Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1873-12-18
SELECT STORY.
THE WESTERN COUSIN.

MRS. Montague opening the door OF
her sewing room, where her two daugh
tiers and neice were stitching busily
upon inery for a forth coming ball,
presented an unmistakable vision of a
matron very much annoyed, not to say
out of temper In her hand she held
an op en- letter, which she had just fin
ishing reading.
Irene, the old sister, first spoke,
"From father?" she said pointing to
the letter.
eyes. Your father will be at home
on the fourteenth, in time for dear
Clara's ball; butt never was so
vexed in my life--he is 'going to bring
Charles Easton with him.
"Who is Charles Easton, Aunt Ella?'
Clara West asked, looking up from her
work, and revealing a very beautiful
face, Classic regularity of features,
with large violet eyes and short auburn
curls clustering above the broad brow
''No relation to us my dear" said
Mrs. Montague. "A cousin of the girls
Oh their fathers side He is one e
Mr.. Montagnes sisters sons, and was
born in Illinois twenty-three years ago.
moved. out father and father West, as
his father speculated more and more in
land. until now he is settled in MINES
ota. You may imagine him, Clara
when l tell you he has never been
east of his birth place in his life"
"a nice addition to a ball to which
all the ,aristocracy of G-have been
invited" said Lois, the younger daugh-
ter, speaking for the first time. 81 sup
pose he will wear homespun, cut. in the
fashion of sixty years ago. I have a
vivid recollection Of M uncle Easton
IN his butternut suit, as he appeared
here ten years ago, and could talk Of
nothing else but ''my boy Charles y
''Well, my boy Charles is coming
now" said her mother, ''and your faith
er will expect us to make as much fuss
over him as if he was heir TO- the
throne Of Russia. will see about his
room"
In the meantime as fast as steam
would bring him, the unwelcome guest
was speeding across the. iron road to
CT, with his uncle Montague.
NJ, Montague, tall, powerful man.
past sixty, was rare combination Of
the physical DEVELOPMENT Of a Yves
tern farmer, which he had been until
past thin ty, and the shrewd mental
activity of a city merchant, which he
had been for the last thirty years. A
man of ample means, he drew large
proportion from speculations ln@@Wes
tern land, conducted under the manage
ment of his brothe-in law, John Eas
ton, and made yearly trips to the land
of the setting sun to look after his in
vestments.
During his last visit he had been
much pleased with his nephew Charles,
and had proposed to him to make
a trip to stopping at some Of the
large cities on his journey eastward,
where the young MANS own native
good sense and tact had taken note OF
city manners, and had rcplenished bis
trunk with garments Of the fashion OF
the season.
"By Jove!" was Mr. Montague's ex
preston, as he opened a daily paper
and jerked himself up from the easy
posture he had assumed in the seat O.
a car just crawling out of New York
depot.
sWhat is it 2" Charles asked, look
ing down from his superior statute.
at is the fourteenth" was the re
ply.
"Wella' -
All at once Mr.. Montague remem
ed it was the day Of the ball, as he, sait
to Charles (which your aunt is giving
to her niece, Miss Clara Vest, to cele
brated her coming of age, and als'
coming into possession OF a neat hun
dred Thousand dollars"
Sand we want to be there ! shoult
be out Of my element altogether, pre-
sumo" i.
"Not q bit, boy: not a bit. Let M
see. This train is due at G. b
nine. TIL tell you what we will d,
We will go to the hotel, and p3t4 on
! selves into dress coat and white kid