Of girls: who eyed
her over their school books as stealthily and
curiously as if she had been newly i'm
ported kangaroo.
First, because with her clear. bright bru-
nette complexion, her large, dark eye, and
her brown, curling hair. she was by far the
handsomest girl in the whole school,
Secondly because she was an heiress.
Thirdly and lastly, because they had
heard many tale of her naughty and CO.
PRECIOUS temper, and were in daily and
hourly expectation of strife for the mas
terry between her and their grave and hand
some teacher, whose authority no one with
in those walls would ever dream of dispu
ting, unless it you'd be her.
But much to the wonder, aud very posi-
bly, to the disappointment of the school girls,
no such outbreak had occurred. Margaret,
perched in the library gallery at home,
among her we'll beloved books, had heard
her step-mother's accusation, and the teach
er's laughing reply. Neither of the speak
ers had been aware Of her presence, and she
did not make it manifest by word, or look,
or sign. But when they were gone she
clenched her little white hand, vowed pas
sionately to herself that she would surprise
them both, and make her step-mother ar-
pear to others the harsh, eensorious aud IN
lust woman she herself, in her own eaoret
heart, had always been wiling to believe
her
Accordingly, when Informed CT the exist
ing arrangement, she uttered no word of OPP
position, muoh to the establishment Of Mrs.
Gray, who could hardly believe her own
eyes when she saw Margaret obedieutly
leave the house each morning with her
satohel of books swinging from her arm
Mr.. Strong wao also puzzled. His deep
blue eyes often met those brown ones gith
wondering inquiry that made Margaret long
to laugh. But the one asked no questions !;
the other answered none And SO the days
went on, and Margaret passed her first e1-
animation triumphantly, and was proclaimed
the best and mot promising scholar in the
school.
She ought, therefore, to have been happy.
But it was with very sad face that she went
up into the old familiar hall, just at dusk,
on the evening Of the great examination
day, to collect her books, and take one last
secret look at a place which she tenanted as
it had been tenantcd of late, the master s
chair.
There it stood upon the raised platform,
empty and desolate. The stately figure
that filled it like throne was absent; and
yet, to her dreaming eyes, present anc
plainly as ever, she saw the high, white
brow, and the curls of sunny brown halr,
and the deep blue eyes, and the beautiful
chiseled lips that closed SO firmly in spite OF
their beauty. She heard the deep, sweet wee
tones of that beloved voice-beloved ohe
started at the thought
"Oh !! my dear master p she said aloud
and burying her head in her hands she sank
down upoo the empty chair and wept.
A step crossed the hall hastily, an arm
thrown around her waist that voice, all bur
ried and agitated, was speaking in her yer.
ear.
"My pupil Oh, if l were younger o
you older if I were richer or you poorer,
wnnld dare To saw .sm4 Maryrret," and d