Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-10-09
1sWANTED--A WIFE.

w AN lEU--A WIFE.
" WANTED-A Wife"
And L want husband p thought Mis-
Laurella Wintergreen.
Involuntarily she gla1fced toward the lit
tie mirror which hung between the win
dows opposite, as if mutely questioning
herself as to the remains of girlhood's
beauty. Alas the convex sphere, too
truthful. returned no encouraging verdict
For Miss Laurella Wintergreen was not sc
young as she had been some four or five
and twenty laughing summers ago.
Forty years old, and lean and spare
with hair grown thin on the parting, and
little crows feet forming lattice-work
around her faded blue eyes A plump old
maid with cheeks like a fall apple and
laughing hazel eyes, is not such disa.
greeable object to look upon, but lean,
shadowy, SO to speak, a dessicated " old
maid Miss Laurella shuddered slightly
as she turned away from the uncompromis-
ing reflection in the mirror.
ssYes,'' added Miss Laurella Winter
green to herself. C do need a husband.
I wonder how that particular paragraph
happened to meet my eye just then. |
don't believe in being bold or unfemlnine ;
but what is poor girl to do when fate has
made no provision for her future? Pm
sure | should make good wife. [ can
cook; Pm handy with my needle; and I
hox FOL For, hor inn >.
and yet"
Miss Laurella's sentence ended in a de-
jected sigh. Surely there was something
essentially wrong in the planetary combi-
nations which had gllttered over the in
suspicious hour of her birth
SC Wa9oted-a wife ~
Miss Laurella Wintergreen looked round
the scantily furnished little room, and eyed
the one tea-cup on the tray, and the soil
tary pair Of well-Worn slippers that turned
out their toes On the hearth-rug, with a
distasteful glance. And then she drew
out her memorandum book, dotted down
the address upon which her eyes had been
longingly lingering, and put it into her
pocket Cat all events there can be no
harm in trying" thought Miss Laurella.
which she must boldly take the helm of
her fate in her own hands,"
Her toilet this morning was prolonged
and fastidious the Wintry little curls were
brushed repeatedly round the stick, and
the blue ribbon bow was adjusted jauntily
at her throat; while the powder pu if, dab
bed again and again over her brow and
cheeks, bravely strove to simulate the lily
bloom of her youth. A black silk dres 8
and round hat of black plush with a knot
of red and brown autumn leaves upon it,
completed her preparations for the hand
to-lland conflict with Destiny, in which
she was about to engage. For Miss Lau-
rella Wintergreen had had enough half
measures. 1t was high time, she told her
self, to be up and doing.
Nevertheless her heart throbbed with
strangulating rapidity when she stood at
the door of No - Burch street, the ad-
dress written down in her memorandum
book
Its such an embarrassing thing to do -
she thought. But then if the gentleman
has advertised, he can't be surprised if his
appeal is answered"
A tall well-looking servant man an
swered the bell. Miss Wintergreen con-
graduated herself that her future fate was
rich, at any event, and i'll reply TO the
mans inquiring look, answered:
81 have come in reference to the-the
advertisement in this mornings paper.'
ooh, the Observation-Disclosures an
swered the man, as coolly as if advertise
ments we're an every day affair in that
household. 'Please to walk in, men,"
And Miss Wintergreen, passing through
an elegantly carpeted hall, found herself
in good sized room beyond, where four OIL
| five other women were seated.
And such motley crew! Laurella.
glancing up through her veil, took sort
of mental stock of them at one look. A
starched female in the corner, in rusty
bombazine and widows cap, with the
corners of her mouth drawn down in hall
circle, sat contemplating with folded hands
plump Irish woman in a gay delalne
dress and very dirty gloves, who was warm
ing her substantial feet at the fender; two
women who looked as if they might be
'sout on leave" from factory, giggled at
the window, and a hard-faced woman IN
black silk sat on the sofa, with two red
headed little boys on either side of her.
"And these" thought Miss Laurella
with centemptuous elevation of her nose:
" are my rivals!''
"Take cheer, Miss" said the man
"My master'll see you Directly"
"There is no hurry, my good man" SAID
Miss Wintergreen majestically.
Almost in the same breath the door De-
yond opened, and fat old lady in fals'
front and spectacles waddled out, breath
ing very hard, and wearing flushed, IN
dignant expression.
"He thinks I'm too old !" quoth TIL
matron, looking round upon the assem-
bled group. cpd just like to know nov
old he is hisself, that I would! l neve
see nothin' like the airs some people pu
on ~
And she went putting out, like the Grea
Eastern, in state of discontinue.
"Now then, num-" said the young maj
reckoning to the lady Of the bompazln
and widows cap, if you'll please to Wal