Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1873-05-09

"May ask what have done p I said.
"You know" said Grace.
II know !" I repeated. ''Nay know
nothing of woman's fancies. You must ex'
plain"
Il scarcely think it worth while" said
she. "If you do not know that you have
done wrong tonight, should not care
You have neglected me, and devoted your.
self to that vulgar woman. heard a lady
near me say that you seemed to be tired Of
your bargain. She thought you were in
love with that creature. So did other peo-
pie. Under the circumstances, have a
right to feel offended, insulted."
Perhaps she thought would deny the
charge. Perhaps she expected me to plead
for pardon. God knows what possessed
me. | answered only
"Nlay not talk to a pretty woman be
cause I hope to marry you some day =
f'You were dirting-almost making love
to her," she replied
''She is the sort of woman with whom
men fall 10 love- l said Irresistible in
manner. Eve heard she makes couquests
cVCt yWuel0 uOu OUuUt lie
Grace looked at nae with stern face
white in the starlight as marble statue.
"Other women are alwaya jealous of such
woman" I added
81 am not jealous of her, she said. II
would not be like her for kingdom. She
is terrible woman But since you admire
her SO you are free to tell her SO after you
have seen me to my door"
"Grace r. [ said.
"Mss Hunter, if you please, Mr.. Ruth
erford." said che ''We have both made a
little mistake, easily recti6ed that is all "
felt, as / stood looking at her, that the
effect of the wine had drank upon me was
stronger than [ had thought, but gave no
heed to the warning Of my giddy head and
rapid pulse.
"Just as you please" I said. II should
think that jealous woman would curse any
mans life. I'll 90 now. won't trouble
you any longer. Good-by"
We were not at the door Of her home
we were about half block from it but
turned on my heel then and there and l
was hot and angry made my way home.
and, without undressing, fell upon my
bed and dropped asleep.
In two hours I awakened sober. l sat
up and looked about me. The scenes of
the evening required to me wildly. | saw
how blameworthy I had been, and terri
BILE grief oppressed me. I put my head
down upon my hands ard burst into bitter
tears. had lost her. and with her all
that made life precious. Then hope dawned
upon my soul. I would write to her tell
her how, unused to liquor as | was, the
wine had affected me. l would tell her
that to my sober self there was no charm in
the woman who had seemed to enchant me
the evening before. I would draw the CON-
parison felt SO keenly between her pure
self and that bold eyed firt. l would pray
for forgiveness. and she would forgive me.
Springing to my feet, 1 rushed to M
desk. I drew from it pen and paper. |
wrote letter overlooking with remorse
and tenderness. I read and re-resd it
Then, leaving it upon the spot where it
was written, I stood at the window, waiting
for the tardy dawn, very jealous of the slow
hours that kept my missive from my dar-
ling.
l had put out my candle when I left my
desk, and tho room should have been dark !;
but as turned my head, after long and
anxious reverie, [ saw it was full Of a pale
radiance like that Of moonlight. Had
miracle occurred-bad the sun risen again ?
Suddenly. amid the silvery light, ap.
peared still whittier radiance 1t slowly
took form A female figure. in white gar
ments so bright that they dazzled the eyes,
stopped bending over the letter.
remained motioDless-to speak or stir
was not in my power-aud gazed on the
strange object with terrified intensity. The
figure seemed to turn the pages of my letter
with its transparent hands. | heard a gen
tie sigh then the head turned toward me,
and I saw face | knew-the face that
seemed the loveliest of all on earth to me,
endowed with mysterious, divine beauty
for which no man could find words-tbe
glori6ed face Of sweet Grace Hunter.
At the sight I burst the bonds which
held me-bonds as tangible as though
could have seen them-and rushed for.
ward I strove to clasp my love, or her
shadow. in my arms. A shock such as one
might experience from an electrical m achine
flashed through me, and fell powesless to
the floor.
When | recovered the day had dawned,
and under the blue morning sky the city
had awakened but my day never dawned
again. My heart, never awoke to LIES
sweetness.
To end the story in a very few words,
Grace Hunter never reached her home that
night, and never was heard Of again The
family imagin that she had remained with
her friends, and were not anxious about her.
| had left her within sight Of her own door,
and why she did not reach it l shall never
know. But I do know that in some woful
manner she died that night. and that her
parting spirit paused in its fight to bid me
long farewell.
I have outlived nay youth, and the sus
picion that fell on me and embittered many
years of my existence but / shall never
outlive my love for Grace Hunter, or my
remorse for that nights woful work. ]
shall never outlive the knowledge that, in the
madness CAUSED by wine and an evil wo
mans enchantment, was the cause Of my
darling's death.
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