Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1873-10-24
THE WESTERN COUSIN.


Mrs Montague, opening the door of hel
sewing room, where her two daughters and
niece were stitching busily upon fnery for a
forthcoming ball, presented an unmistaka
BILE vision of a matron very much annoyed
not to say out OF temper In her hand she
held an open letter, which she had Just fin
ished reading. i
Irene, the old sister, first spoke:
From father p she said, pointing to the
letter.
'.Yes. Your father will be at home on
the fourteenth, in time for dear Clara's bal
butt never was. so vexed in my life-he
is going to bring Charles Eastoo with
him"
''Who is Charles Easton, Aunt Ella p
Clara West asked, looking up from her
work, and revealing a very beautiI I'll face,
of classic regularity Of features, with large,
violet eyes and short, auburn curl clus.
tering above the broad brow
'No relation to us. my DEAR" said Mrs
Montague. IA cousin of the girls on their
fathers side He is one Of Mr. Montagu :
sisters sons, and was born in Illinois TWEEN
ty.three years ago, moved out farther aud
father West, as his father speculated more
and more in land. until now he is settled iii
Minnesota You may imagine him. Clara,
when I tell you he has never been east Of
his birth place in his lie
"a nice addition to ball to which all the
aristocracy Of G. have been invited .
said Lois, the younger daughter, speaking
for the first time. IL suppose he will wear
homespul, cut in the fashion of sixty years
ago. I have vivid recollection of my IN
Gle Easton in his butternut suit. as be ap.
peared here ten years ago, and could talk OF
nothing else out my boy Charles"
well, my boy Charles is coming now"
said her mother, land your father will ex-
pect us to make as much fuss over him as If
he WAS heir to the throne of Russia. will
see about his room D
In the meantime as fast as steam would
bring him, the uuwcloome guest was speed
ing across the iron road to 6 ----, with
his uncle Montague
Mr.. Montague, u tall powerful man, past
sixty, was rare combination OF the physic-
al development of Western farmer. which
he had been until past thirty, and the shrewd
mental activity of city merchant, which
he had been for the last thirty years A man
of ample means, he drew large proportion
from speculations in Western land, conduct.
ed under the management of his brother in
law, John Easton, and made yearly trips to
the land OF the setting sun to look after his
Investments
During his last visit he had been much
pleased with his nephew Charles and had
proposed to him to make "a trip to ca
stopping at some Of the large titles on the
Journey eastward, where the young man s
own native good sense and tact had taken
note of city manners, and had replenished
his trunk with garments of the fashion of
the season.
"By Jove p was Mr.. Montague's express
sion, as he opened daily paper and jerked
himself up from the easy posture he had as.
sumed in the seat Of car just crawling out
of New York depot.
'What is it p Charles asked looking
down from his superior stature
1T is the fourteenth was the reply
well p
All at once Mr.. Montague remembered it
was the day of the ball as he said TO Charles
(Which your aunt is going to give to her
} neice, Miss Clara West, to celebrate be,
coming of age and also coming into po SEES
sion of neat hundred thousand dollars.'
And we wont be there should be Out
Of my element altogether, presume.
'Not bit, boy not biz. Let me see
This train is due at c. by nine II
tell you what we will do We will go tc
the hotel and put ourselves into dress coat
and white kids, and. 60 to the house wller
the later guests arrive. You'll have an early
chance to air that new dress suit you got q
BIS
Mrs. Montague heard the mantel.clocl
chime the half.hour between ten and clever
with a sensation of uubounded relief Th.
ball, upon whose preparation she had spen
many days. and drawn heavily upon Mr.
Montague's bank account, promised to be
success. Already her large rooms wer
filled with the cream of s. society ane
the three girls, in stylish and becoming cos
tunes, were the bellies of the evening
, Clara West was smiling graciously upo,
the son and heir of the Montag ues Walter
and raising his mammals hopes Of a mate
upon which her heart was set and best Q
: all, there was no sign of the coming Of til
Western savage
"They could not have come on the MIN
e o'clock train, F" thought the matron, 'or the
= would be here by this time Once get tb
!. ball over, I do not care so much about III
I backwoodsman. Indeed l imagine be wi
It be good foil for the elegance Of my Wa
e ter"
AS the thought passed through her bus
: brain, 'my Walter" with his cousin Clar
upon his arm, left the crowded room to fin
cooler air in the wide hall, and encountere
" at the door his father end a stranger,
ssr whom the dapper little dandy gazed in bal
envious establishment
!, Walter, small, dark and dainty, dresse
- in the extreme Of fashion, certainly presen
" ed strong contrast to the young giant lool
ing down upon him. Tall, fully two inch'
IN above the regulation six feet, broad shou
dered and perfectly proportisned, with lare
!, brown eyes, blonde hair and whiskers, an
n, clear complexion, young Easton looked lii
r, some Morse warrior newly sprung to life:
His tailor had possessed sufficient discrin
y notion to tone his garments down to an eas
fit of his easy proportions, and while th'