Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1872-09-10
NUMBER 50.

nicely trimmed-the flowers look Just as the,
used to when Eva fitted among them-nothinl
, seems at all changed. When they reached tn,
parlor. she was more than amazed to behold he
piano, the very piano she surely had touched tina
morning at the Cottage; and Evas harp too
and there is her guitar, on which Edward
had played an accompaniment in a duet few
hours before But hark a child's voice is
heard in the drawing-room, and they approach
without disturbing her. She is singing lula
by to her doll; then bending over it, she soothes
its imaginary cries with words of tender love.
Now her sweet voice warbles a beautiful song,
but suddenly stopping, she says half aloud, and
half as if only thinking
II wonder what makes uncle Edward call me
| his mocking bird / wish he would make
| haste to come home, for it seems so long since
l saw him and my new, pretty aunt Constance
| at the church. She doesn't look much like my
little aunt Eva for her hair and eyes are
| dark, while Eva hair is as light as mine, and
her eyes so blue
She laid her doll on an ottoman close by,
jumped up from the cushion on which she had
been sitting, and going to the wall, drew aside
a silken curtain which covered full length
portrait of Eva Morton.
"Oh Edward" burst forth from the lips of
you please, what does this all mean. Surely
am not dreaming. Oh tell me that it is sweet
reality
Nettie came bounding to her uncle and was
| made welcome with shower of kisses. Of too
afectionate a disposition to be shy of any one
on whose love she had claim, she went up to
Constance, who clasped the little fairy to her
heart and kissed the rose bud lips again and
again.
Ill - r1ok
is she DOING" queried Mr.. Clifton.
"Oh she is in the dining-room, filling the
custard cups, and fixing the table SO beautiful
ly with the pretty, bright silver and other
things, which she told me used to belong to
my new Auntle's mama, when she was living;
but III go this minute and tell her you We come,
tor she told me to let her know.
While she was gone to bring Mrs. Cleveland,
Edward surprised Constance by telling her that
be had only assumed the position of poor
school-teaeher that he might be enabled to
throw off the shackles of fashionable life
Tired of the noise and glare of the city, he had
come. an entire stranger, to her village-hom
intending to spend month or two. The idea
then occurred to him to fill the vacant chair of
the village school-master; and it pleased him to
be treated so kindly by his newly found friends,
instead Of being fawned upon for his wealth.
What happened soon after his visit to the
Morton's has already been shown. And now
let US witness the introduction of Edward Cliff
ton sister to his bride.
II could scarcely restrain myself from lifting
your veil and imprinting sisters kiss on your
cheek as soon as the ceremony was ended, said
Mrs. Cleveland, 'but l caught Edwards eye
and he pleaded SO hard that l should carry out
his plans. But now | am going to steal you
away from his watchful care for awhile;" and
she lovingly drew her from his side, and led
her upstairs to the best chamber, which had
been newly fitted up with costly and elegant
furniture and on the snowy bed is brides
trousseau complete. Nothing is wanting, from
the long veil, with its wreath of orange bios
SONS, to the tiny satin slipper. Constance's
own maid is waiting to arrange her beautiful
hair, and array her in robes more behtting the
wife of the wealthy owner of the mansion, than
the simple but becoming ones she then wore.
When her toilet was completed, Edward
came in ,and, unclasplng morocco case, took
from it an elegant set of pearls to adorn the
head, neck and arms of his beloved Constance,
Her eyes are filled with tears-she leans her
head on her husbands shoulder and breathes
prayer to her Heavenly Father that she may be
kept ''uuspotted from the world" aud ever
remember the high source from which all her
blessings flowed. All radiant with happiness,
he led her to the parlor sand then, before their
guests assembled, he asked her if she remem-
bered the time when she was so distressed on
finding that she had lost from her watch-chain
tiny locket containing the miniature OF her
sister? He, himself, had disengaged it from
the other charms, and carrying 1t to an eminent
artist, ordered portrait to be executed, on
which the painter was to spare no pains to rem
der it as life-like as possible. To him, alone,
he had revealed the fact that he was wealthy;
sealing the assurance by paying, cash, one
Lalp Il Of fho NTH fho
promise that the rest should be ready for him
when it was framed and deposited at house No.
104, Elm st.
As soon as practicable, he had purposely
put the locket where he thought Constance
would be likely to find it-and she never suspect
ed the errand it had performed. The day of the
sale, he, under an assumed name, had brought
the whole of the property and sent those artl-
cles to the Cottage, as if they had been for
warded by Mr.. Morton's creditors; but he acted
so discreetly, that no one suspected him OF be-
ing anything but poor school-teacher. As if
authorized by the owner, he had employed COM
petent hands, at regular intervals, to air and
clean the housekeeping himself with them to
see if the work was neatly and promptly done.
So when he invited his sister and lit
tie niece to the mansion, Ito remain until after
his marriage, they found everything in as COM
plete order as when Mrs. Morton and Constance
had occupied 1t and directed affairs themselves.
But now the rooms are filling with company,
and Mr.. Clifton moves about among the throng,
making every one feel so entirely at ease, that
they forget that this is the first time he has act
ed ''Host" for them.
Constance, lovely in every position she has
vet filled, seems all unconeious that she Is the
cynosure of every eye. Her graceful form,
made exquidtely beautiful by its costly drapery,
appears to great advantage in those halls of
plenty. But her scholars approach her as IA
miliarly as when she welcomed them at the
Cottage, for she is true .oonsan and cannot
be dazzied, like the butterflies of fashion, by
And now, dear reader, We will leave her,
The carriages have rolled away, carrying the
departed guests to their respective homes; but
when the last adieu has been spoken-the last
pressure of the hand been given-Constance
Clifton, as she leans on her husbands strong
arm, feels that she is truly mot Alone"
Staunton, Va, August 10th, 1872.
A young dry goods clerk in Quincy ate very
heartily Of watermelons, peaches, cake, Linn
burger cheese and preserves, the other night,
~ -. o,lloJ on biS c;rl lata IN tho avaninr