Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1872-01-12


left the room.
On the paper which envelorad the Dog,
which was a si,y aud tasteful affair, being
carved in ivory in the form Of q wihfifts- rose,
was written-sMiss Cecilia Hildreth No.
CO. street." The contents Of the box
was merely moss rose bud, accompanied
with tho anh joined -e4-,-s-
s'To Miss G. H:
II send you rosebud, as
an emblematical declaration of the regard
which I have not found courage to express
in words. Tomorrow being new years
day, I shall, as will doubtless every gentle
man who has the honor of your acquain-
lance, pay you the customary visit of con-
graduation, and, if you are inclined to bid
me hope, l beg you will wear the rosebud
IF you fail to do SO, | shall consider my
SELF as rejected.
"FREDER1c INGL1s.
New York, Dec. 3D.
Phelim had gone only short distance,
after leaving the Astor House. before be
fellin with an old acquaintance. They had
great deal to say to each other, and when,
after lettering long time at the corner of
the street where Cecilia Hildreth lived, they
took leave of each other, Phelim could not
remember the number. He looked hard at
the direction on the envelope, by the light
emitted from lamp, but he could make
nothing of it, as to write his name was the
only advance he had as yet made in master
ing the mysteries Of chirography. Neither
were the numeral figures any better to him
than SO many Egyptian hieroglyphics. He
ran back and soon overlook the acquaintance
from whom be had minute before parted
"Can you,'' said he sstell me the number
that's writ here 2"
eyer couldn't applied to betther person
to tell ye-I can see with half an eye it's
nine-nine -
And it was true that the figures did read
njnety.nine as he looked at them, which un
fortunately vas upside doWn. Being not q
little proud of his superior knowledge, he
offered to 60 with Phelim and point out the
number on the door-plate No. 80 proved
to be large and elegant mansion, and Pie
lin putting the box into the hand of the ser
yant who came to the door. requested hin
to give it to the "yoaug lcady.'' As h
spoke, be caught glimpse Of bright-eyet
girl of fourteen, whom his words arrested
as she was crossing the hall. She held GU
her hand for the box, then tripping light,
into a parlor, which happened to be vacant
without looking at the address, she tore Of
the envelope and threw it carelessly aside
"It is from Uncle Joseph, 1 almos
know" she murmured half aloud, as sh
opened the bog. Shs vas little puzzle'
when she saw the rosebud, and still more s.
when she unfolded the note, for she saw b.
glance that it was not the hand writing o
her uncle.
"Frederic Inglis-Frederic Inglis," sh
slowly repeated as she looked at the sigma
ture. 20, I remember now; it is tina
handsome Southerner I saw at Aunt Hill
dreth's the other day. 7 cannot imagin
what he has sent this little love of DO,
and this beautiful rosebud to me for"
Reading the note threw no light upon tn
subject. She never had seen him but once
and then she was sure, far from betrayin
any particular regard for her, he hardly nc
ticed her at all. 'pid he," che thought
intend it as jest? If so, she could not bu
think it was in very bad taste, and altogett
er unworthy such gentleman as she ha
imagined Frederic lnglis to be. Her fathe
and Cecilia Hildreths being brothers, an
her own name Clara, her initials we're th
same as her cousins. SO that the E'Miss {
H." at the head of the note applied equal
we'll to both,
Clara was very grave all the evening, fo
if she had not "come OUT yet she did nj
choose to be made the subject of jest